First Nations Indigenous Programs

Leon is Metis-Algonquin from Quebec. He specializes in making native hand-drums and the large powwow drums.

This 60 minute program starts with a traditional smudge ceremony that is optional for the students to participate in.

Then he introduces the drum, plays on different types of skins, followed by a talk on the healing uses of drums by the First Nations.

Leon also makes a hand drum from scratch in front of the group.

Then, Leon finishes… giving the students the opportunity to do a group drumming session together on the hand drums and a big powwow drum.

Cost for this drum presentation is $275 per group plus HST. Average group size is 45 people.

This program is hosted by Leon the Metis-Algonquin from Quebec.

This 60 minute program starts with a traditional smudge ceremony that is optional for students to participate in.

He brings all the material needed for the students to hand sew their own medicine bags. Plus he brings the different ingredients the students need to put in their medicine bag.

Then he explains what the medicine bag is for and how it works.

After completion of the bags… Leon does a short drum and sing with the students.

This program is for groups of up to 25 people. The cost is $15 per person plus HST.

We have two Indigenous groups that teach native dancing for about 60-90 minutes.

The presentation explains the importance of dance among the Indigenous nations in North America.

The one group, called Tribal Vision, lets the students try different Indigenous social dances from across North America with traditional hand drums.

The other teacher, Leland Red Eagle, offers an interactive competitive powwow dancing experience with a traditional hand drum and singing.

Both of these instructional groups do a question and answer period with the students at the end of the session.

Prices vary with group size minimum starting price around $400 per group, plus HST.

This program brings out the “wanna-be” Rock Star in everyone! Starts with a talk about the idea behind powwow singing and drumming, followed by a drum-sing demonstration.

After, the group is divided into two teams each team has to pick a charismatic song leader to coach their team to victory.

The group is then taught a powwow melody, then each team has to compete in a sing-off for volume, clarity harmony, in sync and good sportsmanship.

After the competition, there is a Q&A on powwow dancing and singing plus any other questions concerning First Nations.

This session lasts 60-90 minutes. Cost $225 plus HST per group

This unique survival skills program is taught by Mike Lothrop, a very knowledgeable and skilled flint knapper. Mike’s program demonstrates the lost skills used by First Nations before the arrival of the Europeans.

Includes a demonstration of making arrowheads from stone, making string from plants, spinning golden rod with your bare hands to make fire and throwing the atlatl, the weapon used before the bow & arrow.

Whoever breaks the plant-fiber string by pulling, wins the arrowhead!

This program is normally 90-120 minutes in length. Cost per group is $225 plus HST per group.

This talk on the First Nations history of Southern Ontario is presented by Garth Pottruff from the Grand River Rafting Company.

This is a story telling presentation on the rise and fall of the Attawandaron Nation (the Neutrals)… an aggressive people battling 17 different nations when Champlain arrived.

The Attawandarons were described by the French as one of the biggest-boned, healthy people they had encountered. Garth’s talka about what set these people apart from the surrounding nations.

The talk covers the downfall of the Attawandarons by the Haudenosaunee, followed by the rise of the Anishnaabe and then the return of the Haudenosaunee to Southern Ontario.

This one hour presentation can be done in a story form around campfires or as an overhead slide presentations in classrooms. Cost is $150 per session plus HST.

If looking for Indigenous cultural experience… we can help arrange tours to Haudenosaunee cultural point of interest.

Ten minutes away, in Brantford, we have the unique Iroquoian Woodland Cultural Museum, the Mohawk Institute Residential School, the Mohawk Chapel and the 17th Century replica Kanata Village, all within a 1 km radius.
There is the opportunity to have Six Nations Tourism guides, board your bus and tour you through the Six Nations Grand River Territories.

Also at Six Nations, is the oldest pre-confederate home of the famous poetess, Pauline Johnson. Nearby is another replica longhouse called the Kayanase Longhouse and the Carolinian Species Kayanase Tree Nursery.

If wishing help to plan a Haudenosaunee educational tour… contact us, and we introduce you to Six Nations Tourism.

Grand River Rafting is proud to be one of the founders that created “Two Row on the Grand”. This is Ontario’s “one of a kind” Indigenous educational experiences on the Grand River in mid July.

It is the opportunity to paddle with the Haudenosaunee Nation for up to 9 days down the Grand River to its mouth at Lake Erie. Each day of the trip introduces a different cultural experience. From paddle to a Powwow to camping in an Iroquoian palisade.

You can go for a day or as many days as you have available. Two Row on the Grand is all about re-polishing the chain of friendship!