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Session D:  Aboriginal Genealogy Research - Expert Tips for Indian & Metis Family Research

This session is presented by two experts in the field of Metis & Indian genealogical and historical research, Geoff Burtonshaw & G. Neil Reddekopp. We are very fortunate to capture some of their expert skills in this session during which they share with us their tips and techniques into this specialized Aboriginal research area. This session is coordinated with, and is supplementary to Session B: Genealogy Basics & Aboriginal Archival Resources.

Geoff Burtonshaw was born in 1916 between Lake Dauphin, Manitoba, on a bush homestead, and between the Ebb & Flow and Crane River Reserves, with many Metis neighbours, including members of the Laderoute family. He has been working with the Calgary Glenbow Archives for 15 years, including volunteering on a regular basis for the past seven years, helping Metis people with their genealogy research. Geoff writes a Metis newsletter, coming onto a website by the end of 1999; he has a superlative personal Metis database which he updates in hardcopy at the end of each year. Geoff's years of experience in the field only partially reflect his wisdom that comes with a golden 83 years of age.

Neil Reddekopp is the Director of Claims Research for the Indian Land Claims Section of the Alberta Department of International & Intergovernmental Relations. In addition to holding law and history (Arts) degrees, he has 20-odd years of experience with Aboriginal genealogy, specializing in the northern Alberta communities within Treaty 8. Neil is the author of a number of papers relating to the issues of treaty land entitlement and land surrenders; he has also appeared as an expert witness before the Indian Claims Commission, the Provincial Court of Alberta and other tribunals. As a private consultant, he has provided advice to First Nations and the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development; as a public service, and on a volunteer basis, Neil has helped many people in gaining their Metis or Indian status by assisting them in their genealogical research.