The real spirit of Ontario lies in its Aboriginal roots. Ontario, which lies in east-central part of Canada, is the most populated province of the country. Aboriginal tourism is very popular in Ontario, where tourists can enjoy a wide array of activities and adventures. You can participate in a pow-wow or listen to native legends, travel to a reconstructed Native village or dance with the Natives in a campfire.
In the Museum of Ontario Archaeology, you can trace history of nomads which walked on the earth around 11,000 years back.
You can find harpoons, weapons, pottery, arrowheads of the natives. You can also visit Lawson Prehistoric Indian Village, which is an archaeological dig site. The Woodland Cultural Centre is a First Nations educational and cultural center which possesses around 25,000 native artifacts.
For those interested in purchasing native art, the Agawa Indian crafts in Pancake Bay is the perfect place. You can get exquisite soapstone carvings, beautiful pottery, moccasins, clothes and many other things.
Tourists can also enjoy and participate in the traditional pow-wows. The Wikwemikong pow-wow, which is the longest running pow-wow, is held every year on first weekend of August in Manitoulin Island. Annual Wahta Mohawk pow-wow takes place in Bala, Central Ontario during Thanksgiving. A lively festivity and celebration can be experienced in these festivals where natives from across the continent participate and perform drumming and dances like jingle dance, grass dance wearing beautiful colorful clothes. The events are also a showcase of native art, crafts and food.
