Two years ago, I sat at the edge of the powwow dance circle in Conne River, Newfoundland with a couple hundred other people — some Indigenous and some not — listening and watching.
There was a time when Indigenous ceremonies, dancing and the wearing of traditional regalia was illegal in Canada. During that dark time, some First Nations groups continued to hold powwows and other spiritual ceremonies in secret, while others abandoned the practice and lost the traditions. That is part of the reason that before 1995, there were no powwows in Newfoundland.  
Re-establishing the powwow was the beginning of a cultural revival for the Miawpukek Nation and today they celebrate their powwow and their culture with all who wish to participate. The weekend event includes dancing, singing, traditional foods, handicrafts and ceremonies.   
The annual powwow is the most important tourism event in the tiny community of Conne River and visitors are welcomed with open arms.
“When we started the powwow, we wanted to invite people from other parts of Canada,” explained Chief Misel Joe. “Powwows were traditionally held to celebrate a good year and share the good fortune with others. It’s a social gathering that brings people together and it’s an opportunity for visitors to learn about Mi’kmaq culture and traditions.”
Over the two days, I enjoyed drumming and dancing and savoured local foods such as a delicious moose stew with homemade bannock. I also experienced a traditional sweat lodge and a group nature walk with Chief Joe where I learned the medicinal uses of local plants.

Above: Indigenous peoples thrill crowds at a powwow with their traditional dances and songs.

It’s the sharing of culture that makes Indigenous tourism stand apart.
“Visitors love the human contact experience, learning from the operators, learning the land and the ways of life; it’s that cultural exchange and the hands-on activities,” explained Sébastien Desnoyers-Picard, Chief Marketing Officer of the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada. “It’s also the untamed, the diversity, the language, and the spontaneity of the experiences with the deep meanings of the elements. It’s the multi-sensorial experience (taste, smell, touch, etc.), and above all, it is a meaningful experience with authentic people.”  
On-reserve experiences like the Miawpukek powwow are what most people picture when you mention Indigenous tourism, but there are many different tours, sites and experiences on offer both inside and outside Indigenous communities.
Tourism experiences include everything from watching the Northern Lights, to snowmobiling, fishing, hiking, wildlife watching, dogsledding, tepee camping and cultural encounters.
Some operators have added an Indigenous twist to a more conventional type of tour. Such is the case with Joe Urie, owner of Jasper Tour Company. For more than 20 years, Urie has made a living offering guided tours in Alberta’s Jasper National Park.
When he first started out, he worked as a guide for an established tour operator and his tours focused on educating visitors about the history, science and biology of the scenery and wildlife in the park. Not long after the establishment of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada in 2008, Urie established Jasper Tour Company. The Commission began the process of changing the way Canadians view their own history and this prompted Urie, a proud member of Alberta’s Métis Nation, to change the way he gave guided tours. He began sharing more of himself, his culture and his own truth with his guests.

Above: Many attendees at a powwow like to dress up in traditional garb and get their pictures with Indigenous elders.

“There was a great weight lifted and it felt like it was finally okay to talk about things we never talked about,” he said. “I want people going home from my tours with a new hope in their heart and a connection to the land and the wild things that live on it.”
Guests see a wide variety of wildlife on a tour with Urie, but they also learn the names for the animals in the Michif language and discover the Indigenous history of the Canadian Rockies along the way. Urie believes you can’t really connect with the land from the inside of a tour bus, so he gets people out on the landscape. His tours stand out because they tell a bigger story and help people feel a fundamental connection to the wildlife and to the land.
There are approximately two million Indigenous people living in Canada speaking more than 70 different languages. Each nation or group has its own traditions, legends and ways of living. That provides an incredible opportunity for meaningful cultural exchange.
This all stands as evidence that Canada has come a long way as a nation. Indigenous culture is no longer something that is hidden away and suppressed. We live in an age when diverse cultures can be celebrated and valued. Many people who live in large urban centres have lost their connection with the land, nature and wild things. Indigenous tourism is a way to get that connection back. Joe Urie said that his guests come for a wildlife tour and they get a wildlife tour with something more added. They leave with a new perspective.
One of the greatest benefits of travel is the opportunity to explore other cultures and experience the world with new eyes. Mark Twain famously wrote, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts.”

Above: There's plenty of hand-made souvenirs to take home from a powwow.

The benefits of experiencing and connecting with Indigenous culture are immense. My first powwow experience left me with a newfound appreciation for the culture and traditions I experienced, but it also left me with a greater sense of self. I expected to have fun at the powwow. I didn’t expect it to be as spiritual as it was. The 2020 powwow was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it will be back along with other Indigenous tourism opportunities across Canada. The Miawpukek Nation has rediscovered its powwow traditions and they aren’t going to lose them again.

Visit http://www.destinationIndigenous.ca to find out more information and directly book Indigenous tourism experiences in Canada.