Being Métis: A music therapist’s experience of ancestry, spirituality and reconceptualization

The Métis people are a distinct Indigenous group within Canada who identify with their own customs, traditions, and ways of knowing that include spiritual practices. This research aimed to explore spirituality in relation to the Métis culture, as I, a certified music therapist, explored my Métis ancestry including history, artistic culture, healing traditions, and ways of knowing. The data consisted of personal journal reflections, free writing and poetry. The analysis focused on how this impacted me personally, spiritually, and professionally. A heuristic self-inquiry research methodology was used and conducted in accordance with the guidelines established by Moustakas (1990). Data was analyzed using Neuman’s (2006) coding analysis methods. Findings elucidated three main categories of personal learning; learning from the outside-in, learning from the inside-out, and the extended journey. These findings have significant personal implications that will be discussed along with the clinical implications that the data analysis highlighted. Although there is a growing awareness of decolonizing methodologies and their place within educational institutions and government policies, literature on music therapy and the Métis culture is scant. Dr. Carolyn Kenny (1946-2017), a renowned music therapy pioneer and Indigenous scholar has provided a critical foundation that connects Indigenous ways of knowing to the music therapy research, theory, and practice. I aim to contribute to the literature through insights into my own spiritual well-being and by sharing the on-going intricacies and challenges of the Métis people of Canada, therefore implications for further research, education and training are discussed