A group of 10 incoming Niagara College students travelled to Chiefswood Park on Six Nations of The Grand River, Aug. 17-18, for an overnight canoe trip that combined cultural programming with a team-building experience.
“An experiential off-campus trip allows students to connect not only with other students, but also the land and the waters,” said Aria D’alimonte, Transition Coordinator, Indigenous Education. “There are many great lessons that come from being in a canoe, such as communication, team work and building trust. Our main focus for this trip was to connect the staff with the students as well as create a bridge to culture. Hopefully, we have eliminated some nerves and barriers to enhance student success and get them ready for their college career.”
D’alimonte said Niagara College partnered with Six Nations Tourism to provide a “fulsome and wholistic student experience” for first-year students who self-identify as First Nation, Metis or Inuit.
Kayanna Riseing, who’s entering the Game Development program, said she was drawn to the trip because it would give her a chance to meet new people in a small group setting.
“After learning more (about the trip), what drove me was the interest of learning new, applicable skills for school and self-improvement.”
Riseing is a life-long Niagara resident with Indigenous roots on her father’s side who was interested in learning more about her culture. She said her favourite part of the trip was singing and learning on the water.
“I got to sing songs and learn how to better communicate with people while feeling challenged,” she said. “The trip overall was simply amazing. The staff was present and friendly, quick to help and kind, making the trip easy to follow and (it) allowed us to learn in what felt like a judgement-free environment.”
Among the activities planned were canoe teachings, canoe paddling instruction, a tour of the Indigenous greenhouse at Chiefswood Park and campfire chats.
“We were joined by community member Paula Laing, Indigenous canoe family member, who aided in traditional water teachings, (and) Kayanese employee Kerdo Deer who joined us for a medicine walk around Chiefswood Park, D’alimonte said. “He shared his knowledge about identifying plants and trees and talked about their traditional and medicinal uses.”
She said the group also visited famous Mohawk Poetess Pauline Johnson’s home, a heritage site on Six Nations. “We got to walk through the home and learn about her life on Six Nations in the 1800s.”
The group was surveyed following the trip to gauge its impactfulness. While several participants reported feeling more connected and confident as they start the upcoming academic year, others said the trip taught them new skills.
“I learned how to open and close the day with awareness and gratitude,” wrote one student.
Another said the trip taught them “that it’s okay if something goes wrong. You can fix it.”
This was NC’s first Paddle Forward trip and the first “transitional activity of its kind,” D’alimonte said, noting that based on its success, she’s hoping it becomes an annual excursion.
