Youth from across the North Coast took to the water this morning for the 2025 NIFCS Youth Canoe Journey, a week-long cultural expedition hosted by Northwest Inter-Nation Family and Community Services Society (NIFCS).
With the theme “Traveling the waterways our ancestors once traveled and reconnecting through cultural exchange,” the journey began this morning, August 15 in Gitga’at, and will continue through several coastal communities before ending in Lax Kw’alaams on Friday, August 22.
Along the way, the youth will paddle ancestral routes, share songs and stories, and engage in cultural exchanges designed to strengthen identity, unity, and intergenerational learning.
Journey highlights include cultural exchanges in Gitga’at and Gitxaała, stops in Maxłaxaała, and two camp stays. Each community welcomes the canoe team by 5:00 PM, offering hospitality, teachings, and a chance to celebrate together.
This isn’t just a canoe trip — it’s a living bridge between generations and Nations. The journey strengthens bonds, honours traditions, and empowers young people to carry forward the strength and teachings of their ancestors.
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