The City of Saskatoon intends to name a street in Michif to honour the Métis culture.
The new name Shakamohtaa means connector or connecting to a larger street.
The sign is expected to be up in the Brighton neighbourhood a year from now.
“I am really, really happy,” said Métis Elder Harriet St. Pierre, who was asked by the city to suggest a name.
“That goes to show that us Métis people are beginning to get recognized.”
St. Pierre, a retired teacher assistant who worked for several schools in Saskatoon, speaks the Métis language of Michif fluently.
A committee is now working to name more Saskatoon streets and landmarks to reflect Indigenous cultures.
“(What) I think about is the young people growing up in our city, and when they look around do they see street names, sculptures, monuments in the reflection of the city in a way that feels welcoming?” said Saskatoon Mayor Charlie Clark.
Clark said the city welcomes everyone and wants Indigenous names to be part of the landscape.
“I think about all the young First Nations, Métis, Inuit children growing up here… Right now most of their street names – and a lot of other symbols of our city – are more reflective of European or colonial history.”
