June 26, 2018
History has an uncanny way of repeating itself, just ask Robert Norwegian of Tah-Chay Adventures.
In 1789 Robert’s ancestors helped guide Scottish explorer Alexander Mackenzie on his grueling trek north along the Mackenzie River – which was later named after the voyager. Robert’s ancestors also provided guidance to Sir John Franklin’s 1845 expedition, which led to a new member in the family tree.
“There was a naval officer on the expedition who was Norwegian and he fell in love with one of the Metis women at Rabbit Skin. He settled there and they raised their family. That’s where my name ‘Norwegian’ and my lineage trace back to,” Robert says.
Today, similar to his ancestors, Roberts takes on the role of a guide. He welcomes visitors from around the world and takes them along the Mackenzie River, tracing the same routes as his family tree centuries earlier. He often travels by York boat, a style of boat that was designed by Indigenous people to help haul freight for European explorers, whose boats were too cumbersome on the shallow sections on the river.
What sets his trips apart is the rich history that infuses each excursion. Every inlet, tributary and portage is steeped in lessons and lore from the past.
“About one to two hours before the trip I like to meet the visitors and outline the history to give them an idea of what they’ll see. I can show them every beautiful spot in the Dehcho but if they don’t understand the significance of those areas they’re only getting the first chapter of the story. Each trip is different and I modify the experience with every twist and turn on the river to cater to the visitor’s hunger for history,” Robert explains.
On the voyage, Robert tells visitors about what living off the land was really like.
“People often have a romanticized idea of what living off the land meant. Of course the landscape was stunning, but you also have to think about what was needed just to survive daily life. It was labour intensive – harvesting plants and berries, hunting animals, fishing, making medicine. Diapers didn’t exist so moss from muskeg was used. People relied heavily on the knowledge that was passed down through generations.”
Tah-Chay, the name of Robert’s tourism company, refers to the junction at which a small river meets a large one. Rabbit Skin River, located 50 kilometres from Fort Simpson, is Robert’s ancestor’s home and an example of this tributary.
Importance of History in Indigenous Cultural Tourism
When Robert was a child, his grandmother would take him to listen to elders in the community so he could listen to the oral history of his ancestors.
“It is crucial that you tell the stories exactly as you hear them. So, a week after I heard the stories my grandma would ask me to repeat them and correct me if I told them wrong,” Robert says. “They have to be told the right way, the true way. That is how our stories have lasted almost a thousand years.”
For Robert, history is a natural part of Indigenous Cultural Tourism in the Northwest Territories.
“This is my last big adventure,” he says. “Before I pass, I want to get these stories out and sharing them with visitors is a perfect way to do that.”
In Celebration of National Indigenous People’s Day, we’re sharing a special blog series that profiles some of the NWT’s local tourism operators who share Indigenous culture as part of their tours. Learn more about National Indigenous Peoples Day here.