The Metis are an indigenous group whose homeland is in Canada and the northern United States. They trace their heritage to North American tribes and mixed European settlers who were primarily French. The Canadian Constitution Act of 1982 legally recognized the Metis as indigenous people. In the United States, the Metis are considered part of the Chippewa tribe. The Metis developed a distinct culture and language that blended their French and Indian heritage that grew out of the fur trade.