(File photo/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Jigging

Sask. researchers to study health benefits of Métis jigging

Jul 15, 2019 | 2:00 PM

The fitness potential of traditional Métis jigging is the subject of a new research project at the University of Saskatchewan (USask).

Heather Foulds, assistant professor in the College of Kinesiology, has been awarded funding ($120,000 over three years) through the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF). Foulds, who is Metis herself said she believes jigging may provide a better workout than aerobics or cardio training in the gym.

“Jigging is a core part of Métis culture, and like other Indigenous activities and games, requires extensive physical fitness, historically promoting strength and health plus a sense of community and culture,” she said.

The study has been recognized as the first in Canada to examine the exercise intensity and training effectiveness of the traditional dance. As part of her research, Foulds will examine the impact of the Red River jig—a popular fast-stepping Métis dance—on heart health, cardiovascular fitness and blood pressure using a series of tests in an exercise laboratory.

“Anyone who has tried jigging knows that it is an intense workout. The history of jigging comes from the Metis people, but the fitness advantages could apply to anyone,” she said

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The USask specialist in exercise physiology and Indigenous health will measure the number of steps a jigger takes during a typical routine, as well calculating the effect of dancing on blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Foulds will then compare jigging’s health benefits—including the number of calories it burns—to other popular fitness regimes such as step aerobics, running and zumba.

Scott Duffee (Submitted photo/ Jennifer Thomas)

Scott Duffee, a prize-winning jigging instructor and Métis cultural consultant who will work with Foulds on the study, said the Red River jig is culturally significant and has “more to offer than a fitness craze.”

“All people on this land can continue to engage in and revitalize this tradition. Throw in a couple square dances, a few shared stories, and many, many laughs—now that’s about the best exercise session there is,” he said.

panews@jpbg.ca

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