Matt Hanley during Metis Week Celebrations. (Photo from Facebook post) By Chevi Rabbit (ANNews) – Matt Hanly is Director At-large for the Skydancer Indigenous Cultural Centre and a Métis youth leader from Devon, Alberta. He has discovered a profound connection to his heritage through jigging, a traditional Métis dance that has transformed his life. “I wasn’t doing well mentally when I moved to a new city,” Hanly shares. “When I learned to jig, it changed everything. It made me more outgoing, more confident. Teaching it to others brings me joy.” Hanly was first introduced to jigging in high school through a friend who invited him to language and dance classes. “She introduced me to this whole other side of my culture,” he recalls. “That moment opened a door to a cultural world I hadn’t experienced before.” For Hanly, jigging is more than artistic performance – it is a living embodiment of Métis history. He often highlights the significance of the broom dance, a practice that emerged during a time when public jigging was outlawed. “The broom dance has such a deep history,” he explains. “When the RCMP came, you could just say, ‘I’m sweeping.’ That’s why we move like this – it’s hidden history. We had to stay hidden in kitchen parties.” The broom symbolizes the creativity and resilience of Métis ancestors who protected their culture in the face of suppression. “Every step, every hop, every flourish carries the weight of our ancestors’ courage and pride. Performing it publicly now, in places like the University of Alberta or Fort Edmonton, is monumental.” “It’s not just a dance; it’s a story,” Hanly emphasizes. “It’s about survival, ingenuity, and the continuity of our traditions.” Hanly’s favourite performances are in schools. “You’re not just showing your culture – you’re helping students and even teachers discover their own identity for the first time,” he says. He remembers learning that his great-great-grandmother had to hide her beadwork to keep it safe. “There was so much fear,” he reflects. “Being able to perform openly today, especially the broom dance, feels like honouring that history and celebrating our culture publicly.” Through teaching, Hanly ensures youth understand not only the dance steps but also their deeper meaning. “When you teach someone to jig, you’re teaching them history, resilience, and pride.” Hanly comes from generations of strong Métis leaders. “I come from a very strong line of Métis people,” he says proudly. His lineage includes Cuthbert Grant Sr. and Antoine L’Hirondelle, both influential figures in Métis history. His grandfather served on the Calgary Indian Friendship Centre board, and his father, Mike F. Hanly, is District Captain for the Lac Ste. Anne Métis District and a town councillor for Devon. “I’m happy to serve my community on these boards and share my culture because it’s what I was taught,” he says. “We need to help each other out. That’s why I’ve dedicated my young adult life to community service.” A recent gift from Métis carver Chris “Fishscale” Bourget – a feather carving adorned with wolves – reinforced that responsibility. “He reminded me that as Indigenous people, we need to give back to humanity. That’s what my family taught me, and that’s why I do this work.” Hanly is particularly proud of bringing a youth lens into Indigenous policy-making. “Being the youth voice on a lot of these Indigenous committees means a lot to me,” he says. “Indigenous people are still sidelined in many places, and being a youth adds another layer. So having that seat at the table matters.” He was part of the first-ever group appointed to the Town of Devon Indigenous Relations Advisory Committee – and the only youth on the inaugural roster. When reappointed, he pushed successfully for two additional youth members. “We’re taught to think seven generations ahead. That means we need our Elders at the table, and we need our youth at the table too,” he says. “That’s something I’ve pushed for on every board I’ve served on.” His advocacy now extends nationally. Hanly serves on the Indigenous and Northern Affairs Policy Advisory Circle through Young Politicians of Canada – the organization’s first ever advisory circle. “This committee will help shape policy across Canada,” he says. “And I’m proud to bring that youth voice to the municipal, provincial, and national levels. We need to be thinking ahead – about the land, consultation, and our future.” Hanly stresses the significance of Métis Week, which has recently been proclaimed in Calgary and renewed in Edmonton. “We weren’t always at the table – and even now, we still have to fight to be there,” he says. “When major municipalities proclaim Métis Week, it shows they acknowledge our history, and that we’re still here. We’re not just part of the past – we’re part of the future.” For Hanly, Métis Week holds personal meaning. “There was so much fear in the past. Being able to gather openly now – Métis and non-Métis together – and be proud of our history, that’s monumental.” Through jigging, teaching, and community leadership, Matt Hanly is carrying forward the legacy of his ancestors while building pathways for future generations. “Passing on jigging, sharing our culture, and serving our communities are all connected,” he says. “That’s what I was taught growing up, and that’s what I want to carry forward.” From the hidden kitchen parties of his ancestors to today’s public celebrations of Métis culture, Hanly’s journey reflects resilience, pride, and the enduring strength of dance to connect generations and ignite cultural renewal. Chevi Rabbit is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter.
Finding His Rhythm: Matt Hanly and the Power of Métis Jigging
