"The Métis knew the freedom of the Great Plains before the coming of the railroad and played a decisive role in Canadian history. They were both Indian and white--and neither--and in this evocative account Maria Campbell has drawn on her own background to express both the pride and the isolation of her people. Moving west with the development of the lucrative fur trading routes, the Métis settled in what later became Canada's prairie provinces, but they hunted and travelled throughout the northern border states, often battling hostile Indian tribes. The buffalo was their staple, and they were superb hunters and trappers. In this book, beautifully illustrated by David Maclagan, Maria Campbell describes how her people lived and hunted; the houses they lived in; the clothes they wore and the food they cooked; what they taught their children and what they believed. Her story culminates in the rebellions of the late nineteenth century and in the careers of such famous leaders as Louis Riel and Gabriel Dumont.