MARKHAM, ON, March 8, 2024 /CNW/ – Indigenous Tourism Ontario (ITO) is back for their second year at the Little Native Hockey League (LNHL) supporting their 50th Anniversary tournaments taking place this year at arenas across the City of Markham.
ITO provides an array of exciting activities for the athletes and their families that are both fun and educational. By combining hands-on activities with storytelling and conversation, these sessions won’t just teach children how to prepare a meal or improve their windmill softball pitch, but also show them what some of the many kinds of careers there are in the tourism industry look like by focusing on three major areas: Experiential, Sport, and Culinary.
“On behalf of ITO, we are honoured to support all LNHL’s pillars, but especially Education, by providing all tournament participants the opportunity to experience tourism in a way that will instill new skills, confidence, and pride in everyone involved. We are privileged to help and support this vital event and their exceptional team of dedicated volunteers. We wish to congratulate the founding First Nations of Aundeck Omni Kaning, M’Chigeeng, Whitefish River, as well as all the past and present participating First Nation communities, families, and players, who have helped the tradition of the Little NHL to grow and thrive since 1971.”
– Kevin Eshkawkogan, President & CEO, Indigenous Tourism Ontario.
“Congratulations to the Little Native Hockey League (LNHL) on celebrating 50 years of providing positive, formative hockey experiences to Indigenous youth from communities across Ontario,” said Neil Lumsden, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport. “This year’s inductees to the LNHL Hall of Fame showcase the significant and meaningful contributions that Indigenous communities make to the cultural and economic landscape in our province, and provide an example to tournament participants that will encourage their pursuit of excellence – on and off the ice.“
-Minister Neil Lumsden, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport
Registrations are now open for all of ITO’s programming at the LNHL and can be found collected here on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/ito-all-stars-cup-events-at-the-2024-lnhl-3153919
Each activation is led by an expert in the field: Neil Debassige, host of Fuel the Fire, returns to teach archery accompanied by an immersive VR experience; NHL alumni, Jason Simon is joined by Kalley Armstrong to take your Hockey skills to the next level; Kevin Sandy, Director of Haudenosaunee Lacrosse will be there to take you through the fundamentals of Lacrosse and teach about its origins as a traditional First Nations game; Team Canada Softball alumni, Carey-Leigh Vyse, will help you improve your baseball skills and educate you about proper health for your mind, body, and spirit; Restaurateur and Educator, Chef Joseph Shawana, and Chef Tawnya Brant, owner of Yawekon Foods in Six Nations and Top Chef Canada competitor, will be presenting culinary workshops where participants can cook-along with them to create their own culinary masterpieces!
On Tuesday evening, be sure to catch ITO’s 2nd annual Skode Live Pitch Session, which will bring the 2024 Skode finalists together to present their Indigenous Tourism ideas to a panel of judges to compete for a $20,000 Grand Prize! Skode is a collaboration between Indigenous Tourism Ontario and the Tourism Innovation Lab and provides financial support and mentorship to Indigenous tourism entrepreneurs.
ITO is also bringing back the “All-Stars Cup” daily draw, which allows participants to collect a “stamp” for every activity that they participate in. Each stamp equals a ballot in the daily draw, with prizes that include autographed NHL jerseys, team t-shirts, equipment, and even Virtual Reality headsets!
You can catch a sneak peek of these activations during the Opening Day Festival at the Markham Civic Centre from 12pm – 7:30pm on Sunday March 10, 2024, where you’ll find Chefs Joseph Shawana and Tawnya Brant handing out free samples of their dishes; Lacrosse with Kevin Sandy; and Archery Neil Debassige. ITO team members will be on hand to help the public register for the sessions taking place Monday through Wednesday at the Angus Glen Community Centre and the Centennial Community Centre. Be sure to stick around for a spectacular drone show that tells the story of the Little Native Hockey League, writ large in the night sky.
Indigenous Tourism Ontario (ITO) is the province’s first and only recognized Indigenous tourism organization that focuses on uniting communities, Indigenous organizations, and industry leaders to support the growth of Indigenous tourism in Ontario. Through product development and marketing of authentic Indigenous experiences, ITO establishes a platform for Indigenous cultural expression and preservation through tourism.
The Little NHL was founded in 1971 by Reverend Len Self, Earl Abotossaway, former Chief Jim Debassige, Norman Debassige and former Chief Jim McGregor. LNHL brings First Nations youth and their families from across Ontario every March Break for a four-day hockey tournament, the largest gathering of its kind for Indigenous peoples. The LNHL’s four foundational pillars are sportsmanship, respect, citizenship, and education.
The Tourism Innovation Lab is a non-profit initiative created to find, foster, and support new tourism ideas, experiences, and partnerships, and to build a community of tourism innovators and entrepreneurs in Canada. Launched in 2018, the Lab and its “Spark” Mentorships & Grants Program have expanded to over 25 regions across Ontario and British Columbia. The Lab is a program of Hackforge.
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Indigenous Tourism Ontario
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Little Native Hockey League
Facebook: @LittleNativeHockeyLeague
Instagram: @little_nhl
Tourism Innovation Lab
Facebook: @TourismInnovationCanada
Twitter: @TourInnovation
Instagram: @TourismInnovationCanada
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/tourisminnovationlab
SOURCE Indigenous Tourism Ontario
Featured image: Unplash © fabioha
