The history of Metis is woven in with the history of Big Valley and the area, so perhaps it’s fitting the 11th annual Metis Hivernant Days are running in conjunction with the Big Valley Centennial and Homecoming celebrations.
    Hivernant is Metis meaning “wintering place”.
    Metis were already established in the area when survey crews came through the area in the late 1700s.
    Marlene Lanz, President of Region 3 of the Metis Nation of Alberta, said the area was a travel corridor for those heading west, and in the 1800s the Metis settlement at Big Valley was the largest Metis settlement west of Winnipeg.
    Marlene invites everyone to Hivernant Days, which showcases the Metis way of life and culture. Saturday sees a number of things happening at the Hivernant Days, including a bannock making contest, beading, sash weaving, and voyager games.
    There will be a float in the Big Valley parade, they’ve been working with the library on children’s programs for the town’s celebrations, they are hosting a five-dollar breakfast at the Big Valley Drop-In Centre, and Metis dancers will be visiting from the Kikino settlement in northern Alberta.

Cordelle Rotvik, Katherine Stillinger, Ainsleigh Lucki, Zander Carbonneau hard at work on the mural in Big Valley preparing for the Big Valley Centennial and Homecoming Celebrations over the August long weekend.

“To those early pioneers of this Big Valley district who so courageously and cheerfully endured the hardships and patiently laboured to build a new life for themselves, we dedicate this book. Who were those pioneers? They were men and women of all nationalities, people of all races, religions, and occupations.”
- dedication from the book “As we remember Big Valley.”

    Big Valley Centennial and homecoming celebrations will mark fifty years of homecoming weekends for the town, inviting descendants of the pioneers and former residents and friends to share in memories of Big Valley.
    Arline Grover and Marjorie Olive Senior have seen a lot of changes during their time working on the Big Valley Homecoming Committee- they have been working with the committee since the first homecoming celebration in 1964.
    At that time, the new Jubilee Hall was under construction.
    Since it was completed, the hall has been the hub for the homecoming celebrations.
    Marj Olive-Kilpatrick, who is Marj junior, is Chairman of this year’s homecoming committee, and said the committee sent out about 750 invitations for this weekend.
 Preparations for the combined Big Valley Centennial and homecoming celebrations being held over this August long weeking has been a total team effort.
  “Everybody in the community has pulled together and is working so hard...it’s really nice to see, and we know it’s going to be a big-bang success.”
    “We’re one community throwing a party.”
    Olive-Kikpatrick said homecoming was held in 1964, then starting in 1974 it has been held every five years.