If Métis Crossing is the hub of Métis tourism in Alberta, Lt(N) Keith Diakiw’s Talking Rock Tours is a shining example of the many Indigenous attraction spokes that are now connecting the province’s landscape in a meaningful way. Talking Rock provides educational tours of the geological wonders of Alberta, and Keith adds a wealth of natural and cultural storytelling that enhances his one-of-a-kind experience. Keith is well positioned for his GEO (Geo Experience Officer) and Indigenous Guide roles, having been university educated in physical geography, anthropology/archaeology, and even geology.
As he explains to host David Wylynko, Keith can also combine his entrepreneurial instincts with the discipline of a military career — in fact he remains to this day a naval officer of the Canadian Armed Forces — and his Board Member roles with Indigenous Tourism Alberta and the Interpretative Guides Association. That’s in addition to a decade working in the oil sands. Keith’s tour offerings are part of a growth effort across the country to encourage a greater understanding of the authentic Indigenous experience and its First Peoples history. Having grown in leaps in bounds over the past 10 years, Indigenous tourism is helping an increasingly global audience gain a greater appreciation for this precious and often overlooked attribute of Canadian heritage.
Mentioned in this episode:

A video introduction to Talking Rock Tours
The True Canadians book
Intro and outro music by Métis musician Alex Kusturok
Opening quote from an address by Métis leader Jim Sinclair during the 1987 Canadian constitutional talks

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