Hivernants facts for kids
The word Hivernants (pronounced ee-vair-nahn) comes from French and means "winterers." It was a special term used during the North American fur trade. It described Métis people who spent the cold winter months hunting and trapping on the Canadian Prairies. During these months, they built small, temporary villages. The French verb "hiverner" means "to overwinter."
Hivernants were very active in hunting bison (also called buffalo). They hunted during the cold season, from mid-November to mid-March. This was when the bison's hair was thickest. This thick fur was perfect for making warm buffalo robes. This winter hunt was different from the summer hunt. The summer hunt was mainly for getting meat.
Sometimes, "Hivernant" also referred to a fur trade employee. This was someone who spent the winter in the wilderness. They usually stayed at a trading post.
Hivernant Settlements
From the 1840s to the 1870s, Métis hivernants set up hunting villages. These villages were in many places across the prairies. They were found at Turtle Mountain and along the Souris River. Other locations included Riding Mountain and Wood Mountain. Villages were also on the Assiniboine River and in the Qu'Appelle valley. You could find them on the North and South Saskatchewan rivers. They were also in the Cypress Hills, on the Battle River, and on the Red Deer River. Some settlements were even in Montana.
Many modern towns started as Métis hivernant settlements. For example, the Southbranch settlements of Batoche and St. Laurent de Grandin in Saskatchewan were founded this way. French Métis hivernants from the Red River settlement in Manitoba, Canada, started them.
Other places that began as Métis hivernants settlements include Moose Jaw, Willow Bunch, and Lebret in Saskatchewan. In Alberta, St. Albert, Lac La Biche, and Lac Ste. Anne also started this way.
