Indigenous Experiences
 | Beaver Lake Cree Nation and Heart Lake First Nation Pow Wows Contact Beaver Lake Cree Nation (beaverlakecreenation.ca) and Heart Lake First Nation (heartlakefirstnation.com) for 2022 Pow Wow dates. Since time immemorial, Pow Wows have been special occasions for Indigenous Nations to meet, trade and celebrate their culture. Today, people of all backgrounds are welcome to attend Pow Wows, spectate and learn. Traditional dancers wear beautiful and elaborate regalia, and every Pow Wow dance has a story and a purpose. The women’s Jingle Dress Dance is a healing dance with a unique sound, whereas the flowing motions of the men’s Grass Dance evoke tall grass swaying in the prairie winds. |
 | Comfort Camping Tipis at Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park For tipi bookings: albertaparks.ca / 1-877-537-2757 For cultural programs and Hudson’s Bay Company bedding: 780-623-3249 / spirit@llb-cnfc.com
The tipi (mîkiwahp, in Cree) is one of the most recognizable icons of First Nations culture, used by tribes across the Great Plains and Canadian Prairies. Twin tipis stand proudly above the shores of Lac La Biche Lake, inviting you to spend a night in culturally immersed comfort. Every aspect of a traditional tipi is steeped in meaning, and guests wanting an even richer experience can contact the Lac La Biche Canadian Native Friendship Centre to arrange cultural programming on-site. |
 | Hideaway Adventure Grounds Ltd. Hideawayadventuregrounds.ca / 780-623-8885 / hideawayadventure@gmail.com / Township Road 624, Kikino Métis Settlement
Connect with nature, culture and yourself. Have your eyes, mind and heart opened while experiencing the sheer joy of being on the land. At Hideaway Adventure Grounds, you have the opportunity to unplug while learning traditional Métis teachings that bring you closer to Mother Earth and introduce you to Indigenous ways of knowing and ways of life. Practice shelter-building, finding medicinal plants, leathercraft and more in an endless aspen forest, and spend your nights in luxurious canvas wall tents. |
 | Indigenous Spirit Creations at Lac La Biche Canadian Native Friendship Centre Llb-cnfc.com / 780-623-3249 / spirit@llb-cnfc.com / 10105 Churchill Drive, Lac La Biche Support Indigenous artisans and entrepreneurs from near and far when you shop at the local Friendship Centre. Indigenous Spirit Creations sells Indigenous-made products and gifts, from authentic traditional dreamcatchers to pandemic-era facemasks. |
 | Portage College Museum of Aboriginal Peoples’ Art & Artifacts 9531 94 Avenue, Lac La Biche (inside Portage College) | Open Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Portage College is home to nearly 2,000 traditional and contemporary Indigenous art pieces, including the world’s only permanent collection of works by Professional Native Indian Artists Inc.
Take a self-guided exploration of the First Nations, Métis and Inuit art displays, or call ahead to arrange an in-depth guided tour. Alternatively, join a workshop to craft your very own souvenir or purchase a one-of-a-kind masterpiece from the gallery store.
780-623-6693 | portagecollege.ca/museum |
 | Métis Crossing Metiscrossing.org / 780-656-2229 / metiscrossing@metis.org / 17339 Victoria Trail, Smoky Lake County
Past and present come together at this 500-acre site, Alberta’s first major Métis destination, overlooking the North Saskatchewan River and built on original Métis river lots. Restored homesteads, modern facilities and the land itself combine to tell the ongoing story of the Métis people. Visitors can explore the site and its exhibits, try their hands at traditional crafts like fingerweaving, taste culturally inspired dishes, spend a night in a Métis trapper’s tent or the new boutique lodge (opening in 2022) and more. |