A monument in Moosomin, Sask. dedicated to Métis elders was vandalized over the weekend. The town has a deep connection to its history and Metis heritage. Put up in March, the local Métis association dedicated a tipi and Red River cart to elders as a way to remember ancestors current and past. “It’s one of those things that makes us proud,” local Métis association president Ed Blondeau said. Inside the tipi are photos of relatives and Metis history as well as a kiosk playing traditional music and elders telling stories. When Blondeau and his wife went to the site Saturday, they found the kiosk wiped of all content and damaged. There was also a slice cut in the side of the tipi. “There was a Métis infinity in the floor that had been pulled out and broken into two or three pieces,” he described. “You got all the senses when you would come in,” said association secretary and treasurer Trevor Green. “With the kiosk gone, it takes away from that.” Moosomin RCMP confirmed to CTV News they are investigating the vandalism. They could not comment on whether the incident was hate-motivated. Town director of parks and recreation, Mike Schwain hoped the act could be an opportunity for education. “Sometimes good comes from bad,” he said. “The good out of this is: the community is upset.” “Clearly they are proud of this structure and this shows that as well,” Schwain added. Blondeau and the local Metis association are working to repair the tipi and kiosk to restore the education tools at the monument. “It’s a dedication to the elders,” Blondeau reiterated. “They are your mushum and your kokum. It really makes a difference.”
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