For this northern Saskatchewan First Nation, the future is Indigenous tourism

In the heart of Saskatchewan's boreal forest lies Waters Edge Eco Lodge.

The tourism destination is located on the traditional lands of the Waterhen Lake First Nation. The people of that nation just got that land back.

The nation recently bought the resort, located 50 kilometres north of Meadow Lake on the west side of Greig Lake. The purchase marked the beginning of an ambitious, community-run leap into the world of Indigenous tourism.

Not only will the tourism provide visitors with a special experience, it will also benefit the Waterhen community both spiritually and economically. 

"You're coming back home to the land where we once were, where our ancestors once practised," said Jesse Morin, operations manager for the Waterhen Lake First Nation Development Corporation and the interim manager for the newly purchased Water's Edge Eco Lodge. "It was not only a welcome home, but here's where we're taking the future. The Eco Lodge and tourism is what's going to feed our children in the future."

The lodge is already open to the public, but Morin has big plans. He will soon be bringing in 10 teepee lodges and is planning tourism packages that capitalize on the boreal forest and Waterhen's traditional territory. 

He said the First Nation will stay away from stereotypical commercialism. This means not exploiting Indigenous culture, but educating people about what that culture means. 

"When it comes to our traditional culture and spirituality, there's a fine line between education and experience," he said.

Morin said those who visit the Eco Lodge will learn how the Indigenous people of the area live off the land now, and how they used to.

"We don't want a corny approach to our Indigenous tourism, we want to be a little more authentic. So you're experiencing the land-based, you're experiencing the food, you're having an amazing stay," Morin said.

"We want to give you more of an experience of what we were doing here, whether it's going for a canoe ride, maybe setting a trapper's tent or going out to do a mock trap line, maybe going to identify some of the herbs and medicines in our area."

Morin said Indigenous tourism has become very popular over recent years and Waterhen is ready to jump in with both feet. 

Now, Waterhen is expecting an influx of European tourists over the next two years and is also focused on building a strong domestic clientele. 

Waterhen isn't the only First Nation to take on Indigenous tourism in Saskatchewan.