All excursions are on Saturday, June 14th from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. There is no additional fee for the excursions, and lunch will be provided. 

 

Please bring a water bottle, walking shoes, hat, and dress appropriately for the weather. You may need sunscreen. Expect predominantly sunny days in June, with the daytime often seeing temperatures reaching 23°C and evening temperatures dipping below 10°C. We usually receive moderate rainfall, averaging around 10 days in the month. If you are prepared for some warm/hot days, chilly evenings, and the potential for getting a little wet, you will be ready to enjoy one of these amazing excursions!

 

Excursion One

Batoche National Historic Site

Video: Batoche and Tourond’s Coulée: A Landscape Coming Alive

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/metis

 

We will travel one hour north of Saskatoon by chartered bus for a private tour of Batoche. The tour will last 3 hours, and participants have the option to walk or take the shuttle to the various buildings and outdoor locations. 

 

Batoche is the scene of Louis Riel's last stand and a symbol of Métis resilience and cultural renewal. Métis are people of mixed European and Indigenous ancestry, and one of the three recognized Aboriginal peoples in Canada. The use of the term Métis is complex and contentious, and has different historical and contemporary meanings. Louis Riel formed the Provisional Government of the Métis Nation in 1870 in response to British plans to transfer their country to Canada without the consent of the Indigenous people who lived there. 

 

Métis fiddling and jigging (music and dance) blends European and Indigenous influence, as does their art. Famous for their floral beadwork, the Métis are often referred to as the “Flower Beadwork People.” 

 

Registration is limited to 50 people.

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Excursion Two

Wanuskewin Heritage Park

Video: Wanuskewin Archaeological Discovery

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/saskatoon

 

We will travel 25 minutes by chartered bus to Wanuskewin. Participants will join a guided tour called the opimihāw Walk. From across the northern plains, Indigenous peoples would travel to the opimihāw Valley to gather, hunt, and survive the winter. This program is a 2-hour walk that showcases the full opimihāw Valley throughout the trail system of Wanuskewin.

                           

Additionally, participants will have 2 hours of "self-guided" time to view the Visitor Centre’s exhibits, galleries, and bison viewing platform. And finally, you won’t want to miss one of the daily dance presentations (where you might even be invited to join in).

 

Wanuskewin is an opportunity to delve into the past and discover what life was like pre-contact for the first peoples of the Northern Plains, along with how Indigenous cultures are still connected and represented here today. The theme is one of interpretation—exploring and sharing Plains cultures to gain a better understanding of ourselves, Saskatchewan’s Indigenous peoples, and our common heritage. Wanuskewin’s uniqueness not only lies in its evidence of ancient peoples, but in the composition of many different aspects of habitation, hunting and gathering, and spirituality–all in one place.

 

Registration is limited to 50 people.

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Excursion Three

Muskeg Lake Cree Nation

 

We will travel one hour north of Saskatoon by chartered bus. Muskeg Lake Cree Nation has a long and rich cultural history. First established in 1881, the core reserve is still home to approximately 367 community members. 1,481 additional members live across Saskatchewan and Canada, yet they are still proud to call Muskeg Lake their home and community.

 

We are honored to welcome Harry Lafond as our primary guide for this excursion. A member of the Muskeg Lake Cree Nation, Harry Lafond has served as the St. Thomas More College (STM) Scholar on Indigenous Education since 2019. As priority lead for Authentic Indigenization initiatives within the STM College Plan 2025, he works with members of the STM community to build capacity, collaborate and consult, and honour Indigenous cultures. A deacon in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Prince Albert and 2022 Saskatchewan Order of Merit recipient, Mr. Lafond previously served as the Executive Director of the Office of the Treaty Commissioner in Saskatchewan; Director of Education for Muskeg Lake Cree Nation, and as that Nation’s Chief for ten years.

 

More details about the schedule of the day will be added soon. 

 

Registration is limited to 50 people.