First Nation Eco-Tours in British Columbia Canada

Aboriginal Tour Travel Site

February 12-28, 2010 

Vancouver 2010 Winter Games

Yes its almost here the biggest winter sporting event and party in the World
and Whistler will be a big part of it as they host 28 Gold medal events in four different sports.

February 12-28
Vancouver 2010 Winter Games

NEW

VISIT WHISTLER DURING THE 2010 Winter Games

join us as we welcome the world!

Vancouver 2010 Winter Games cultural bus tour

The Sea to Sky Aboriginal Journey

Traveling rom Vancouver to Whistler is a breathtaking journey of ocean and mountain vistas and the ancient route of the Squamish and Lil'Wat First Nations.  The Sea-to-Sky Aboriginal Journey will transform your travel into an experience rich with mythological legends, Aboriginal culture and cuisine.

VANCOUVER TO WHISTLER BUS TOUR

Kick up your heals! on an exciting out of town day trip

The Whistler Live! experience will be different every day, integrating diverse programming at various locations in the Village Stroll. From 9 am to 11 pm during the 2010 Winter Games the line up of sport, music, street performers and arts will change daily

February 12th, 14th, 15th, 16th , 17th, 18th, 20th, 21st, 23rd, 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th & 28th 2010

narrated 2010 tour bus transportation Vancouver to Whistler

pick-up:  Vancouver hotel

              Horseshoe Bay

dop-off:  Vancouver hotel or airport

              Horseshoe Bay

earlybird rate for purchase by Dec 15 , 2009

Adult $155 Child $145 CAN

group block discounts

contact us to book your ticket

Disappointingly, the Sto:lo Artisan Centre is on hold, without a home.  The Sto:lo Community Futures has dropped the developing tourism centre and the only organizedAboriginal tourism association in Canada, the Sto:lo Tourism Commission. 

Sto:lo Artisan & Tourism Centre

September 2009

update: Opening Soon

The Centre is relocating, resurging into the only organized regional centre for one stop art, tours and language.

Responsible Travel

Aboriginaltoursbc.com gets the prize for responsible travel by minimizing our environmental impacts and maximizing your connections with First Nation people and the environment while you travel.

We deal with the main environmental issues facing communities and employ local guides, leaders and staff.  Group sizes are limited to minimize environmental and social impact in the host communities unless events have the capacity for accepting bus and rail tours. Our tour suppliers have green business to business purchasing policies and offer travelers information on responsible travel.  10% of revenues are directed back into the communities to support responsible travel.

Traveling by responsible travel ethics is one of the most direct and
personal ways you can make a difference to some of the biggest issues affecting
our world.

Aboriginal tours

Ecosystems today are, in many ways, fragile. Travel, however, continues to grow, and is increasingly linked to the unique natural environments and biodiversity found in vacation destinations. Maintaining an un-spoilt and attractive destination contributes greatly to visitor satisfaction, conserves the area’s biodiversity and contributes to the well being of local people

Our tour suppliers, venues, hotels and lodges are genuine in their approach to
responsible tourism. We have a written policy covering our
environmental impact, employment and cultural policies and our suppliers are rated on their participation of 10 sustainable tourism principles.  They are rated by a % based on a scale of (high) 1 - (low) 10.

This site introduces you to the responsible travel tour suppliers and the most rewarding and inspiring travel experiences of your life.

What is Responsible Travel?

Responsible tourism can be defined as travel that takes into consideration the 'triple bottom line' issues of:

Environment: travel that minimizes negative environmental impacts and, where
possible, makes positive contributions to the conservation of bio diversity,
wilderness, natural and human heritage.

Social/Cultural: travel that respects culture and traditions and fosters
authentic interaction and greater understanding between travelers and hosts.

Economic: travel that has financial benefits for the host community and
operates on the principles of fair trade.

Cultural Connection

One of the best things about traveling is making connections with people from
different cultures, in an authentic and mutually enjoyable way.

'Cultural sensitivity' is simply a matter of respect: take your behavioral
cues from the locals. Other cultures have very different concepts of time, personal
space and socially acceptable behavior. You'll find it a lot less stressful -
and a lot more enlightening - if you chill out / reassess
your own ideas.
Dress appropriately. Looking at the locals is a good way to gauge what to wear.
Particularly in conservative cultures, don't flaunt your flesh and try to be
neat and clean - it's only respectful. Cultural events and activities are alcohol and drug free activities. 

Aboriginal's Blog

Welcome to the launch of our visitors blog. We'll be sharing knowledge with Western Canadian Aboriginal tour suppliers and " expert guest blogger's" discussing various travel topics and green events

The site boasts a well-trained customer service staff, a human element  that many web travel sites can't match.  This is the place to go for smaller events, boutique hotels, and other off-the-beaten-lodging options in the most popular destinations and locate events, properties, tour suppliers and local eateries that are historic and green.

