| Tribal Journeys is a celebration of our First Nations canoe cultures and it serves
as a testament to the courage, strength, dedication, commitment and spirit of our
ancestors. Its purpose is to honour aboriginal culture and heritage by working together,
gathering together, and creating a legacy for children and communities. The canoe journeys
themselves are the true embodiment of its purpose and it is said to change those who
participate. Tribal Journeys includes more than just
one group of canoes. It is a collection of families, nations and groups joining together
to form one unified assemblage. Chief Frank Nelson is the NAIG Protocol Liaison for 1997
Tribal Journeys and one of the main figures for the assemblage, although each canoe has
its own speaker.
[SOURCE: 1997 NAIG]
Vision Quest is a project with the goal to raise money for an addiction treatment centre.
Its hope is to help those people, including aboriginal peoples, with addictions; to
address their problems, and to begin the healing and recovery process. Vision Quest
Journeys 97 is this year's drive to raise money and awareness for these social problems.
As Vision Quest reached Vancouver Island and the North
Island villages, they were welcomed by the peoples of those villages whose own canoes were
being prepared for the Tribal Journey. Vision Quest was extended the opportunity to join
in the Tribal Journey to travel down to Victoria for the opening of the 1997 North
American Indigenous Games.
[SOURCE: THEVQNET] |
Media
attention towards Vision Quest There is some
media confusion about the difference between Journeys 97-- RCMP Vision Quest and
1997 Tribal Journeys.
Vision Quest consists of traditionally styled canoes of
modern material construction designed by native artist Roy Henry Vickers. Vickers, other
native paddlers, guests, and the RCMP are on a journey to promote addiction awareness and
to raise money for an addiction treatment centre. Its hope is to help people, including
aboriginal peoples, with addiction problems and lead them into the healing recovery
process. The name "Journeys 97" tied with Vision Quest is the designation they
are using for this year's drive to raise money and awareness for these social problems.
Vision Quest started out in Gitanmaax (Hazelton, BC) on
July 3, 1997 in the Gitxan First Nations territory. Accompanied by Northern canoes, the
Vision Quest group made their way down to Fort Rupert to join the main Tribal Journey.
The participants of Vision Quest are considered welcome
participants of the 1997 Tribal Journey.
To find out more about Vision Quest, visit their homepage
at: www.thevqnet.org
[SOURCE: THEVQNET] |
