Elmer Ghostkeeper grew up on a farm on the Paddle Prairie Métis Settlement. He is a fluent Bushland Cree and Michif speaker. His family worked with the land, using horses rather than mechanized farm vehicles equipment. Their syncretic spirituality supported their lives and livelihoods. After grade nine, Elmer left the Settlement to complete high school in Fairview, Alberta. From there, he upgraded some grade twelve courses at Alberta College in Edmonton and then went to the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology where he achieved a diploma in Civil Engineering Technology. His work in the engineering field took him to Whitehorse, where he held the posts of assistant city engineer and survey, soil and asphalt technologist. He returned to Paddle Prairie in 1974, and for a short period, worked the family farm. In 1980, Elmer achieved a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology at the University of Alberta. He was selected for the Canadian Young Achiever Award to attend the Canadian Constitution repatriation ceremonies in Ottawa in 1982. In 1995, he achieved a Masters of Arts degree in Anthropology. Spirit Gifting: The Concept of Spiritual Exchange was his thesis. While working on his MA, Elmer received the Ralph Steinhauer Award of Distinction in recognition of exceptional academic achievement. From 1980 to 1984, Elmer was the President of the Alberta Federation of Métis Settlement Associations. In 2004, he received the Order of the Métis Nation for his political participation to recognize and affirm Métis as an Aboriginal People in Section 35 of the Constitution Act of Canada, 1982. Today, Elmer lives with the land on the Buffalo Lake Métis Settlement. He is a member of six committees, one of which is national and one international.