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Festivals and Culture

Haida Qwai Railt our

Alert Bay Native Village & Whale-Watching Tour

Xa:ytem Cultural Tour

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Sunshine Coast SweatLodge Ceremony

Medicine Lake Sweatlodge and Canoe Journey

Alert Bay Festivals and Celebration

Cultural Sturgeon Fishing Package

Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre Rail Tour

Eagle - Viewing

Seabird Island 43nd Annual First Nations Festival

Kootenay Hot Springs Fly Fishing and Ghost Rider Tour

Echo Bay Grizzly Viewing

 

Sunshine Coast Sweatlodge Ceremony Package

 

Learn about Canadian Aboriginal culture the traditional way—in a sweat lodge

These are sacred, often life-changing, cleansing ceremonies, deeply respected by those who do it. A sweatlodge pourer invites outsiders into his sacred circle as a cultural immersion into time-honored traditional beliefs.  

 

 

2012 Departure Dates: every Friday & Saturday:
April 14th - October 14th

Duration: 2 days /2 nights

Departs From: Powell River, B.C. Canada

Number of Guests: Maximum of 32 people

Sweatlodge Available alone by donation

 

$799 package  based on double

 

 

In all of British Columbia, there is no more beautiful spot than the Sunshine Coast.  Surrounded on three sides by the sea and on the fourth by the spectacular snow-capped Coastal Range Mountains, the Sunshine Coast is accessible only by water, even though it is part of mainland British Columbia.   Powell River is one of the most spectacular untouched destinations on the Sunshine Coast.

The tour package is located at mile 0, the end of the Pacific Coast Highway in the Sliammon Territory. It's a 20 minute drive north of Powell River and a ten minute drive from Lund BC. Aboriginal Archeological sites with lythic scatters representing hunting locations and short-term camp-sites date back between 8,000 - 11,000 BC. The territory is rich with sites of shell middens, culturally modified trees, canoe skids, pictographs and fish traps. This coastal rain-forest is considered one of the best places to view sea lions, seals, eagles and seabirds in their natural surroundings and is well known for its abundance of fish, crab, clams and oysters.

The Sweatlodge Ceremonies are presented in a traditional working environment to ensure a total First Nations cultural immersion. Visitors will work along side the Elders and assist with the ceremony preparations to participate in ways that honor First Peoples' traditions and cultural teachings.

Cultural teachings will be shared in the traditional ways, with a spiritual purpose for every thing that is done to prepare for the ceremony. The tour package includes a Traditional Medicines hike in Okeover and the Malaspina Inlets. Aboriginal Guides share their cultural teachings and instructions on plant and animal relations stopping for a shore barbecue lunch.

 

 

Two Day Package Cost Per Person:

 

 

 

 

$799    based on double

 

 

 

 

Tour starts and ends in Powell River - Guests are escorted to the sweatlodge site and oriented in protocols in Powell River.

Trip Inclusions:

  • 2 nights' accommodation
  • Breakfast, Feast
  • Sweat Lodge Ceremony

Tour Timing:

Day 1:

1:00 pm arrive - late evening

Afternoon - Arrive & meet greeter for orientation

1. 

Set-up camp in preparation for ceremony

2. 

Cultural teachings evening salmon barbecue

3. 

Cultural teachings

 

Day 2:

8:00 am - late evening

Morning
4.   Breakfast
  9:00 - 12:00 Traditional Medicines hike
Afternoon
5.   Lunch
6.   Prepare for ceremony
7.   Sweatlodge ceremony
Evening
8.   Traditional Feast
9.   Over-night accommodation

Talking Totem Tours Sweat Lodge Ceremony Operating Plan

Tour Name: Sweat Lodge Ceremony
 
Cost per person: $799
Tour Dates: every Friday and Saturday, 2012
Length of Tour: 2 day package
 
Maximum # of guests able to participate on tour 12
Minimum # of guests Required to run tour 1 (certain conditions apply)
Week day(s) available to provide tours Friday, Saturday
Insurance: waiver
Walking Information/difficulty level 200 yards of sloped dirt road to walk into ceremony site. Guests with limited mobility that use a cane can take this tour.  Hike is for average physical shape
Wheelchair Access - No
Guide Type:
First Aid
Guide ratio (1 -12)
yes
Tour Includes (meals, Feast, tour, accommodation, sweat lodge ceremony)
Transportation Tour is not priced to include transportation to Lund BC
Price includes transportation from station and or hotel drop-off can be arranged
Meal/Snack Information: Desserts, water, juice and tea/coffee are included
 
Cultural Activities Meal Menu
Visitors will participate in the cultural teachings of meal preparation Breakfast menus include eggs, sausage, hot & cold cereals, toast & fresh fruit
 
Food is often donated by community members for this event and it is not unusual to have local delicacies served at meals Lunch menus include soups, salads, sandwiches, salmon, fry-bread and rice
 
As much as possible, food is traditional and from the First People territories Dinner Menus include salads, breads, game-meat, salmon, vegetables, rice, berries
 
Food is prepared and laid-out on long tables with self-service Clams, oysters & traditional seafoods are served when in season
 
Coffee, tea and water will be offered There are no additional food costs

Contact Talking Totem Tours if you want to have an authentic cultural experience.

 

Tel: 1.250.444.7077


Mailing Address:
Talking Totem Tours
1664 Thrums Road Castlegar British Columbia, Canada
V1N 4R7