In recent years, there has been a focus on reconciliation, including land grants, improved education within Indigenous communities, and increased Indigenous-led tourism.
Paul Natrall of Squamish Nation is one of the leaders of the Indigenous culinary tourism movement. He is a chef, restaurant owner, television host, and a member of the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada. He is also the British Columbia representative for the Indigenous Culinary Association, a chef-led organization focused on using food to influence Canada’s relationship with Indigenous cultures.
This year’s Cook’s Camp, the annual Canadian culinary celebration hosted by cooks, Natral hosted a special event that fused traditional Indigenous cuisine with European techniques. As he sees it, food is the perfect catalyst for people to connect and heal.
“When I was a kid, the kitchen was a place of bonding,” Natlal said with a smile. “Food was medicine and time [together as a family] It was nutrition. ”
He fondly remembers the traditional cooking methods he learned from his grandmother. These include air-dried salmon, roasted beets and grilled mussels pulled from the sea. When they cooked side by side, he felt pride, love, and a sense of belonging. has been greatly hindered by governments aimed at
“It’s important to keep our food culture alive,” he says. “In any city, you can get so many styles of food: Chinese, Thai, Italian…but you can’t get indigenous food. [cooking] The Method has been around for thousands of years and we need to introduce it, revive it and show the world our culture. ”
Canada’s Indigenous communities offer a way for tourists to better understand and connect with their culture through educational dining and outdoor activities that include traditional ways of gathering, preparing and cooking food.
Foraging and grilling at the Three Fires Confederacy in Ontario
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The Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory is an indigenous reserve on Manitoulin Island in Ontario, east of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Consisting of the Three Fires Confederacy (Ojibwa, Odawa and Pottawatomi countries), Wikwemikong Tourism organizes and arranges outings such as fishing trips, maple syrup harvesting, hauling, pow wows and theater performances.
Gourmet tours are also offered, including hiking along the scenic Bebamikawe Memorial Trail and searching for food and natural produce along the forest floor. Together with a First Nations guide, guests will learn how to identify and harvest ingredients such as mushrooms and berries and pair them with hot and cold teas made from wild game, fish, birds, herbs and plants. At the end of the day, guests prepare their findings over an open fire.
Visit Nk’Mip Winery in British Columbia
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Nk’Mip Cellars stands out as the first indigenous winery in North America, owned and operated by the Osoyoos Indian Band. He is located in one of Canada’s prized wine regions, the Okanagan Valley. Nestled between rolling hills and sparkling lakes, this picturesque winery proudly practices sustainable agriculture. Nk’Mip Cellars has also received numerous accolades for its high quality red wines, buttery white wines and refreshing rosé wines.
Visitors to the winery can sample flights in the main tasting bar or enjoy semi-private tastings with chef-inspired pairings. Guests looking for a more in-depth experience can book the Four Chiefs Food Experience. This experience explores his four key elements of Aboriginal cuisine (bear, salmon, bitterroot and Saskatoonberry) paired with Nk’Mip wine.
Nk’Mip Cellars recently launched a tasting experience at the District Wine Village in Oliver, British Columbia (Canada’s first wine village).
Book fine dining at Naagan, Ontario
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Founded by Ojibwa chef Zach Keesig, Naagan is a fine dining restaurant that is open only on weekends and sells out weeks in advance. Cooking at some of Canada’s finest restaurants such as Langdon Hall and his Eigensinn Farm, Keesig creatively blends modern and traditional Ojibwe cuisine. By limiting the audience to his 13 seats, Mr. Keesig is able to guide us through the ingredients, cooking methods, and cultural significance of every unique dish he serves.
Located in the most Owen Sound of southern Ontario, Nargan offers a nine-course tasting menu featuring ingredients such as corn and peaches in the summer and carrots and beets in the fall.
Kesig also offers foraging tours, cooking demonstrations and private dinners.
Attend the Algonquin Festival near Ottawa
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Madahoki Farms was built on land in the Algonquin Nation near the Canadian capital. Officially opened in 2021, the space hosts a series of annual events celebrating the Algonquian language and culture each season, including Sigwan (spring), Tagwagi (fall), Pibon (winter), and the annual Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival is held.
Each event offers traditional Algonquin cuisine, music, pow wows, and creative workshops where families can build dream catchers, play drums, participate in storytelling, and participate in pow wows doing.
This exciting event space and working farm also houses five endangered Ojibwa spirit horses and features art, jewelry, coffee and soap made by local Indigenous artisans. Indigenous marketplaces are held throughout the year selling products such as
Fishing and trails around Red Bank Lodge in New Brunswick
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Owned by Red Bank Nation, Red Bank Lodge is perched on a hill overlooking the clear Miramichi River. Surrounded by dense evergreen forest, the large cedar hut was built by a local indigenous community. Wildlife quietly grazes on the quiet walking trails that wind through the trees and along the river.
River Bank Lodge is famous for its Atlantic salmon fishing and draws anglers from all over the world. Its culinary fishing experience (approximately $1,400) includes accommodation, Aboriginal-led fishing tours, and a Mi’kmak meal of smoked seafood or braised meats such as venison and caribou. The fishing season runs from mid-April to October, and these experiences can be booked months in advance.
For more information on Canada’s Indigenous Tourism Services, please visit: https://Indigenoustourism.ca/
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