La chanson de la Grenouillère
Audio
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Image
Video
Audio
Activities
LOOK
Listen to the song and then read the transcript. What are the key points of the song? What questions does it prompt?
LOOK
Read the transcript and then listen to the song.
How is hearing the song different from reading the lyrics? What information do you get from the song that you don’t get from the lyrics?
THINK
Why was this song composed? Explore the author’s perspective by thinking about
- When he composed the song
- His Métis culture
- The impact of the Hudson’s Bay Company on his life
THINK
Are we getting the complete story of the Battle of Seven Oaks? This song was written by one eyewitness. What do you think a song about the battle might address if it was written by
- A Métis woman
- A European settler
- Someone who had learned about the battle second-hand
THINK
The song describes the events of the Battle of Seven Oaks. As a piece of historical evidence, is it more reliable or less reliable than a written document? Discuss the question with a friend.
Remember: Both written and oral sources are told by people with their own particular perspective and motivation for sharing their stories. Today, historians consider oral histories to be just as reliable as those written down. Although in the past, that was not always the case.
Details
Date 1957
Materials Transcript
La Chanson de la Grenouillère” or “La victoire des Bois-brûlés” (The Victory of the Métis)
Would you care to hear sung
A song of truth?
Last June 19th,
The band of Bois-brûlés arrived —
A band of brave warriors.
When we got to la Grenouillère,
We took three prisoners.
We had surrounded
Almost all of their army below the hill;
Only four or five of them escaped.
The governor, imagining himself an emperor,
Responded harshly.
The governor, filled with rage,
Told his soldiers — Fire!
The first shot
Was fired by the English. Our ambassador,
Was nearly killed.
You should have seen the English
And all the Bois-brûlés chasing them!
From hill to hill,
The English fell. The Bois-brûlés
Shouted for joy!
Who composed this song?
Good old Pierriche Falcon!
It was written
And composed to sing of the glory
That was ours.
It was written
And composed to sing of the victory
That was ours.
Historical Context
Choose one of the three levels below to match your needs.
- This song, an early expression of Métis identity, was composed by Pierre Falcon to commemorate the victory of the Métis (also known as “les bois-brûlés”) at the Battle of Seven Oaks in 1816.
- The Métis Nation emerged from contact between the First Nations and the European fur traders. Métis have their own culture and language.
- The Battle of Seven Oaks was sparked during conflict between the Métis and European settlers in the Red River Valley.
This song, an early expression of Métis identity, was composed by Pierre Falcon to commemorate the victory of the Métis (also known as “les bois-brûlés”) at the Battle of Seven Oaks in 1816. This version was sung by Joseph Gaspard Jeannotte in 1957.
The Métis Nation emerged from interaction between First Nations and European fur traders. Métis culture, including their Michif language, draws on Indigenous and European influences.
The Métis challenged the Hudson’s Bay Company when their claim to Rupert’s Land interfered with Métis hunting and trading practices. Between 1811 and 1816, hostilities increased between European settlers and the Métis in the Red River Valley. This led to the Battle of Seven Oaks, where the Métis defeated the settlers.
Composed by Pierre Falcon, La Chanson de la Grenouillère commemorates the victory of the Métis (also known as “les bois-brûlés”) at the Battle of Seven Oaks in 1816. It is an eye-witness account of the battle, composed almost immediately after it ended.
This version was sung by Joseph Gaspard Jeannotte, an elderly Métis, and was recorded in the Qu’Appelle Valley (Saskatchewan) by folklorist Richard Johnston in 1957.
The Métis Nation emerged from connections and interaction between First Nations and European fur traders. Métis culture, including their Michif language, draws on Indigenous and European influences.
Since the 1670s, the Hudson’s Bay Company had claimed political and commercial control over Rupert’s Land (the vast drainage area of Hudson Bay). The Métis challenged this claim when it interfered with their hunting and trading practices. Between 1811 and 1816, hostilities increased between European settlers and the Métis in the Red River Valley. This led to the Battle of Seven Oaks, where the Métis defeated the settlers.
The battle inspired La chanson de la Grenouillère, and the song became one of the earliest expressions of Métis identity.
