Walking Forward Together: Truth and Reconciliation in Action
Walking Forward Together: Explorers’ Edge Stands Alongside Hope Arises Project Inc. and Rotary Revival Parry Sound for Canada’s National Day of Truth and Reconciliation
This September, Explorers’ Edge joins the Wiigwaasi Jiimaanke birchbark canoe build in Huntsville and the Unite For Good Gathering in Parry Sound, two community-led initiatives anchoring the region’s ongoing journey with truth and reconciliation.
MUSKOKA / PARRY SOUND, ON – September 10, 2026, Ontario – As Canada marks its National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30, Explorers’ Edge (Regional Tourism Organization 12) is standing alongside two community-led Indigenous initiatives taking place across the region this fall: Wiigwaasi Jiimaanke, a traditional Anishinaabe birchbark canoe build in partnership with Hope Arises Project Inc., and the inaugural Unite For Good Gathering in Parry Sound, hosted by the Rotary Revival Club of Parry Sound. Wiigwaasi Jiimaanke is taking place at River Mill Park in downtown Huntsville from September 28 through October 9, 2026, and will culminate in a public birthing and naming ceremony and the ceremonial launch of the completed canoe on the Muskoka River.
Led by Algonquin master canoe builder and Knowledge Keeper Chuck Commanda, supported by an apprentice and assistants, the 10-day project will be free and open to the public, creating an immersive, living classroom in the heart of Huntsville. Visitors and community members will have the opportunity to witness and engage with teachings drawn from the Medicine Wheel, the Seven Grandfather Teachings, Anishinaabe Creation stories, language and ceremony, as well as the concept of “two-eyed seeing,” which brings together Indigenous and western knowledge systems.
As part of the initiative, two special Day Package experiences will be offered October 1 & 2, providing visitors with an opportunity to engage more deeply with the stories, teachings and cultural significance surrounding the canoe build.
The first experience takes participants on a guided journey through the Misko-Aki: Confluence of Cultures exhibition at the Muskoka Discovery Centre in Gravenhurst, exploring the region’s Indigenous history, culture and connection to the land and waterways.
The second experience, hosted at River Mill Park in Huntsville, begins with a drum circle led by Joyce Jonathan Crone, Founder and President of Hope Arises Project Inc., followed by an opportunity to spend time alongside Chuck Commanda as the Wiigwaasi Jiimaan takes shape and to learn more about the traditional knowledge, materials and techniques involved in creating a birchbark canoe by hand.
The Day Package experiences are offered by donation, with advance registration required and limited spaces available. Details and registration are available through the Great Canadian Wilderness: https://thegreatcanadianwilderness.com/packages/wiigwaasi-jiimaanke-birchbark-canoe-build-2026/
The canoe build also coincides with Huntsville’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation gathering on September 30, organized by Hope Arises Project Inc. The event will include a ceremonial opening with Land Acknowledgement, smudging and drum circle, a commemorative walk-through downtown Huntsville, and a return gathering featuring Indigenous speakers, cultural performances and the distribution of orange ribbons.
That same evening in Parry Sound, the Rotary Revival Club of Parry Sound will host the inaugural Unite For Good Gathering at the Charles W. Stockey Centre for the Performing Arts and Bobby Orr Hall of Fame. The gathering will bring together Anishinaabek Knowledge Sharing, oral storytelling, cultural teachings, song, dance and drumming, presented through an Indigenous lens by knowledge carriers Chief Warren Tabobondung, Chief Adam Pawis of Shawanaga First Nation, and Chief Dean Sayers. Explorers’ Edge is a partner of the event, joining Rotary District 7010, the Wilder Institute and the Parry Sound Area Chamber of Commerce; proceeds support youth programming across West Parry Sound and Muskoka, including Georgian Bay 7Gens Swimming, Indigenous youth singing, dance and drumming opportunities, and the Rosseau Lake College Seven Generations Program.
