THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND

Indigenous tourism in British Columbia is restoring balance to some of the most spectacular nature on Earth

- Words by PAUL MCGUINNESS

MOUNTAINS PLUNGE SHARPLY into turquoise glacial waters. From the shoreline, the rainforest climbs steeply into the clouds, snowcaps peaking through occasional gaps. My attention is drawn to the shore, as a grizzly bear cub appears, its pale-grey face a stark contrast to the almost black of its sibling. Despite being born in the same litter just a few months ago, they almost certainly have different fathers. To the right, their mother flips boulders effortlessly in search of the quarry beneath – mussels, crabs, clams – left by the receding tide.

After a good 15 minutes watching from a respectful distance aboard our skiff, the bears are lured back into the forest by the salmonberries whose sweet abundance provides an alternative to the crustaceans and shellfish on the shore. The berries have only just emerged, encouraged by the clement weather, and are nectar to bears building their strength after hibernation.

The bears now hidden from view, I turn my attention to a tree where a juvenile bald eagle looks out from its nest. My guide, Karissa, explains that this tree is at the edge of her ancestral village. While our excursion here is ostensibly a wildlife watching tour, Karissa isn't just showing us the local wildlife, she's allowing us to join her on a journey of discovery through her territory as one of Canada's Indigenous people.

This is my first morning on the delightfully named Great Bear Sea, along the coast of British Columbia, adjacent to the Great Bear Rainforest.