Logically organized, AboriginalToursBC.com offers ideas for adding cultural experiences to your vacation.  The travel site offers a comprehensive range of innovative eco-travel products including Escorted Motorcoach Tours, Self-Drive Tours, Festival Packages and more than 200 First Nations eco tour suppliers throughout British Columbia, Canada.

Research your destination and package options before visiting the First Nations communities in BC with our self-drive guidebook to where First Nations People live and gather to celebrate and carry on their traditions.

Within British Columbia, there are 198 First Nations, more than in any other province or territory in Canada. Each has their own traditions, history, heritage, language and art.

Adding a cultural activity while visiting British Columbia is well worth it and we can navigate the long bus rides, seven hour transit stops and rustic tourist infrastructure with the help of the friendly and approachable First Nation people we work with.

The on-line booking has a list of First Nation cultural events, sites, and ceremonies that take place in:

• Fraser Valley
• Vancouver-Whistler
• Vancouver Island
• Alert Bay
• Kootenays

Group tours, self guided tours, escorted tours and guided tours available www.talkingtotemtours.com

Aboriginal Tour Packages throughout British Columbia, Canada featuring; Cultural Tour Vacations and Itineraries for private journeys.  Packages covering: First Nation Festivals, guided boat, rail and bus tours to sacred sites, accommodations, eagle viewing, grizzly bear viewing, whale watching, fishing and traditional ceremonies.  

courtesy of Bob Herger

Cultus Lake

Aboriginal Tours BC on-line travel site is a comprehensive collection of celebrations and activities of the Aboriginal people in British Columbia.  The first of its kind this site and self- guide introduces visitors to where the people gather to carry on their ancient traditions.

On-line booking will ensure you will be able to experience the closest possible encounters with the people and culture of the First Nations of British Columbia.  Sight-seeing bus tour companies are not yet set up to visit most of these communities.  You will visit communities that are rarely seen by tourists and where few facilities are available.

The "hidden gems", the carvers, the artists, the sacred sites and community celebrations that would be difficult for you to find are what this site is all about.  The celebrations, ceremonies and gathering places that visitors are introduced to are genuine representations of the cultures they reflect. You will personally experience the First Nations people, their values and their traditions as governed by their age-old beliefs and practices. The many cultural experiences offered will reflect the ancient values of truth and service to the community and the importance of leaving no impact on the earth and its elements.

The Aboriginal way of life has been shaped by the land, climate and creatures of their home territory. The lands, oceans, and rivers gave abundantly, feeding and clothing their people. They stepped lightly on the land and took only what was needed. Along the coast, cedar and salmon gave them canoes, homes, clothing and plentiful food. Further inland, they made their homes in the earth or from the skins of larger animals.  They gathered herbs and vegetables from their land and hunted and fished to feed their families.

Today, they continue to share a common respect for the land and its creatures and are teaching their children to be respectful of the earth and its inhabitants and to hon our their First Nations traditions and culture.

There are approximately five hundred Aboriginal Tour suppliers in B.C. and another one hundred that are currently starting up.  From these, we have compiled a list of cultural tourism businesses, supply accommodations, and guided tours that are locally owned and operated by Aboriginal families.  These families are highly regarded in the community and usually a whole family will get involved; children, parents, grandparents all sharing their time honored traditions.  You will experience first hand the practice of environmental stewardship, cultural integrity, social sustainability and genuine creative communities.

We have also included non-native eco-Tourism Businesses to increase the community's capacity to accommodate visitors while attending celebrations and visiting communities.

There are both driving directions and contact information for each of the regions’ celebrations and cultural activities.

Oukcha from the Sliammon First Nation generously shares his teachings to the people who will be visiting.

MEDICINE WHEEL OF LIFE

In the circle of life there is no beginning and there is no end.

THE TEACHINGS OF THE FOUR DIRECTIONS

EAST - In the East direction sits the Eagle; the color yellow;  the spirit and the Oriental people.  The element is air.  The Oriental people are the keepers of air.  For thousands of years they have been observed doing breathing exercises.

The Eagle is the totem that sits in the East direction.  He carries the prayers of the people to the Creator and gives you an overview of your life like a map of the world. 

The East direction is the first 25 years of your life and is called springtime.  It is of the newness of the world; the newness of life and in this direction you will find your strength.  The medicine of this direction is tobacco and is one of the first medicines to open the door to the Creator.

 SOUTH - In the South direction sits the Mouse; the color red; emotions, and Native People.  The element is land.  The Native People are the keepers of the land.  For thousands of years they have lived upon the land.

The Mouse is the totem that sits in the South direction.  He helps you to see the things upon your plate; helps to keep you focused.

