original_query: What is the meaning of "Marriage à la façon du pays" in the context of the North American fur trade?
query: What is the meaning of "Marriage à la façon du pays" in the context of the North American fur trade?
answer: "Marriage à la façon du pays" (marriage according to the custom of the country) refers to common-law marriages between European fur traders and Aboriginal or Métis women in the North American fur trade. These unions, based on a blend of European and Indigenous customs, were significant social and political institutions, securing trade relations and creating the Métis people.