Joseph Rosendo's Travelscope

Northeast Ontario - Canada's Canoe Culture And Fir

Joseph visits Northeast Ontario, Canada, a vast land of trees, water and rock that has served many. It has been home to aboriginal people for more than 10,000 years. To illustrate the aboriginal people's connection, on Manitoulin Island Joseph joins his First Nations guides at a pow wow, on a hike along the Niagara Escarpment, in handcrafting a drum and at an aboriginal feast. He also visits a Roman Catholic church which endeavors to be a gathering place for native and non-native alike by incorporating the symbols, traditions and beliefs of both. On the historic French River he learns that to the French fur traders, voyageurs, its lakes and rivers were highways to prosperity - and to outdoor enthusiasts a never-ending source of pleasure. In the region's largest town, Sudbury, it's clear that to the lumber and mining industries the surrounding trees and rocks are a resource of wealth and riches. With the French River as a magnificent backdrop Joseph meets artists to whom the natural scenery is an inspiration and who capture its dramatic landscape to showcase Canada's natural beauty. Finally, Joseph's journey of discovery reveals that the historic interactions and modern day partnerships formed here between diverse interests speak of a spirit of cooperation that distinguishes Canada. Theirs is indeed a "Canoe Culture" where each respects the talents of the other and strives to pull together for the common good.