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Would you like to add deeper meaning to your travels? Would you like to avoid the classic tourist traps and meet the original nations that made the land their own for millennia? Good news: Quebec and Ontario are overflowing with rich indigenous experiences that both reach back into distant history and are anchored in the living present. Here are 10 ideas for an authentic immersion in the art, food, traditions and social lives of First Nations cultures.
Just a hop and a skip from Quebec City, plunge into the universe of the Huron-Wendat Nation. Wendake offers you guided visits, a longhouse, storytelling, craftmaking workshops and even indigenous restaurants. Feel and experience a complete cultural immersion!
Maqahamok Pub is a festive cultural place to discover the Wolastoqiyik (Malécite) culture. This community pub organizes evenings that feature tale-telling, music and theme dinners. A warm and welcoming immersion in living, local indigenous culture.
A little museum with a big heart. The Musée des Abénakis in Odanak recounts the history, culture and resilience of the Abenaki First Nation. Contemporary exhibitions, traditional objects and living programming: you’ll leave with a broader perspective on the world. Worth the detour!
A one-of-a-kind location to discover contemporary indigenous culture while enjoying a moment in Ontario nature. Mādahòkì Farm regularly hosts festivals, artisanal markets and shows. You can also see the endangered Ojibwe Spirit Horses – the only indigenous horse breed – and savour revisited traditional dishes.
Looking for an experience that’s immerses you in both culture and nature? Camp Micmac offers guided fishing tours that follow Micmac traditions. Learn to fish for salmon on Gaspésie rivers, grill up your catch, and discover an inspiring relationship with the land.
Yes, you can drink a toast to indigenous culture! The Kahnawake Brewing Co. is a Mohawk business in Kahnawake just south of Montreal, where they brew excellent beers that showcase indigenous identity and creativity. Drop in for a tasting and have a chat with the regulars.
Exploring Gaspésie? Stop by this centre that reconstitutes a traditional Mic Mac village of the Seventeenth Century. You’ll discover the know-how, the world view and the relationship to the land of the Mi’gmaq Nation. It’s a fulfilling visit to combine with your passage to Forillon National Park or the Griffon Adventure Hostel.
Founded by and for indigenous artists, this centre in Montreal offers contemporary exhibitions, artistic events and residencies. Perfect to see how First Peoples are currently expressing themselves artistically, the centre is open, inclusive and inspiring.
Les Masters Indigenous Games sont un événement sportif et culturel grandiose qui célèbre les athlètes autochtones d’un peu partout en Amérique du Nord. En plus des compétitions, tu peux assister à des spectacles, des marchés, des ateliers culturels. À mettre à ton agenda si tu passes par Ottawa pendant les jeux!
Keep on eye open during your travels for summertime pow wows. These large gatherings are festive, vibrant and open to everybody. They feature singing, dancing and drumming as well as handicrafts and traditional food. Respect the protocol by listening, observing and asking, if you’re not sure what’s going on, and appreciate the sacredness of the pow wow. Consult Destination Indigenous to find out more!
Exploring indigenous culture is much more than a tourist activity, it’s an open-hearted exchange, a genuine conversation. It’s discovering voices that were too long unheard and listening to them in all their richness, humour, strength and beauty.
So are you ready to experience an authentic immersion in a real local culture?