Alex and Beatrice Pelletier

Hosts

Alex and Beatrice Pelletier are the brother and sister hosts of Mawmaw Sachweezin: Mom's Kitchen, a cooking show featuring Métis recipes in the Michif language.

Alex Pelletier is an energetic, 70-year-old Métis Two-Spirit man. He has lived in Regina for 45 years. His older sister, Beatrice Pelletier, is a fluent Michif speaker, and mother of three children. Beatrice was also a foster mom for 11 years to dozens of children in the Yorkton area. 

The siblings are the middle children, born into a family of 12 -- eight boys and four girls. “Home” to the Pelletiers is their mother’s Métis community of Ste. Madeline in Manitoba. Their family was removed from Ste. Madeline when the land was forcibly appropriated for pastureland. Beatrice and Alex were raised in “Li Kwayn” (The Corner or Fouillard’s Corner) down from the original settlement. The area was home to over a dozen Métis families, with their own church and school.

Alex says their father (who was born near Lestock, Saskatchewan), was a trapper and trader who spoke mostly French, some Michif, and broken English. Their mother (nee Fleury), was a medicine woman who worked with traditional plants. Alex and Beatrice recall a childhood of growing up in wood houses with wood stoves, hauling water and snow to melt for washing. Their community was filled with aunties, uncles, and cousins who, when they weren’t working, spent their time visiting, dancing, and gathering for sing-songs. They never failed to help each other out when they could.

Alex says he takes every opportunity to share the Michif language with the children in his family, even if it’s just a word a day. When speaking of the future generations of Métis relatives, Alex says, “I want them to know where they came from. I don’t want the little grandbabies and nieces and nephews being lost and not knowing their culture. They need to learn to be proud.” 

In addition to the recipes and foods cooked for this program, the Pelletiers were raised on rabbit, rubaboo (Métis stew of rabbit, chicken or sage hen, plus wild vegetables), beaver, and muskrat.

Alex recognizes the importance of teaching Métis culture and the Michif language through the cooking show. “Cooking can come later but people really need to know their (Indigenous) language. 

Beatrice says she’s really enjoying her time working with Alex on their show, and she’s feeling much more relaxed.

Even though he’s retired from a long career in the healthcare field, Alex continues to work tirelessly in the community. When he’s not catering delicious bannock and soups for corporate lunches, Alex is honouring his family and humble roots by helping feed the vulnerable population in Regina’s downtown.