Riding Mountain National Park to offer expanded Indigenous culture programming

Parks Canada will offer more programming for visitors to learn about Indigenous culture and heritage in Riding Mountain National Park this summer.

The Manitoba park plans to partner with local Indigenous groups to promote the heritage of the area by focusing on teaching visitors about the bison, traditional teachings surrounding the teepee and the arts, including wolf willow beading.

• Hot weather leads to early start to summer tourist season in Riding Mountain National Park

"Indigenous people have been using these areas for thousands and thousands of years," said Richard Dupuis, Riding Mountain National Park's visitor experience manager. "So I think it's important when people come to national parks and historic sites across Canada they understand what these lands mean to Indigenous people."

According to Parks Canada, archaeological evidence shows Indigenous peoples have lived in the park area for at least 6,000 years, which is supported by habitations that have been found as well as traditional fishing, hunting, tool and pottery making areas.

It's believed the Ojibway settled in the the Riding Mountain area because of the fur trade as well as for hunting and fishing, according to the Park's Canada website.

"These programs are really important and having Indigenous interpreters [available] is really important for Riding Mountain National Park," Dupuis said.

The park will also be hosting National Aboriginal Day on June 18 and 19 with a weekend-long celebration in conjunction with the Annishinabe of Riding Mountain who are helping to organize the event. It is toincludedisplays, powwows, square dancing, music and other activities.

"The big difference is that we are making it a part of our programming as well in Riding Mountain National Park," Dupuis said.

Dupuis said more information about the park's expanded offerings will be available on the park's website and on social media.