On July 14th, the Indigenous youth from Roberts/Smart Centre were invited to part take in a “Learning on the Land” adventure at Camp Misabe (Where Giants Walk) in Kitigan Zibi. When we arrived at our destination, our hosts started the day with a lesson on canoeing. Youth learned paddle techniques, safety tips, and the role of each paddler. The hosts at Camp Misabe discussed the importance of teamwork, and the importance of never leaving anyone behind. The youth and helpers teamed up, two by two, and grabbed a canoe. We were instructed to carry the canoes through the field and down a steep hill. To everyone’s surprise, we had a two-hour canoe trip to our destination downstream. Along our way we looked out for animals and fish, raced each other, complained a little, one canoe almost flipped, and we shared a lot of laughs.

Once we reached our destination, a fire was waiting for us on the beach. The hosts from Camp Misabe gave us lessons on smoking delicious moose meat and talked about the history of this healthy snack.

We spent the rest of the day swimming in the river, having a bush lunch, and enjoying the dried moose.

Thank you so much to Pamela, Jake, and Andrea at Camp Misabe for a beautiful day!

On July 18th, the Indigenous youth at Roberts/Smart Centre were invited by the Centre of Indigenous Initiatives at Carleton University to tour the campus and explore the Indigenous supports such as the Enriched Indigenous Support Program, Ojigkwanong, and the Cedar lodge. The youth were able to share their academic interests which included aerospace engineering, art and drama, and history.

At the end of our tour, the youth were invited to meet and listen to a 60’s scoop survivor about their path of resiliency and strength. The guest speaker shared the message that anything is possible for these youth, and that although the path may be challenging, never give up.

Thank you to the Centre of Indigenous Initiatives for the memorable tour, the Carleton University swag, and the all-you-can-eat lunch (yum!).