“Reconciliation is a shared responsibility carried by individual Canadians. It begins with meaningful action and an honest willingness to better understand Canada’s history while rebuilding respectful relationships rooted in renewed trust, peaceful coexistence, sensitivity, healing and learning. Truth and Reconciliation calls upon genuine friends of Indigenous Peoples’ to stand together, unite in recognition of Indigenous sovereignty, inherent rights and the Treaties signed long before Canada became a country, creating a stronger, more respectful future for all Canadian’s, inclusive of all peoples’ and for those yet to walk upon Mother Earth.” said the Chairman of the Rotary Revival Truth and Reconciliation Committee, Tim Clayden.
“This is not a one-time commitment. This is a relationship we are building with intention and care, and it’s one we’re showing up for across the whole region,” said James Murphy, CEO of Explorers’ Edge. “The Wiigwaasi Jiimaan is more than a canoe. It is a teacher. Our team will be at River Mill Park for the build and at the Unite For Good Gathering in Parry Sound, both are part of the same journey. We are honoured to stand alongside Hope Arises Project Inc., the Rotary Revival Club of Parry Sound, and the broader Indigenous community in supporting this work, and we are here to learn.”
“Truth and Reconciliation is not a moment but a movement”, said Joyce Jonathan Crone, Hope Arises Project Inc. A reclamation of identity, culture and ways of being, knowing and doing. We all have a part to play as we join hands to heal for our future generations.”
The Birchbark Canoe Project will use locally sourced materials wherever possible, including White Birch bark from the Explorers’ Edge region. Upon completion, the canoe will serve as a lasting educational legacy and cultural artifact for the Huntsville community and for visitors from across Ontario and beyond.
For Explorers’ Edge, these partnerships reflect an organizational commitment to Truth and Reconciliation that goes beyond a single day or a single event. As the Regional Tourism Organization for Muskoka, Parry Sound, Almaguin Highlands, Loring-Restoule, Algonquin and South Algonquin, territories with deep Indigenous roots, Explorers’ Edge is working to ensure that tourism in this region celebrates authentic Indigenous-led storytelling, builds genuine community relationships, and creates experiences that carry real meaning for visitors and residents alike.
ABOUT THE WIIGWAASI JIIMAANKE DAY PACKAGE:
Explorers’ Edge, through The Great Canadian Wilderness, is offering a limited two-day learning experience on October 1 and 2, 2026, connected to the Wiigwaasi Jiimaanke birchbark canoe build. The experience includes a guided visit to the Misko-Aki: Confluence of Cultures exhibition at the Muskoka Discovery Centre in Gravenhurst, followed by a drum circle with Hope Arises Project Inc. founder Joyce Jonathan Crone and time alongside master canoe builder Chuck Commanda at River Mill Park in Huntsville. Space is limited to 15 participants, advance registration is required, and the experience is offered by donation.
Details and registration: https://thegreatcanadianwilderness.com/packages/wiigwaasi-jiimaanke-birchbark-canoe-build-2026/
ABOUT HOPE ARISES PROJECT INC.:
Working alongside Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, Hope Arises Project Inc. fosters cultural understanding, builds meaningful reciprocal relationships, and promotes healing through Indigenous-led education, dialogue, and collaboration. Our work creates space for mutual respect and shared responsibility across generations while centering Indigenous knowledge, leadership, and ways of being.
ABOUT UNITE FOR GOOD GATHERING:
The Unite For Good Gathering is an initiative of the Rotary Revival Club of Parry Sound, presented in partnership with Rotary District 7010.
ABOUT EXPLORERS’ EDGE:
Explorers’ Edge is Ontario Regional Tourism Organization 12 and supports destination development and tourism growth across The Great Canadian Wilderness, including Muskoka, West Parry Sound, the Almaguin Highlands, Loring-Restoule, South Algonquin and Algonquin Park. Through its TICO-licensed travel service, the organization is developing new approaches to connecting transportation, accommodations and visitor experiences.
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For more information, please contact:
James Murphy
CEO Explorers’ Edge
Email: [email protected]
