Image via Métis Nation of Ontario
In 2017, twelve indigenous youth from Canada spent the summer retracing a route taken by their ancestors.
James Wagar, a member of the Métis Nation of Ontario, says, “The Métis were the movers of the furs, the go-between between Indian communities and the European trading forts. So the Metis traveled from Quebec City all the way through the Great Lakes and westward, all by canoe.”
Today, much of this area is developed, so the youth canoed past industry and signs of pollution. But as they moved into remote areas, it was more like what their ancestors had experienced.
“The appreciation for what’s around you it fills your spirit,” says Wagar.
Get Schooled:
- Check out the training for the expedition from the Métis Nation of Ontario
- Meet the crew of the 2017 expedition.
- Learn more about the youth’s stopover in Toronto, from CBC.
- Read the youth’s reflections from their trip.
See the canoe expedition’s final arrival in Thunder Bay, from the Métis Nation of Ontario:
The fine print:
- This segment was produced in partnership with Cornell University’s Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future