In the South direction is 25 to 50 years of your life.  It is called the summer time; the time of youth.  In this direction you will find courage.  The medicine of the South direction is Sage.  It is to help cleanse you of your sorrow.

WEST- In the West direction is the Bear; the color black; physical abilities, and the Black people.  The Black people are the keepers of Water and have the most monsoons and the biggest rivers.

The Bear is the totem that sits in the West direction.  He helps you heal the things within.

In the West is 50 to 75 years of your life.  It is called the Fall time, the time of adults.  In this direction you will find wisdom.  The medicine of the West is Cedar.  It is to help protect you.

 NORTH - In the North direction is the buffalo; the color is white;  mental ability, and the White people. The element is fire.  The White people are the keepers of fire and have gone so far as the use of nuclear fission.

The Buffalo is the totem that sits in the North direction.  He helps you with mental abilities and your awareness of life.

In the North direction is 75 to 100 years of your life.  It is called the winter time, the time of the Elders.  The medicine of the North direction is sweetgrass.  Sweetgrass helps you think from the heart and not from the head.

In the CIRCLE OF LIFE, to the East you will find strength; to the South courage; to the West wisdom, and to the north you will find generosity.  In the four directions you find spirituality, emotional well being, physical well being, and mental well being.

You need to work on all directions to stay whole as a human being.  If one is out of balance, all is out of balance.

                       ALL MY RELATIONS----OUKCHA

Introduction

First Nations traditional territories cover just over 0.4 % of the British Columbia land base.  Of the nearly 600 First Nations communities throughout Canada, 197 are located in BC regions.

Under the present Indian Act, First Nations are wards of the federal government, living on reserve land to which they have no ownership. In some cases, reserve land is not even within a nation's traditional territory.

Before Canada was a country Britain recognized that Aboriginal people living here had title to land: the Royal Proclamation of 1763 declared that only the British Crown could acquire land from First Nations, and that was typically done through treaties. In most parts of Canada, the British Crown established treaties with First Nations before Confederation, but in British Columbia treaties are unfinished business.

Land has spiritual, economic and political significance for First Nations peoples. First Nations traditional territory (land occupied and used historically) is integral to their identity and survival as a distinct nation.

The guide has a list of events that take place in each community at the beginning of each chapter. For some ceremonies there are often no fixed dates and if you are interested in attending a specific event it is always a good idea before planning your trip to call ahead.  The hosts invite visitors to join them in the festivals that honour their past, celebrate their present and look toward to their futures.

Audry Lochrie provides escorted and guided tours www.talkingtotemtours.com 

to school groups, individuals and small groups of car-poolers interested in spending time with First Nation guides.

She would like to give a Special Thanks to all of her supportive family and friends, especially Sandra Mostrey, Paula Cranmer-Underhill and Bill and Ruth Cooper for all of their encouragement, research and editing services to put this information together.

British Columbia

British Columbia, Canada's westernmost province, is located on the Pacific coast, and has a land and freshwater area of 95 million hectares. It is Canada's third largest province and comprises 9.5 percent of the country's total land area. The province is nearly four times the size of Great Britain, 2.5 times larger than Japan, and larger than any American state except Alaska (BC is 1.35 times bigger than Texas!). There are only thirty nations in the world larger than British Columbia.

The province is bounded by the U.S. states of Washington, Idaho and Montana in the south, Alberta on the east, the Northwest Territories and the Yukon on the north and Alaska on the northwest. From south to north, B.C. stretches 1,200 kilometers, and from east to west, as much as 1,050 kilometers. Its deeply indented, island-dotted coastline extends 7,000 kilometers.

The abundance and variety of wildlife in British Columbia reflect the great diversity of the province's environment. There are more species in total and more unique species of birds and mammals than in any other Canadian province.

British Columbia is characterized by mountainous topography, but also has substantial areas of lowland and plateau country. The province has four basic regions: a northwesterly trending mountain system on the coast, a similar mountain system on the east, an extensive area of plateau and mountain country between the two, and a lowland segment of the continent's Great Plains in the northeastern part of the province.

The province is blessed with an abundance of waterways in the form of rivers, lakes, streams and swamps. Freshwater surfaces total 1.8 million hectares. Major river systems include the Fraser, Columbia, Skeena and Peace Rivers.

British Columbia's national, provincial, regional and local parks provide a spectrum of natural beauty, breathtaking scenery and opportunities for outdoor enjoyment and recreation.

The 807 protected areas (provincial parks, ecological reserves, recreation areas and other protected areas), covering 11.4 million hectares, are diverse in their features and facilities. There are 13,302 campsites, 487 day-use areas, 136 boat launch areas and 3,000 km of hiking trails within provincial parks, that serve approximately 24 million park visitors each year.

The cultural activities are located in First Nation communities and offer remoteness and raw beauty to places that have remained relatively untouched for thousands of years, except by the people who call these areas their home.

