Our Team

We are extremely proud of our staff team. Our mature and certified instructors are incredible role models:

- All Guides and Instructors are medically certified as Wilderness First Responders

- All Guides and Instructors are trained in First Aid and CPR

- All Guides and Instructors are certified Swiftwater Rescue Technicians

- All Guides and Instructors are ORCKA (Ontario Recreational Canoeing and Kayaking Association) or PC (Paddle Canada) Instructors

Our instructors bring diverse experiences and great accomplishments such as:

1. -Working with First Nation Communities across North America
   

2. -Expertise in First Nation culture and tradition
   

3. -Traditional knowledge
   

- Working at Outdoor Centres across North America

- Guiding and working Internationally

- Kayaking in Chile, Argentina, Mexico

- Whitewater Raft Guides

- Former Great Lakes Cultural Camp Students

Maheengun (Wolf)

Maheengun is an Odawa and Cree from Wikwemikong Unceded Territory on Manitoulin Island, Ontario. He married and the father of 5 children. He is an outdoor educator specializing in Adventure Based Education, First Nation Cultural Awareness and Youth Leadership. He has travelled extensively as a First Nation Ambassador with 4 Worlds International Institute and UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) to Mexico, Central & South America and Europe in Environmental Initiatives and World Peace Issues.

Maheengun is the Founder & Director of Great Lakes Cultural Camps, a year-round mobile Indigenous Outdoor Education Centre and Outdoor Adventure Tourism Business on Manitoulin Island and beyond. He is a wilderness guide, whitewater kayak / canoe instructor, Northern traditional dancer, licensed trapper and subsistence hunter.

His technical skills include ORCKA (Ontario Recreational Canoeing & Kayaking Association) Instructor in Moving Water, River Running, Canoe Tripping, Canadian Style Paddling, Basic Canoe and Movingwater Kayak. He also hold certification as a Swift Water Rescue Technician, Assistant Ropes Course Instructor, National Green Check GPS Instructor, and Wilderness First Responder.

Bernadette - Naanowe Kamik Gokwe

(One that comes from the centre of the earth)

Her Anishinaabe nooswin (spirit name) is Naanowe-kamik Gokwe which means “One That Comes From the Centre of Earth”. She is known affectionately to many as Small Cook. She is a wife, mother and grandmother from Wikwemikong Unceded Territory on Manitoulin Island, Ontario, Canada. She is an Odawa/ Ojibwe and martin clan.

Along with her husband (Maheengun) they have small family-run business (Great Lakes Cultural Camps) that develops and provides high quality programs which recognizes the value of being active in the outdoors; and what it can bring to people's lives.  Being outdoors has allowed them to experience the wonderful gifts that Shkakimi-kwe (Mother Earth) has to offer.  Her background in education and as frontline work has taken her on a new path of teaching through experiential learning on the waterways and in the backcountry.

She has a passion for cooking Anishinaabe traditional foods, stewardship projects, remote wilderness canoe trips and youth. She is a wilderness guide, whitewater kayak instructor and Northern traditional buckskin dancer.

Technical certifications she holds are White Water Rescue Technician I, White Water Ontario Kayak Proficiency A-B, IRF Guide Award - Paddle Raft & Riverboard II, ORCKA Basic Canoe Instructor, ORCKA Flatwater Kayak Instructor, Canadian Style Paddling II,  ORCKA Canoe Tripping 2, ORCKA Moving Water Canoe 2, and Wilderness First Responder.

Adventure Travel Guides and Staff

Gord

Gord is a father and has been passionate about canoeing since stepping into a canoe at the age of 10. His passion grew from a strong curiosity to see what lay beyond the next hill or river bend. He has spent 32 years exploring. Through guiding and teaching he shares his passion about canoeing and our relationship we have to the land we travel in. His goal is to introduce people of all ages to canoeing and hopes they will begin their own personal journey of discovery in the natural world.

Gord is a High School teacher in biology, chemistry and Outdoor Education. His technical skills include ORCKA (Ontario Recreational Canoeing & Kayaking Association) and Paddle Canada Instructor Moving Water, River Running, Canoe Tripping. He also holds certification  as a Whitewater Rescue Technician 1, and Wilderness First Responder.

