Buffalo story launch
June 10th, 2026
Métis Cree artist, songwriter and community organizer Sherry Leigh Williams will launch her debut children’s book, Papaashi Bufloo: The Buffalo Who Raced Horses, on Sunday, June 21, 2026, during Indigenous Peoples Weekend at the Farmers’ Institute on Salt Spring Island. The free public event begins at 1:00 pm on National Indigenous Peoples Day and celebrates a story rooted in Métis family history, language and culture.
Illustrated with Williams’ original acrylic paintings, the book follows her great-grandmother, Mary Anne Deschamps Rabaska, who discovers and raises a buffalo calf named Toneur (Thunder in Southern Michif). Based on family history, the story introduces young readers to Southern Michif while exploring Métis traditions and storytelling. The book also includes a Michif glossary, information about Métis beadwork and historical background on the Deschamps dit Rabasca family and the Papaschase Cree.
The Southern Michif language content was verified by Elder Bruce Dumont, former president of Métis Nation BC, and reviewed by Métis Nation BC. Williams, who lives on Salt Spring Island, is president of Sweetgrass Arts and Music Society and founder of Salt Spring Music Events. A reading at the Salt Spring Island Public Library is also planned for fall 2026.
The launch is part of Indigenous Peoples Weekend 2026, a four-day celebration featuring music, workshops, cultural exhibits and community events. Admission is free.
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