The activities combine world heritage destination sites and ancient native sites, in the territories of the Kwakwaka'wakw, Nisga'a, Gitksan, Haida and Coast Salish peoples.

Visitors can attend festivals and cultural tours where they are able to experience their closest encounters with First Nations people. 

Visitors can explore communities which rarely see a tourist at all, where tourism is harder to access and where community members attend traditional festivals and ceremonies that are open to the public.

Vancouver Coast & Mountains

This is the most populated region of the province, with stunning geography ranging from oceans to mountains, and includes temperate rainforests, alpine peaks, lakes, fjords and fertile valley delta lands. This region is home to Vancouver, British Columbia's largest city and Whistler, a world-renowned year-round resort. In 2010, both destinations will play hosts to the world during the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The Coast Salish, one of the largest First Nations in the province, inhabits the entire region. The following are related groups within the Coast Salish family. 

• The Squamish Nation is comprised of Salish peoples who are descendants of the aboriginal peoples who lived in the present day greater Vancouver area, Gibson's landing and Squamish River watershed. Squamish means "Mother of Wind" or "Birthplace of the Winds" in the Coast Salish language.

• Sto:Lo means "People of the River." Their traditional territory includes the Fraser Valley, much of the Lower Mainland and the Harrison Lake watershed. As their name implies, it is a culture rich in fishing traditions. The Sto:Lo are still skilled fishers, and they still prepare the salmon in the ways of their forefathers, either wind drying, smoking, or salting. The rivers were rich in sturgeon and eulachon, and the surrounding lands were plentiful in larger game so, as with the coastal regions, basic essentials were easily attainable, leaving time to foster a culture rich in art and storytelling.

• The Tsleil-Waututh are Coast Salish people who speak the down-river dialect of the Halkomelem language. Today, Tsleil-Waututh First Nation members live in a community located on the north shore of Burrard Inlet, in North Vancouver.  Prior to contact with Europeans, oral history tells us the Tsleil-Waututh numbered over 10,000 people, in an area that reached from the Fraser River in the south to near Whistler in the north.  The heart of Tsleil-Waututh culture involved a complex cycle of food gathering, hunting, and spiritual and cultural activities.

 • The St'át'imc First Nations, which is composed of 11 different communities, has a traditional territorial range from from Port Douglas in the south to Pavilion in the north. They were traditionally hunter gatherers who followed the game they sought, living in pit houses in the winter and bark shingled lean-tos in the summer. Much of their travel was by canoe, and they built different styles for different conditions, one for traveling up river, another wider one for carrying game, and a third heavier one for the lakes. Clothing was made from animal skins for winter, and woven cedar for summer.

• The Lil'Wat are the largest of the St'át'imc First Nation communities, with a traditional territory situated between Squamish and Lillooet.  They were hunter gatherers who followed the game they sought, living in pit houses in the winter and bark shingled lean-tos in the summer. Much of their travel was by canoe, and they built different styles for different conditions, one for traveling up river, another wider one for carrying game, and a third heavier one for the lakes. Clothing was made from animal skins for winter, and woven cedar for summer.

The housing styles for First Nations communities in this region were varied, from longhouses (large square wooden structures, usually built along the ocean or river) to pit houses (housing built into the hillside) which could easily be hidden to protect from enemy tribes and was naturally insulated during extremely hot or cold weather. Temperatures were relatively mild, fish was plentiful, and there were many larger animals to hunt for meat. Travel and trade followed river routes. 

The Lil'wat have partnered with the Squamish to build a world-class Cultural Centre in the heart of Whistler, British Columbia's world-class resort, situated 2 hours north of Vancouver. Opened June 21st in 2008, the Centre celebrates the joint history of the Squamish and the Lil'wat Nations by showcasing their history, creative works, and cultures. It is a two-story complex that includes an interpretive centre, theatre, eco-walk, gift shop, arts and crafts, a high-end traditional foods restaurant and cafeteria. The Centre enables both nations to share their culture with the world and invite visitors to 2010 Olympics to enjoy First Nations hospitality.

British Columbia, the most western province in Canada, is a land bigger than many countries, a land rich in resources. From the ocean shores on the west coast, to the vast forests, abundant lakes and rivers, fertile valleys, rolling grasslands and majestic mountain ranges throughout, this land has given us all that we have needed from the time that we were breathed into being. Our ancestors have told us it will always be so if we treat it with respect.

Courtesy of Aboriginal Tourism of British Columbia,  www.aboriginalbc.com

British Columbia's First Nations by Region

We are privileged to have this kind of access to their communities and have included cultural protocol to be sure visitors are very respectful of our hosts.

Although the dates in this guide are correct at the time of printing it would be wise to contact and verify dates and times before your arrival.