Tourism as a Vehicle for Reconciliation and Culture

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - The Klahoose Wilderness Resort’s second full season is over.

“We're only open from May to the middle of October,” explained Chris Tait, the Tourism Manager. 

As he reflected on this past season, one word that kept coming up is reconciliation. 

"It's 100 percent owned by the Klahoose First Nation. From the beginning, as we built the resort, that was front and center. We wanted all of our experiences at the Klahoose Wilderness Resort to  reflect the traditions, reflect the culture. Part of that is a reconciliation piece, bringing people into the Klahoose territory. Making sure we have Klahoose First Nation guides leading those guests, whether they're going on a boat tour  through Toba Inlet - which is my background - sharing their culture at the Klahoose Wilderness Resort."

"We have specific cultural sharing that we do in the evenings around a fire in the main lodge. That often starts getting into discussions about reconciliation, sometimes into subjects like residential schools and those kinds of things. We try to keep it light, but  it's part of sharing."

"When the guests arrive, there's drumming and singing reflecting the traditional protocol of arriving on shore and being welcomed into the land and the territory. It's not by me, it's  by our Klahoose cultural interpreters."

"This whole experience is part of what visitors are looking for. They're looking to have that really unique special experience with the people that live there. Of course, we're going to see whales and bears and they're going to enjoy an all inclusive kind of wilderness experience with all their meals included.  There's lots to do at the resort, but it's being led by an Indigenous person."

"We're working within a capitalist environment, but we're trying to do that in a way that we can not only make money as a business, but also help support the community. Which means hiring, training, and trying to do our best to make sure we're honouring those traditions and the culture of the people." 

"Within a tourism environment, It’s not easy. We've still got a lot of work to do. This is our second full season. The Klahoose First Nations doesn't currently have a cultural department, so we work with our culture ambassadors as a connection to their community.  They'll go back to their knowledge keepers, or elders or family, and work on what cultural sharing they can do and what they can't."

"In turn, they're actually learning about  their own culture which is really an exciting part of it. Then they come back to the resort.  We have the space there for them to do that sharing. That happens with the visitors in a very organic fun and meaningful way."

"Usually, when guests leave they know everyone's names, have seen their artwork and often have a bit of a tear in their eye as they head out."