Town & Country

4 WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, SATURDAY JULY 22, 2017 S T . L A U R E N T INTERLAKE AUTO & TRACTOR PARTS LTD. Large inventory of brakes, shocks, struts, drums & rotors Quality parts, reasonable prices, fast service! We also carry a large inventory of ... • Tuneup parts, oil, air & fuel filters • Dayco belts & hoses • Pickup truck accessories • Custom made ac hoses plus air conditioning parts. • Body shop supplies • Moog chassis parts • Agriculture parts such as bearings, sprockets, chains etc. • Monroe shocks & struts • Custom made hydraulic hoses • Penzoil, Quaker State, Klondike and Lucas oil in stock • 2 times a day delivery out of Wpg. ARBORG, MB | 376-2667 www.interlakeauto.ca iauto@mymts.net TOPSOIL SAND - GRAVEL LANDSCAPING FILL - STONE DEMOLITION LAKESHORE REHABILITATION HOLDING TANKS & SEPTIC FIELD INSTALLATION ASPHALT PAVING OFFICE: 1ST AVE. WEST & HWY #9 WINNIPEG BEACH, MB R0C 3G0 PHONE: (204) 389-2023 FAX: (204) 389-4040 eddiesgravelsupply.com Stonewall Quarry Park a great place for family fun! Camping | Swimming Baseball | Walking Trails Quarry Park Heritage Arts Centre For more information: 166 Main Street, Stonewall, MB Phone:204-467-7980 www.stonewallquarrypark.ca Selkirk Veterinary Services For appointments please call (204) 482-5720 Located at 6 Wersch Street – across from the Recreation Centre in Selkirk All services for a healthy & happy pet: Laser Therapy Pet Insurance Endodontics Ultrasound Dental X-ray Laser Surgery A CARING TEAM FOR YOUR BEST FRIEND Dr. Birte Klug - Dr. Kevin Penner Focus on St. Laurent A fter the floods of 2011, St. Laurent- ers have felt, because of what and who they are as a community, that people have come in, taken their stories, left with them and really not given back to the community," says Patrick Clèment, CFO at Manito Média, a French- language film company he runs with his brother, Charles Clèment. "That's why we tried to work more closely with them and to bring back and share these stories, which will be a great legacy for them, their kids, and their grandkids." The goal of the company is to tell real stor- ies about real people. The result is Au Pays des Mitchifs, an eight-part series on Canal D (Bell Media). "The series profiles the community in St. Lau- rent where we learn about how they hunt, trap and fish, and how they still live off the land as their ancestors did 200 years ago," he says. "These are what we call free men, or hommes- libre, and as we say in the show, 'Nature is their only boss.' " Clèment says the people of this community represent "the first true Canadians." "The First Nations were always here and the first to live here, but to call someone a Canadian — maybe that was that first union between Ab- original people and the French fur traders and other Europeans — it is those first children who made up those who are the Métis today; the first who lived in the country under the name it is known now," he says. The production company had input from the community to determine what activities the crew could follow. "What the people had to say on camera about their community, their history and what their people fought through to be where they are today — they were happy to do this," Clèment says. There was some urgency in capturing the stor- ies. Clèment says there are definitely pressures on the community's way of life, starting with age. "Our main protagonists in the show are prob- ably all 60-plus and there are a few of their chil- dren in their thirties," he says. Another concern is the steady loss of Mitchif, the traditional language of the Métis. "They don't teach Mitchif in either the English or the French school and the kids aren't learning it as much in the community," he says. "It was key for the series that we filmed it all in Mitchif. "Mitchif is very close to French, so myself as a Francophone, I can understand about 90% of what is said, but there are expressions where I had to go, 'What? What was that?' " St. Laurent has always been known for its commercial fishers, distinguished by their Bom- bardier snow machines in the winter. "There might have been 40 or 50 of them 20 or 30 years ago, and now I think maybe there are 10 families with active fishermen," says Clèment. "Unfortunately, the flooding in 2011/2012 really changed the composition of the lake so the jackfish have now really taken over and there are fewer walleye, which are the fish that make the return on their investment." Clèment believes viewers will learn much from the series. He also happens to be of Métis des- cent, and he learned many things himself. "My key thing — which is kind of a focus of the show — is it's amazing to think that for many of the people in St. Laurent, more than 50% of the food they consume in an entire year comes from nature!" he says. "Whether it's from hunting or fishing, collecting berries or from their own gardens, it's just something that's not seen or heard of at all in our urban society, or even in a rural society in Canada for that matter." Manito Média shared the end results with the community last November, inviting everyone to a free screening at the local hall. "We showed the three episodes that we had ready at the time and the responses at the time were beyond positive and they were so happy just to see them!" It was a meaningful experience for the film- makers, as well. "It was a very touching moment to go there, and to be able to show them the fruits of every- one's labour at that point," Clèment says. "We're just super thankful that we met these people and that they allowed us into their lives and to let us document them." ■ Learn more online at manitomedia.com Prairie Oils and Vinegars owner Bev Penner invites customers to drink up and enjoy a variety of olive oils and balsamic vinegars. Photos by Darcy Finley BY WENDY KING Capturing a community and its culture on film for posterity is a tricky but incredibly important business. The Métis people of St. Laurent have a story and culture unique in the world. When the creative team at Manito Média brought a film crew to town to tell that story, they felt the enormity of the responsibility. Photos courtesy of Manito Média Documentary series captures Métis culture "

• Cover