Aski Holistic Adventures is nominated for the Indigenous Tourism Experience Award. (submitted photo/Michela Carriere)

By Derek Cornet

nomination

Northern adventure company up for provincial tourism award

Mar 3, 2020 | 4:13 PM

Michela Carriere believes her business Aski Holistic Adventures was nominated for a Saskatchewan Tourism Award of Excellence because she offers an authentic Indigenous wilderness experience.

Her Cumberland House-based business is among 33 finalists named March 3, which have been nominated in 13 award categories in areas such as marketing, service, business practices, human resource development and more. Aski Holistic Adventures was nominated for the Indigenous Tourism Experience Award alongside the Living Sky Casino Powwow in Swift Current and Wanuskewin near Saskatoon.

“This is my home, and this is the homeland of my dad and all of his ancestors coming from the Cree and Métis,” Carriere said. “I have a really deep connection and history to this land, and I kind of offer that as a guide.”

Most of Carriere’s adventures are based out of Big Eddy Lodge located about 60 kilometres from Cumberland House. The hunting and fishing lodge is owned by her parents and it includes cabins and other facilities to care for large groups. Carriere noted it’s located along the Saskatchewan River, which she canoes to access other areas of the region.

There is no road access to Big Eddy Lodge and it can only be reached by either the river or winter trails. During the colder months, Carriere offers services such as snowshoeing, fat tire bike rides and relaxing winter adventures.

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“We have a really beautiful sauna facility and I do some herbal therapies,” she said. “We go pick teas and have a fire out in the teepee.”

Michela Carriere is the owner of Aski Holistic Adventures. (submitted photo/Michela Carriere)

While Carriere only started Aski Holistic Adventures two years ago, she said she’s been working as a guide for 15 years. As a Métis woman, she also has pride in herself for showing the areas to others, adding it boosts the community too.

“It’s important for Indigenous Peoples to be involved with the tourism industry, because it really gives us a chance to showcase ourselves, culture and our history in relation to the land and who we are as a people,” Carriere said. “I feel really proud to share this story with people and to share the routes of the river.”

The finalists and award recipients will be honoured April 2 at the 31st annual Saskatchewan Tourism Awards of Excellence Gala in Regina.

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno