“To promote the renewal and development of Métis culture through research, materials development, collection and distribution of those materials and the design, development and delivery of Métis-specific educational programs and services.”
The Gabriel Dumont Institute of Native Studies and Applied Research Inc. (GDI) was formally incorporated as a non-profit corporation in 1980, to serve the educational and cultural needs of the Saskatchewan Métis and Non-Status Indian community. The Institute is designated as the official education arm of the Métis Nation-Saskatchewan (MN-S). GDI offers a variety of accredited educational, vocational and skills training opportunities for the province’s Métis in partnership with the University of Regina, the University of Saskatchewan, the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology, the province’s various regional colleges, and Service Canada
As a completely Métis-directed educational and cultural entity, GDI is unique in Canada. At its inception, GDI focused on education through cultural research as a means to renew and strengthen the heritage and achievements of Saskatchewan’s Métis. It soon became apparent, however, that the Institute would need to become more directly involved in education if it were to fully serve the multifaceted needs, including the employment needs, of Saskatchewan’s Métis community.
As a result, the Institute began developing Métis-specific curriculum and historical publications. It also began to train Aboriginal teachers and to deliver programming contracted from the province’s universities, colleges, and technical institutes. The first and, perhaps the best known of these efforts, was the Saskatchewan Urban Native Teacher Education Program (SUNTEP). In essence, SUNTEP trains Métis and First Nations teachers to meet the needs of the province’s Aboriginal students in the K-12 system. SUNTEP also serves as a model for Aboriginal adult education programs across Canada.
The GDI houses a museum and archives, but also offers many other programs and services. Visit their website to learn more.
Operating Season
January – December
