Curriculum
CULTURAL STUDIES
Compiled by Bob Rouse
First Nations heritage
and outdoor adventure
Cuatro quests in Mexico
The Cariboo Chilcotin Coast region of British
Columbia is a land of breathtaking beauty,
ruggedness, diverse wildlife and adventure. This
vast area stretches from Canada’s Rocky and
Cariboo mountains in the east to the Great Bear
Rainforest out west along the Pacific Coast.
According to Beverly Evans of the Cariboo
Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association, visitors can
explore each of the three sections that make
up the region’s name: the lush Cariboo where
trails and wildlife abound, the peaks and
plateaus of the Chilcotin, and the fjords and
forests of the Coast.
The area is home to a number of First
Nations sites that offer a look at its many tribes.
During a visit to the Xatsull Heritage Village,
students can enjoy daily programs and take
part in workshops with elders that detail the
Handmade baskets at Tuckkwiowhum Village
community’s spiritual, cultural and traditional
way of life.
Nestled in beautiful Fraser Canyon, Tuckkwiowhum Village offers an immersive look at the Nlaka’pamux First Nations culture.
School groups can take guided tours and check out traditional clothing, native crafts and decorative carvings in the museum and
gift shop.
Tours related to the region’s Gold Rush history are also popular. Two sites offering a look at the wild and wooly days in the
1850s, when gold was discovered along the Fraser River, are Hat Creek Ranch and Barkerville Historic Town and Park.
A range of on-the-water experiences are available from local outfitters, including Cariboo Chilcotin Jet Boat Adventures. Some
of CCJBA’s top tours include the hour-long Scenic Flat Rock Canyon River Tour, the eight-hour Wild Bighorn Sheep Range Safari
and the six-hour Gold Rush Explorer, which includes an interactive gold-panning program.
To learn more, contact Evans at [email protected] or visit landwithoutlimits.com.
Mexico, which is loaded with diverse destinations, provides
students who are learning Spanish with a wide assortment
of fantastic cultural experiences. Here are four hot spots, as
suggested by Ivan Martinez-Vega of the Mexico Tourism Board:
Puerto Vallarta offers artistic beauty, one-of-a-kind food
tastings, boats and beaches. Visitors stroll down cobblestone
streets to reach arts and crafts markets. A cruise on Acalli, a
classic Hatteras 58-foot yacht, provides options for snorkeling
and coastal sightseeing. And groups can embark on a walking
tour of Vallarta’s nighttime street foods.
Centrally located San Luis Potosi was founded in 1592
and packs powerful history lessons in its colonial center.
Two popular places are the Temple of the Carmen, built in
remarkable Mexican baroque style, and the National Museum
of the Mask, with a permanent collection from all parts of the
Whale watching off the coast of Los Cabos
country. North of the city is Real de Catorce, a former mining
town with historical and spiritual appeal.
Los Cabos, on the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula, encompasses the towns of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo and
offers an incredible variety of activities. The destination has 11 swimmable beaches, world-class fishing, water sports and whale
watching. An international film festival is held each November, and the area’s cuisine scene features fresh seafood.
Groups that spend a week in the central highlands city of San Miguel de Allende can find a new focus each day, including art,
food, adventure and history. An itinerary can include visits to churches and museums, the ancient Tolteca pyramids, perusing art
galleries, taking a cooking class, and going on a horseback or all-terrain vehicle tour of the countryside.
For more ideas and information, go to visitmexico.com or contact the tourism board’s Martinez-Vega at [email protected].
32 NTA Trip Planner for Student Travel