Grandma’s Little Helper

This story was originally published in Lii Mimwayr Di Faamii (Family Memories), a compilation of stories from members of Gabriel Dumont Local 11, a Métis Local in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. The work began as oral stories, recorded over Zoom during the pandemic. The stories were then transcribed and edited into a Special Edition of Folklore Magazine, published in December 2021.

Lii Mimwayr Di Faamii (Family Memories).

My family memories are filled with stories of my Michif grandmother. Her name is Flora Marie Trottier. She married my grandpa Joe Caron. Her parents were Jean Baptiste Trottier and Melanie Lemire and my grandma was born at Round Prairie.

Her dad fought in the Resistance at Batoche in 1885 along with his cousins and his uncles. Grandma’s dad fought alongside his uncle, Charles Trottier, who is one of my great-great-grandfathers on my Grandpa’s side. After the Resistance, they went south to Montana and North Dakota with many other Métis families. They came back to Round Prairie in the early 1900s and that’s where my grandma was born in 1906.

Flora Marie Trottier.

I was very fortunate to grow up with grandma and I became Grandma’s helper at a very young age. These are the memories that really stick with me. One of the first stories of me helping Grandma was when I was four years old. They used to play a lot of cards at our house and my Grandma taught me how to say “ace of spades” or “l'aas di pik” in Michif. I went around the table to see who had the ace so I could help her win.

We went to a lot of rummage sales at the Pensioner and Pioneer Hall just off 20th Street in Saskatoon. She really liked to go to these sales and she couldn’t go alone because she needed help walking. I thought my Grandma was quite old but what I realize now is that she was actually just in her sixties when we would be going to these sales. Her eyesight wasn’t great and so I became her guide granddaughter and she would take me shopping. Rummage sales were one of her favorite places to go.

Another thing that really sticks out in my mind is Grandma’s love for fancy screw-back earrings because her ears weren’t pierced. She’d always be looking for these little earrings. Unfortunately, I don’t have a pair of her earrings, but I think I must have gotten my love of sparkly jewellery from her.

Grandma also loved the Army & Navy Department Store. Grandma used to love to go there. We would call a taxi on a Saturday morning and she would put on her very best earrings, her nice black hat, and her coat and we would hop in the taxi and go to the Army & Navy. I was very fortunate because I got to pick out my own Christmas present when she would take me to pick out presents for all of her many grandchildren. We would take the store’s old wooden escalator to the top floor and have fries and a pop when we were done shopping. I have many great memories of those shopping trips with grandma.

Former Army & Navy Department Store, Saskatoon.

I spent a lot of time staying with Grandma after Grandpa died. I threaded her needles before I went to school or out to play ball so she could sew all day. She made many patchwork quilts and braided rugs from old clothing and material scraps. I didn’t get these talents unfortunately, but I am grateful for being able to really learn the traditional Métis ways and I’m happy that her ways continue to live on in our family.

I find it difficult to not offer people food because this was always the tradition that Grandma taught us. Whenever you gather together make sure to feed everyone. She fed strangers all of the time and would say, “You never know it might be Jesus himself at your door.” These are the values she instilled in me.

Grandma was someone who had very few material possessions but gave the best of what she did have to her family and friends. She liked to wear a particular style of nightgown that was getting harder to find all the time and I remember my mom searching and searching until she finally found one to give to grandma for Christmas. In true grandma fashion, she gave it to my visiting cousin from Calgary who didn’t have anything to sleep in.

Grandma didn’t give her an old nightgown but the brand new one that my mom had searched and searched for. She believed in giving your best to others.

Below is a picture of my grandma and my grandpa and all of their children. It’s one of the only pictures we have of the whole family, so it’s very precious to me and it holds a lot of stories and memories.

Back row: Ken Caron, Louis (Luger) Caron, Oliver Caron. Middle: Victoria Caron, Bertha Caron, Mary Caron, Arthur (Mick) Caron. Sitting: Flora Caron, Joe Caron.

My grandma has been the person that has shaped who I am culturally and personally. I think about her every day and miss her.

I often think about our visits to the Army & Navy which is now the Saskatoon Public School building. When I was the consultant for First Nations and Métis education, my office was in that building. Sitting in my office I thought about how I was back at the Army & Navy again. I remember talking to my grandma and saying, “Look grandma, look where I am again.”

The old wooden escalator has been preserved and when I went by I longed for a chance to make more memories with Grandma. I still talk to her often even though she’s gone from this earth. I wish she was in my life longer. I’m grateful for the time we shared and the strong Métis cultural values she modeled.

Angie Caron.

ANGIE CARON is a Michif woman from Saskatoon and a proud descendant of the historic Métis community of Round Prairie. She is currently Senior Administrative Staff at the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation. Prior to this role, she taught in the SUNTEP program at the University of Saskatchewan and worked in a variety of leadership and teaching roles in Saskatoon Public Schools. Angie has represented the Métis Nation-Saskatchewan at the provincial level where she engaged with all Saskatchewan directors of education to help create the Education Sector Strategic Plan for the province.  Angie has co-written a children’s book with her dad entitled, Manny’s Memories and co-authored 27 Métis-specific emergent books with Wilfred Burton for the Taanishi Books series.  She is very grateful to the Michif/Métis Elders and community members who continue to share their knowledge with her and support her in her work.

Acknowledgements

The Saskatchewan History & Folklore Society is tremendously grateful to the members of Gabriel Dumont Local 11 for sharing their stories in Lii Mimwayr Di Faamii (Family Memories). Particular thanks go to Cheryl Troupe, Wilfred Burton, Susan Shacter, and Donna Heimbecker for editing the stories. Thanks also to Marcel Petit of m.pet productions for editing the videos.

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