David - Binaaskiibine (Eagle landing on a branch over looking a valley)

This past fall Great Lakes Cultural Camps invited long time friend, seasoned tracker, and naturalist, David Trudeau to join them. With the traditional skills he has gained over the years, and his experience in survival, primitive living and self-reliance, David brings a very down to earth, simplistic and honest view of the wilderness to Great Lakes Cultural Camps.

David is an Odawa and Ojibwe from Wikwemikong Unceded Territory on Manitoulin Island, Ontario. He is graduate of the Fitness and Leisure Management program at Cambrian College.

When he is not in the backcountry you can find him on the pow wow trail. David is a traditional singer and sings with various drum groups. You also will find him in the dance arbor competing in Men’s Grass Dance category.

Stef

Originally from Ottawa, Ontario,Canada, Stef got into the whitewater scene as a canoe tripping guide in Northern Quebec and fell in love with it. She then got hooked on kayaking and rafting in 2007, and has been working on the Ottawa river each summer since then, guiding, instructing both canoeing and kayaking and sharing her passion with others. She has split her winters between Canada and sunnier destinations such as Mexico, Chile, and Ecuador to paddle and explore (and continue to work on her Spanish!) and loves the adventure and people she meets. Stef is a competitive athlete when she finds the time, most recently coming home a Pan American Rafting Champion, as well as competing in both Canada and Finland's National Ringette Leagues.

Gilles

Gilles is a grandfather and has passion for inspiring and teaching canoeing. Gilles love for canoeing focuses on introducing canoe culture to our participants. Gilles has traveled and paddled extensively throughout the North America. He has 20 + years of backcountry and guiding experience. Gilles works a variety of GLCC programs.

He is certified in ORCKA (Ontario Recreational Canoeing & Kayaking Association) as a Basic Canoe, Canoe Tripping, Moving Water and River Running Instructor, SRT II (Swift Water Rescue Technician). He also holds certification as a Wilderness First Responder and National Green Check GPS Instructor.

Noodin Nii Me Bin (Wind Dancer)

Noodin Niimebin (Wind Dancer) is an Odawa and Cree from Wikwemikong Unceded Territory on Manitoulin Island, Ontario. He is a first year student at Algoma University majoring in history.

He is an active contributing member of the Algoma University student body including: Algoma Thunderbirds varsity wrestling team, Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig weekly bead night and Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig weekly language table - Anishinaabe Doopowin.

 

He Woodland traditional dancer, licensed trapper, subsistence hunter, cultural outdoor educator, canoe instructor and life guard for Great Lakes Cultural Camps.

His outdoor adventure industry training and technical skills include being an ORCKA Basic Canoe Instructor. He also holds certification in Bronze Cross, Hunter Safety and PAL (possession acquisition license), ORCKA Canoe Tripping 2, ORCKA Moving Water 2, ORCKA River Running 2, Canadian Style Paddling, Whitewater Rescue Technician and Wilderness First Responder.

Miishen Meegwun (Many Plumes)

Miishen Meegwun (Many Plumes) is an Odawa and Cree from Wikwemikong Unceded Territory on Manitoulin Island, Ontario. He is an honour roll student in his 11th year of high school.  He is a grass dancer, subsistence hunter and a kayak / canoe instructor for Great Lakes Cultural Camps.

He is an active member of the White Pines Collegiate & Vocational School student body including: wrestling team and Project ABCD which is a community-based initiative targeted at deterring drug use in our upper elementary and secondary schools.  ABCD stands for; Action for Building a Community that is Drug free

His outdoor adventure industry training and technical skills include being an ORCKA Whitewater Kayak Instructor, ORCKA Flatwater Kayak Instructor, and ORCKA Basic Canoe Instructor. He also holds certification in Bronze Cross, Hunter Safety and PAL (possession acquisition license), ORCKA Canoe Tripping 2, ORCKA Moving Water 2, ORCKA River Running 2, Canadian Style Paddling, Whitewater Rescue Technician and Wilderness First Responder.