President's Corner: May 16, 2026
Posted on: May 15, 2026
Taansi,
I am proud to share that this summer, the Otipemisiwak Métis Government is launching our first-ever Kitchen Party Tour, bringing gatherings to communities across Alberta. These events will be guided by the spirit of Âstam Pi Kîyōki or “Come and Visit”.
A kitchen party is a long-standing Métis tradition of informal, community-based gatherings, where people come together connect, celebrate, and unwind. For generations, our families gathered in kitchens, yards, and community spaces. After long days, our Métis parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles, and friends would pull up chairs, play the fiddle, dance, and share stories.
These were moments of celebration of our Métis identity, history, and people. They were also how we carried our culture forward, stayed connected, and held onto our identity, even when it was not always safe to do so.
The Kitchen Party Tour is about bringing that spirit back, by creating space for Métis Citizens to come together, to reconnect, to share our stories, and to celebrate who we are.
Whether you grew up with kitchen parties, are reconnecting with your Métis roots, or are joining for the first time, there is a place for you.
We will be visiting 15 communities across Alberta including:
- May 19 – Edmonton
- May 22 – High River
- May 28 – Fort Chipewyan
- May 30 – St. Albert
- May 31 – St. Paul des Métis
- June 8 – Conklin
- June 9 – Lac La Biche
- June 26 – Grande Prairie
- June 27 – Peace River
- June 28 – Fort Vermilion
- July 22 – Medicine Hat
- July 23 – Airdrie
- July 24 – Rocky Mountain House
- July 25 – Hinton
- July 26 – Whitecourt
I encourage you to attend a gathering near you. Bring your family, bring a chair or blanket, pack a picnic, and take part in something that has always been ours.
Our Métis culture is not something behind us. It is alive in our gatherings, in our stories, and in each other, and through the Kitchen Party Tour, we are strengthening it for future generations.
I look forward to visiting with you this summer.
Maarsii,
President Andrea Sandmaier,
Otipemisiwak Métis Government