University of Manitoba offers traditional Métis fiddling through music faculty
'It's brought back a lot of my confidence,' Krysta Alexon says
North American Fiddlers' Hall of Fame member Patti Kusturok recently added university instructor to her long list of accomplishments.
Kusturok is leading a new Métis fiddling course at the Desautels Faculty of Music at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, launched at the beginning of the fall semester.
"The fiddle is the heart of the Métis culture," Kusturok said.
"As far as music and community what I'm trying to do, and I've always tried to do, is build a community based around the fiddle."
Kusturok is Red River Métis and hopes to connect students to the music and culture of traditional fiddling.
The course comes as a part of a reconciliation strategy that aims to include Indigenous knowledge in the university's curriculum outside of Indigenous Studies.
Melody McKiver, an assistant professor and part of the Indigenous scholars program, advocated to have Métis fiddling in the faculty's course offerings. They said they wanted to expand the presence of regional Indigenous knowledge systems.
"There is such a strong association with Métis music with Winnipeg, and such a wealth of musical talent here in this city that we don't see reflected in the faculty of music," said McKiver.
Fiddling as oral tradition
Kusturok first picked up a fiddle when she was four years old. She's been at it for more than five decades building on the style she learned from her parents — a style she's shared with students throughout her lifetime.
"I'm a little jealous actually because when I was finishing high school and wanted to do post-secondary education, I would have loved to be able to do something like this and take fiddling as a post-secondary study," Kusturok said.
The program is scheduled for the 2024/2025 academic year, with 10 slots available for students. Instruments are provided to students while they are enrolled and no experience is needed. Currently three of the 10 slots are filled and Kusturok also runs a Métis fiddling ensemble for more experienced musicians consisting of six students.
"Up until now, music in university has been very classically based," Kusturok said, noting the Métis fiddling style diverges from a classical approach.
"Fiddling is more of an oral tradition where you learn by listening and by playing by ear a lot."
Building confidence
Krysta Alexon, a graduate student in Indigenous Studies, signed up for the course with no experience on the fiddle. The course was offered as an elective for her program.
"It's been fantastic because Patti meets you where you're at in your learning journey," she said.
"So everyone else could read music. I cannot. And so we've done a lot of learning by ear and then writing down the tunes."
Saskatchewan-born Alexon was familiar with other types of Indigenous music coming from Kahkewistahaw First Nation. She said this course has given her a sense of community and belonging.
"It's brought back a lot of my confidence," Alexon said.
"When I first moved here, I struggled to find my footing. Just no one looks like me. I think without taking this class I might have quit my program."
The university is slated to offer another semester of the Métis fiddling program in January.
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