Experience Canada’s Aboriginal Heritage This Summer

Ecotourism is catching on all over the world. An ecotourism adventure vacation takes you to amazing destinations and immerses you in another culture. For travelers looking for an ecotourism experience this summer, the province of Alberta in Canada offers a variety of Aboriginal experiences and attractions, celebrating the recorded history of its first inhabitants more than 12,000 years ago. From celebrated provincial historic sites to little-known historic spots, there are numerous opportunities for travelers to explore Alberta's cultural roots.

There's fiddle music in the air and no shortage of pride among the throngs of people gathered on the grassy riverbank to watch Alberta's Aboriginal heritage unfold in a swirl of puffy skirts, Metis sashes and square dance-style revelry. The cultural festivities at Metis Crossing cultural and interpretive centre, situated at the historic fur-trading route alongside the North Saskatchewan River an hour east of Edmonton, symbolize an important development in Canada's Aboriginal community.

Explore Métis Crossing

Canada's Métis citizens - the mixed-blood offspring of European pioneers and the region's First Nations inhabitants - were until recently considered the nation's 'forgotten people'. The official opening of Metis Crossing near the town of Smoky Lake last year heralded a long-overdue acknowledgement of the unique culture, history, language and accomplishments of this unique Aboriginal group.

Visitors to Canada's first major Metis interpretive centre, situated on 512 acres where traders and First Nations gathered for centuries to ply their wares, have plenty to keep them entertained and informed. They can munch on bannock, the traditional unleavened bread, learn how to weave a colorful Metis sash, watch animal hides being tanned, check out the technical skills required to erect a trapper's tent or learn about the history and culture on individual or guided tours.

Celebrate History in Fort Chipewyan

Fine. Maybe Jellied Moose Nose, Smoked Muskrat or Lynx Stew isn't your cup of tea. But for the First Nations people who carved out a living in the rugged wilds of Northeast Alberta, nature's backyard was also their kitchen.

These delicacies aren't likely to be on the menu these days, but there's a bounty of fresh fare on tap from the vast and pristine Lake Athabasca. One of Alberta's oldest communities, the hamlet of Fort Chipewyan is located just a few hundred miles south of the Northwest Territories border. It's also the jumping-off point to the world's second largest national park - Wood Buffalo National Park.

You can find incredible wildlife watching, Aboriginal cultural experiences and world-famous Athabasca pickerel (a tasty freshwater fish exclusive to northern Canada) in Fort Chipewyan. It's a unique, untouched community accessible by boat or air from the cities of Fort McMurray or Edmonton, and by winter road in the colder months.

Escaping it all may mean a stay at Moose Crossing, a picturesque tent camp and lodge north of Fort Chip on the expansive Athabasca River delta. (Owners Alice and John Rigney, longtime residents of the area, have catered to travelers from around the world with their traditional hunting/wildlife watching knowledge and experience).

Enjoy a guided or self-guided hike through the national park, or a well-deserved stop in the Fort Chipewyan Bicentennial Museum - a treasure trove of local lore that rivals any big-city archive. (Be sure to check out the society's centennial cookbook, jam-packed with recipes including those tantalizing tidbits listed above).

Retreat in Elk Island

Just one hour from the capital City of Edmonton, the Elk Island Retreat is a campground, tipi camp and cultural centre, boasting an authentic experience that has wowed travelers from around the world. Situated in a forested valley, surrounded by prairie farmland, this 60-acre tract of land is home to a vast array of birds, wild animals and foliage that can be easily explored on foot, independently, or via guided tours.

"People are really almost overwhelmed with the natural beauty of the area, and particularly impressed with the Aboriginal cultural programs we offer," says Doug Heckbert, who owns the retreat with business partner Rick Hanneman

The centre offers a range of activities supported by local Aboriginal elders and cultural experts, including tipi stays, spiritual talking circles and some purifying sweat lodge ceremonies. "There's a lot of appreciation now for Aboriginal culture and spiritual practices," says Heckbert. "The kids love it . . . and the adults have a deep appreciation of the Aboriginal teachings and how they apply today. It's very magical."

Visit a United Nations World Heritage Site

Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump is older than the pyramids of Egypt; older even than the archaic rocks of Stonehenge in England. This seven-storey interpretive centre, built into the sandstone cliffs 200 kilometres (140 miles) south of Calgary, has reached international fame not just for its quirky name but also for its unique exhibits.

The facility - a United Nations World Heritage Site - pays homage to the First Nations citizens who for 6,000 years hunted and lived in the region. In particular, the site documents the importance of the buffalo jump, an important food and sustenance source that provided meat, hides and bones (used for tools and weapons).

Visitors can walk on interpretive trails among the wildflowers and grasslands to view ancient rock cairns used to funnel stampeding buffalo toward certain death on the cliffs. The story of the demise of the buffalo is documented via videos and artifacts.

Authentic, Magical First Nations Experiences

For anyone interested in a first-hand experience of the magic and traditions of the province's founders, a visit to Kak Ki Yaw Cultural Camp in Lac La Biche is definitely in order. In addition to offering traditional First Nations experiences like sweat lodges and outdoor survival techniques, Elder and long-time trapper Walter Quinn offers a tantalizing glimpse into the structure, routine and lifestyles of the area's Aboriginal community.

So if you've been considering a different type of vacation this summer, an ecotourism adventure in Alberta, Canada could be just the ticket.

RESOURCES:

Métis Crossing

Fort Chipewyan

Elk Island Retreat

Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump

Alberta Aboriginal Tourism

Kak Ki Yaw Cultural Camp

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