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A friendly First Nations greeting
History
Canada and Alaska’s first inhabitants were native
Americans, thought to have arrived across ice
bridges over the Bering Strait from Eurasia many
thousands of years ago. There is also evidence of
Viking settlement, but it was the arrival of the
Europeans, most notably the French and British,
searching for whale-oil and furs in the 16th and
17th centuries, that forced the rate of change.
The French colony, known as ‘New France’, was
officially ceded to the British in 1763 and the
country that is now Canada was formed in 1867
by the confederation of four British North
American colonies. In the early days it was
Canada’s natural resources, its furs from the
hinterland and fish from the sea, that laid the
foundations of its wealth, but as the second largest
country in the world it is perhaps unsurprising that
other assets were just waiting to be uncovered.
Canada and Alaska struck the headlines with the
discovery of gold in the Klondike and substantial
oil deposits were later to be found. Over the
years Canada has gained independence from the
UK but is still a constitutional monarchy with
Queen Elizabeth II as Head of State. With small
populations spread thinly over a huge landscape
both Canada and Alaska remain pioneer
destinations - independently minded and forward
looking, and as any visitor will attest, many parts
still feel barely explored: truly a new world.
First Nations
There are approximately one million First Nations
Canadians today. This includes 200,000 Métis
(aboriginal and French mixed race) and 50,000 Inuit.
Their origins stem from the end of the last Ice Age,
about 20,000 years ago, when nomadic tribes
followed herds of mammoth and bison across the
land bridge joining Siberia and Alaska. The people
were misnamed firstly as ‘Indians’ by 16th century
Spanish traders who mistakenly believed that they
had reached India, and later ‘Red’ by the British who
encountered Newfoundland’s Beothuks smeared in
red ochre to repel insects. The natives of the
extreme north were named ‘Eskimos’ which
translates as ‘eaters of raw meat’. Unsurprisingly
these names have been rejected by the aboriginal
peoples in favour of ‘First Nations’ and, in the north,
‘Inuit’ meaning ‘the people’. Visitors today can
experience a resurgent First Nations culture
including the abandoned seaboard villages and totem
poles of British Columbia, archaeological heritage
sites in Alberta and Saskatchewan, modern day
‘pow-wows’ (singing, dancing, storytelling) in Ontario
and Inuit communities in the north of the country.
Accommodation
The range of accommodation in Canada and Alaska
is as diverse as the landscape itself. In the big cities
you can stay in stylish boutique properties, often in
restored historic buildings, luxury hotels with
magnificent views or delightful bed and breakfasts
tucked away from the hustle and bustle. In rural areas
there are charming log cabins, often overlooking
wilderness lakes, whilst ranch stays offer a chance
to live the life of a cowboy. All the accommodation
options detailed in this brochure have been carefully
selected to offer you a range of alternatives but some
of our favourite properties, for reasons of space, are
not detailed in the following pages. Please call to
discuss your requirements with our Canada and
Alaska specialists: they have visited a huge range of
properties and will have more suggestions to match
your preferences and budget. Wherever you stay,
friendly North American hospitality is bound
to ensure your stay is a memorable one.
Food & Drink
In an area as large as Canada and Alaska the cuisine
varies widely from region to region. Cities are hugely
cosmopolitan, with all the cuisines of the world
represented in urban centres such as Montréal with
plenty of restaurants putting a North American twist
on their Gallic heritage. The west coast has
developed its own Pacific Rim fusion cuisine, while
the Atlantic regions have access to some of the
world’s freshest and largest lobsters amongst a
wealth of other seafood. Inland, meals are more
likely to be made up of locally-raised meats, with
barbeques and steaks a traditional favourite: servings
are often huge and North American breakfasts can
be a real highlight of your stay.
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