- This song, an early expression of Métis identity, was composed by Pierre Falcon to commemorate the victory of the Métis (also known as “les bois-brûlés”) at the Battle of Seven Oaks in 1816.
- The Métis Nation emerged from contact between the First Nations and the European fur traders. Métis have their own culture and language.
- The Battle of Seven Oaks was sparked during conflict between the Métis and European settlers in the Red River Valley.
This song, an early expression of Métis identity, was composed by Pierre Falcon to commemorate the victory of the Métis (also known as “les bois-brûlés”) at the Battle of Seven Oaks in 1816. This version was sung by Joseph Gaspard Jeannotte in 1957.
The Métis Nation emerged from interaction between First Nations and European fur traders. Métis culture, including their Michif language, draws on Indigenous and European influences.
The Métis challenged the Hudson’s Bay Company when their claim to Rupert’s Land interfered with Métis hunting and trading practices. Between 1811 and 1816, hostilities increased between European settlers and the Métis in the Red River Valley. This led to the Battle of Seven Oaks, where the Métis defeated the settlers.
Composed by Pierre Falcon, La Chanson de la Grenouillère commemorates the victory of the Métis (also known as “les bois-brûlés”) at the Battle of Seven Oaks in 1816. It is an eye-witness account of the battle, composed almost immediately after it ended.
This version was sung by Joseph Gaspard Jeannotte, an elderly Métis, and was recorded in the Qu’Appelle Valley (Saskatchewan) by folklorist Richard Johnston in 1957.
The Métis Nation emerged from connections and interaction between First Nations and European fur traders. Métis culture, including their Michif language, draws on Indigenous and European influences.
Since the 1670s, the Hudson’s Bay Company had claimed political and commercial control over Rupert’s Land (the vast drainage area of Hudson Bay). The Métis challenged this claim when it interfered with their hunting and trading practices. Between 1811 and 1816, hostilities increased between European settlers and the Métis in the Red River Valley. This led to the Battle of Seven Oaks, where the Métis defeated the settlers.
The battle inspired La chanson de la Grenouillère, and the song became one of the earliest expressions of Métis identity.
Summary
- This song, an early expression of Métis identity, was composed by Pierre Falcon to commemorate the victory of the Métis (also known as “les bois-brûlés”) at the Battle of Seven Oaks in 1816.
- The Métis Nation emerged from contact between the First Nations and the European fur traders. Métis have their own culture and language.
- The Battle of Seven Oaks was sparked during conflict between the Métis and European settlers in the Red River Valley.
Essential
This song, an early expression of Métis identity, was composed by Pierre Falcon to commemorate the victory of the Métis (also known as “les bois-brûlés”) at the Battle of Seven Oaks in 1816. This version was sung by Joseph Gaspard Jeannotte in 1957.
The Métis Nation emerged from interaction between First Nations and European fur traders. Métis culture, including their Michif language, draws on Indigenous and European influences.
The Métis challenged the Hudson’s Bay Company when their claim to Rupert’s Land interfered with Métis hunting and trading practices. Between 1811 and 1816, hostilities increased between European settlers and the Métis in the Red River Valley. This led to the Battle of Seven Oaks, where the Métis defeated the settlers.
In-Depth
Composed by Pierre Falcon, La Chanson de la Grenouillère commemorates the victory of the Métis (also known as “les bois-brûlés”) at the Battle of Seven Oaks in 1816. It is an eye-witness account of the battle, composed almost immediately after it ended.
This version was sung by Joseph Gaspard Jeannotte, an elderly Métis, and was recorded in the Qu’Appelle Valley (Saskatchewan) by folklorist Richard Johnston in 1957.
The Métis Nation emerged from connections and interaction between First Nations and European fur traders. Métis culture, including their Michif language, draws on Indigenous and European influences.
Since the 1670s, the Hudson’s Bay Company had claimed political and commercial control over Rupert’s Land (the vast drainage area of Hudson Bay). The Métis challenged this claim when it interfered with their hunting and trading practices. Between 1811 and 1816, hostilities increased between European settlers and the Métis in the Red River Valley. This led to the Battle of Seven Oaks, where the Métis defeated the settlers.
The battle inspired La chanson de la Grenouillère, and the song became one of the earliest expressions of Métis identity.