ORCKA Voyageur Canoe Courses

A happy jimaan waiting to explore Wikwemikong.

We don’t just do canoe tours, we also teach ORCKA Voyageur Courses! Over the years we’ve had the pleasure of sharing these skills to our own staff and volunteers, Bruce Peninsula National Park staff, Bruce Peninsula Eco-Adventures, Wikwemikong Tourism, Cape Croker Park staff and Bagida’waad Alliance staff and volunteers.

Bagida’waad Alliance putting their skills to good use on the return journey from Rabbit Island.

It’s especially humbling to have the opportunity to bring these skills into First Nations communities, most of all when an Elder joins the class! When that happened, I took a step back from the ‘History of the Canoe’ part of the course and asked her to share some teachings of the jimaan.

Bagida’waad, Cape Croker Park and Big Canoe Project staff with their new badges!

Cape Croker Park staff ready to go!

It speaks volumes about FN/Settler history over the last century that many FN communities have been disconnected from opportunities to nurture the canoe skills that would have once been intrinsic. Lack of access to swimming lessons plays a significant role as well. It’s a privilege to be in a position to bring big jimaan’s into Cape Croker and Wikwemikong and we always walk away having learned as much as we teach.

Next time you’re in the area, go for a paddle with Wikytours, BPNP or Cape Croker. Tell them I sent you!

Bailing out a swamped canoe, leaving us with a nice, clean jimaan!