A curious young girl asks her grandmother to tell her a bedtime story about her Métis ancestors, and goes on an adventure of a lifetime back in time. In her dream, she learns about Métis traditions and the Michif language, accompanies her great-great- grandfather on a fur trade and brings back a very special souvenir from the past.
At the young age of 25, Métis entrepreneur Rebekah Wilson published her first children’s book about a young girl who travels back in time in a dream where she learns about her Métis history. The book began as a Sheridan College Print Journalism project, where historical fiction was used as a way for students to share their culture and family background. Rebekah was 16 when she learned of her family’s Métis ancestry and became fascinated with learning about the rich history of Métis traditions – something she hadn’t learned about in school. Her lifelong goal had been to publish a book by the age of 30 and to help educate young people about Métis history in a unique way. With generous funding from the Métis Nation of Ontario, Rebekah began the process of digging deeper into her family history, and in January 2014 she self-published The Tiny Voyageur in both French and English, illustrated by Rebekah’s father and well- known illustrator, Jeffrey Wilson.
Besides being the proud daughter of illustrator Jeffrey Wilson, Rebekah’s greatest passions include sports, culture, youth leadership, journalism and music. Rebekah is a proud citizen of the Métis Nation of Ontario and a Sheridan Institute of Technology Alumni, which she attended following her studies in Print Journalism at the Trafalgar Road Campus from 2007- 2009. Originally from Markdale, Ontario, Rebekah currently resides in Gatineau, Quebec, and works full-time in Ottawa, Ontario, for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities on First Nations – Municipal Collaboration on programs relating to solid waste management and economic development.
To date, The Tiny Voyageur (or La Petite Voyageuse) has sold more than 2000 copies across North-America. The Tiny Voyageur is also included in the Métis Nation of Ontario’s Education Kit that circulates in school boards across Ontario. Rebekah is currently in the editing stages of the second book in her series based on the significance of the Métis sash. It is expected to be released late in 2018. To learn more about Rebekah, please visit www.rebekahwilson.ca.
