Practicing urban Métis heritage sovereignty in Edinburgh, Scotland in (and beyond) the National Museum of Scotland

This article examines the often-overlooked urban presence of the Métis people, one of three Indigenous groups recognized in Canada’s 1982 Constitution Act, outside the geographical boundaries of Canada and/or the Métis homeland. Focusing instead on the UK, the article centers the dynamic interplay between Métis representation within the National Museum of Scotland (NMS) and their historical and contemporary urban presences in Edinburgh. In doing so, we highlight the limitations of the museum’s narrative by juxtaposing it with the broader, more dynamic context of Métis heritage in Edinburgh beyond the museum, focusing on the power of Metis kinscapes for shaping Metis mobility to 19th century Edinburgh. As such, the article argues for the recognition of Métis urban heritage outside of the conventional geographical boundaries of the Metis nation. We conclude by proposing the potential of digital heritage tours to offer a mobile, interactive approach that contrasts with the static displays of the museum, enabling deeper connections to the Métis’ historical and contemporary urban presences in Edinburgh.