Big and Little Sisters enjoy Indian Arm canoe trip

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What's more fun than an afternoon of storytelling?

An afternoon of storytelling during a canoeing adventure, more than 20 participants of the First Nations Big Sisters Mentoring Program would say.

Northwest Coast Canoe Adventure offered an authentic Coast Salish water travel experience to program participants in two traditional-style, ocean-going canoes on April 26.

The two-hour canoe tour was conducted by professional Takaya Tours guides. It started off at Cates Park and went through Indian Arm Inlet with the guides sharing songs, legends and the history of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation.

"As we embark on our journey, we talk about history, and as the tour goes on, usually we would bring about a legend, and then we bring about a song. They're never the same, you know . . . we just kind of customize it," said guide Wenda Williams, who comes from Peguis First Nation in Manitoba. Damian George, Michelle George, and Lauraleigh Paul were the guides from Tsleil-Waututh First Nation.

Big Sister Glenda Morin said getting back to nature and learning about the history and culture of the Native peoples of the north shore was really interesting.

"At one point it brought some tears to my eyes. . . . At the beginning of the tour we had a little drumming circle session just to have a prayer prior to our going out on the water . . . and then suddenly this eagle flew by . . . . You know, an eagle flying by means good luck."

She added, "Just being out on the water I found it really relaxing, calming. And my Little Sister totally enjoyed it as well. She was really nervous at first, then she didn't even want to get off."

Thirty-six-year-old Morin, a Metis woman from Winnipeg, has been a Big Sister for almost two years. "I've always wanted to do it because I like being a mentor to children. I also like hanging out with younger children."

Her Little Sister match since October is 12-year-old Marley.

"We get along well, talking about stuff out there, hair, make-up, sometimes boys . . . movies and shopping," said Morin.

They meet once a week to watch movies, go to a park for a hike or do cultural activities planned by the Big Sisters program.

"We've been together for over six months now. It's kind of funny 'cause she's already planning into my senior life that she's going to be driving me around. It's hilarious some of the conversations that we have," she said.

"I enjoy being a Big Sister because it challenges me to be a better person. . . . Being with Marley, there's times when she didn't want to go home, sometimes we spent almost the whole day together. The company is a lot of fun."

Marley's father is "totally appreciative of what Big Sisters organization is all about," added Morin.

The mentoring program is offered by the Big Sisters of B.C. Lower Mainland organization.

The program has been doing the matches for four years. It aims to enrich the lives of First Nations girls aged seven to 17 (Little Sisters) through one-to-one friendships that offer guidance and exposure to positive role models within their own culture. The girls are matched with Aboriginal women aged 19 or older (Big Sisters) to spend time together sharing activities such as story-telling, crafts, cultural dancing and traditional carving.

"To be a Big Sister it's a one-year commitment, you spend three to five hours a week," said Patricia Soop, the co-ordinator and counsellor for the Big Sister program.

She said many First Nations women couldn't see themselves in that commitment, but they showed a lot of interest and wanted to be involved on a part-time basis. So Soop organized a program called Aunties, which allows First Nations and Metis women to be a mentor for a day for Little Sisters on the waiting list.

She said the name of Aunties was chosen for them "because looking at it in a cultural, traditional, way, Aunties play a big part in a First Nations extended family."

About the canoe trip, Soop said, "It was fabulous. We had really good weather."

Sh added, "A lot of the little sisters really enjoyed it. It was very informative for them because the Takaya Tours actually told stories.

"I found the Takaya Tours very considerate. This was the first time working with Takaya Tours, and we're looking at making this maybe an annual thing."