National Day for Truth and Reconciliation 7
SUPPLEMENT TO THE FREE PRESS • SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2025
GUIDED WALKING TOURS OFFER CULTURALLY AUTHENTIC INDIGENOUS HISTORY OF THE FORKS The Forks has long been a popular destination for residents and visitors alike, a scenic locale with a colourful heritage that inspired a local company to begin sharing the site’s beauty and history with guests via guided walking tours. T urtle Tours was founded and international travellers. Fully accessible, the tours are offered seasonally at The Forks, with both summer and winter programming available. Ticket prices and details about
Smith. “They learn about treaty history, waterways as life systems, survival practices, foodways like pemmican, and figures like John “The Falcon” Tanner. They also hear about resilience: how people adapted, endured, and continue to thrive.” Interesting and educational, the tours give participants a chance to commune with nature while also taking steps along the path to reconciliation. “Reconciliation starts with truth,” says Smith. “Our tours open a space for honest conversation, where people can hear Indigenous perspectives that often haven’t been told in mainstream history. It’s a chance to listen, reflect, and understand – and that builds the respect reconciliation depends on.” Smith says public response to date has been very positive. “People often say the tour changes the way they see The Forks,” she says. “Educators tell us it helps bring Truth and Reconciliation to life for their students. Visitors from abroad say it’s the most meaningful part of their trip because it feels authentic and personal.” Offered Thursday to Saturday, The Forks walking tours run 45-60 minutes and can be enjoyed by participants of all ages and backgrounds, including students, families, community groups,
by Ashley Smith, who is also a lead tour guide and a descendant of John “The Falcon” Tanner, a cultural intermediary who lived and worked at The Forks. “His story, and the stories of our people, are part of why these tours began,” says Smith. “The Forks has always been a meeting place – people have gathered here for over 6,000 years. Those teachings and stories have been passed down orally in our communities, and I wanted to bring that living history into the heart of Winnipeg, opening those stories up to more people – visitors, newcomers, locals – so they could experience the land in a deeper way.” The tours are led by Indigenous youth who are also currently in school, learning Indigenous history in depth. Smith says the guides bring both the knowledge they are studying and the personal perspective of growing up connected to this land and community. This unique combination makes the tours “relatable and alive, blending classroom learning with oral storytelling and lived connection.” “Participants discover that The Forks has always been more than a park or a marketplace – it’s a place of survival and gathering,” says
all of the company’s unique, culturally authentic tours are available at www.turtletours.ca. “Turtle Tours isn’t just about walking from stop to stop; it’s about carrying a story forward,” says Smith. “We want people to leave with a sense of connection to this land and its history, something that stays with them long after the tour ends.” ▲
Interesting and educational, the tours give participants a chance to commune with nature while also taking steps along the path to reconciliation.
SUPPLIED PHOTOS
Recognize. Reflect. Honour.
CELEBRATING national day for truth and reconciliation
WAB KINEW YOUR MLA FOR FORT ROUGE Wab.Kinew@yourmanitoba.ca 204-615-1922
BERNADETTE SMITH YOUR MLA FOR POINT DOUGLAS Bernadette.Smith@yourmanitoba.ca 204-414-1477
NAHANNI FONTAINE YOUR MLA FOR ST. JOHNS Nahanni.Fontaine@yourmanitoba.ca 204-582-1550
MATT WIEBE YOUR MLA FOR CONCORDIA Matt.Wiebe@yourmanitoba.ca 204-654-1857
JIM MALOWAY YOUR MLA FOR ELMWOOD Jim.Maloway@yourmanitoba.ca 204-415-1122
LOGAN OXENHAM YOUR MLA FOR KIRKFIELD PARK Logan.Oxenham@yourmanitoba.ca 204-831-6689
TYLER BLASHKO YOUR MLA FOR LAGIMODIÈRE Tyler.Blashko@yourmanitoba.ca 204-583-7423
JD DEVGAN YOUR MLA FOR M C PHILLIPS JD.Devgan@yourmanitoba.ca 431-323-6014
JELYNN DELA CRUZ YOUR MLA FOR RADISSON Jelynn.DeLaCruz@yourmanitoba.ca 204-599-2080
MIKE MOYES YOUR MLA FOR RIEL Mike.Moyes@yourmanitoba.ca 204-421-4666
MIKE MOROZ YOUR MLA FOR RIVER HEIGHTS Mike.Moroz@yourmanitoba.ca 204-774-3669
TRACY SCHMIDT YOUR MLA FOR ROSSMERE Tracy.Schmidt@yourmanitoba.ca 204- 661-1377
BILLIE CROSS YOUR MLA FOR SEINE RIVER Billie.Cross@yourmanitoba.ca 431-323-6026
RENÉE CABLE YOUR MLA FOR SOUTHDALE Renee.Cable@yourmanitoba.ca 204-222-9038
ROBERT LOISELLE YOUR MLA FOR ST. BONIFACE Robert.Loiselle@yourmanitoba.ca 204-505-2800
ADRIEN SALA YOUR MLA FOR ST. JAMES Adrien.Sala@yourmanitoba.ca 204-792-8779
JAMIE MOSES YOUR MLA FOR ST. VITAL Jamie.Moses@yourmanitoba.ca 204-219-5407
RENÉE
MINTU SANDHU YOUR MLA FOR THE MAPLES Mintu.Sandhu@yourmanitoba.ca 204-417-3486
CARLA COMPTON YOUR MLA FOR TUXEDO Carla.Compton@yourmanitoba.ca 204-416-1140
DAVID PANKRATZ YOUR MLA FOR WAVERLEY David.Pankratz@yourmanitoba.ca 431-323-4891
LISA NAYLOR YOUR MLA FOR WOLSELEY Lisa.Naylor@yourmanitoba.ca 204-792-2773
SHANNON CORBETT YOUR MLA FOR TRANSCONA Shannon.Corbett@yourmanitoba.ca 204-219-1189
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