Truth & Visitation: How Exposing Painful Histories Through Travel Can Bring Healing

Can travel and tourism illuminate Canada’s darkest histories? With increasing investment in Indigenous tourism, opportunities are arising for authentic storytelling – offering visitors an unfiltered look at the history of colonization and its continuing effects on Indigenous communities.

Weaving painful histories into impactful tourism experiences is a delicate balance. But some Indigenous tourism leaders are finding ways to create connections—and even foster healing—by sharing truths that have long been hidden or overlooked.

Mike Retasket, a five-time Chief of the Bonaparte First Nation and a respected community leader in British Columbia’s Cariboo Chilcotin Coast region, serves on the boards of the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association and the Tourism Industry Association of BC. He shares his approach to presenting the difficult realities of colonial history alongside his community’s rich cultural heritage.

“I can share the history without laying guilt, shame, or blame, and I can turn it around and use it in the work towards my own healing, and that is effective.” – Mike Retasket

Listen to the episode below or learn more here.