Person:Marie-Alexina Gauthier (1)

Marie-Alexazina Gauthier recalled, with a sense of pride, her first Alberta wintering experience in a tent. She explained it had wooden walls and the tent becomes the upper walls and roof. They had to bank snow on the lower walls to provide some insulation. It was with some trepidation that she entered into her first encounter with the Native peoples of Alberta. A party of savage Natives arrived and sat themselves down without saying a word. Fortunately her mother Lea Ouimette understood the expectations of frontier hospitality. The code of conduct says they would always have tea and biscuits available for unexpected quests. The stately Natives ate without a single word being uttered. Upon completion they took all the remaining food served and departed without so much as a good-bye. She thought this rather strange but surely not savage as is taught in school. A short time later, Michael Gauthier took his daughter into Fort Edmonton. On the way Michael sighted a number of Natives on a far off hill top sitting on their horses. He told Alexazina they must take the long way around as he is in a hurry to get to the Fort. This sounded rather strange and Alexazina was sure her father didn't want to be caught out on the prairies in Indian territory. In a few minutes the Natives came riding over the hill. They surrounded them and sternly escorted them to their village. Alexazina being an impressionable sixteen years old thought the end is at hand. Visions of being burned at the stake, or worse, were running through her mind. They were obliged to sit and they served tea and biscuits. After they had their fill, they were obliged to take what ever was left as they departed. Michael later told his daughter Alexazina that the Natives would have considered it a great dishonor if they hadn't stopped for tea. He said he was in a hurry to get to town and was trying to avoid their village but not trying to show disrespect. This encounter would have a profound positive impact on her opinion of the Native peoples that did not change throughout her life.

1. ↑ D Garneau. FRENCH CANADIAN HISTORY 1800 - 1899. (http://www.telusplanet.net/public/dgarneau/french13.htm).