Chris Latray reads from Becoming Little Shell, urges Metis language and history preservation in Missoula

At an event at the Missoula Public Library, author and Montana state poet laureate Chris Latray read from his memoir Becoming Little Shell, recounted stories from Metis elders and called for efforts to preserve Metis language and history.

The program, introduced by Celia, the library's community engagement specialist, and Mark Sundin, who teaches environmental writing at the University of Montana, opened with fiddle music by Sapphire Jay and proceeded to a reading in which Latray quoted and reflected on conversations with Al Wiseman, an elder from Choteau who keeps an old Metis cemetery and recounts the community's history.

Latray said the elder "keeps the cemetery" and described a scene in which Wiseman points out a lookout on a hillside used historically to warn the community. Latray also…