Society & Culture

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June 29, 2025 at 15:16 — By Cristian Santos, Leaf & Thought

In a memoir that’s gaining national attention, Métis writer Elise Tremblay chronicles her cross-country journey to reclaim her cultural identity. The book, titled 'Rooted and Roaming,' blends personal essays, historical accounts, and travel writing.

Tremblay’s story begins in urban Montreal, where she grew up disconnected from her Indigenous heritage. Following the death of her grandmother, she embarks on a road trip across the Prairies and through the Northwest Territories, stopping in Métis settlements and reconnecting with family.

Each chapter centers on a moment of revelation: harvesting wild berries in Saskatchewan, participating in a fiddle jam in St. Laurent, or listening to elders in Fort Smith share oral histories. Her writing is marked by a lyrical tone and deep emotional insight.

The memoir has struck a chord with readers who share similar experiences of cultural erasure or late-life reconnection. Tremblay says she hopes the book encourages others to begin their own paths back to community and language.

Critics have praised the memoir’s honesty and structure. The Globe and Mail called it 'a landmark work in contemporary Indigenous nonfiction—vulnerable, brave, and unflinchingly beautiful.'

Tremblay now lives in Winnipeg and teaches creative writing part-time. She says she plans to return to several of the communities she visited to host writing workshops for Métis youth.