Growing up, Sandy Ward never saw other Indigenous people involved in the outdoors. “It’s not that we weren’t there,” she said, “it was that we were underrepresented.”
The overwhelming whiteness and predominant maleness in our representations of the outdoors isn’t just a failure of recognition, or of the imagination — it’s actually something more corrosive. For Ward, not seeing other young Indigenous people out enjoying mountain paths led her to question her own belonging on them.
We all grew up seeing a point of view which intentionally omitted the Indigenous people’s perspective and innate belonging in nature. From the paintings of the Group of Seven, to outdoor equipment marketing campaigns, to the world of outdoor influencers, there’s long been an emphasis on able-bodied, heterosexual and cis-normative white guys. But all those glossy visual representations are giving you the wrong impression — and it’s disconnecting queer and racialized communities from the outdoors.
Connection to the land and doing outdoor activities are integral for mental, spiritual and physical health. This connection with the outdoors through nature-based activities also informs and encourages us to take action to combat the climate crisis. But that assumption — that the Canadian outdoors is a white and male space — persists, creating barriers, whether emotional or physical, for racialized, female-identifying, disabled and recently immigrated individuals.
If you know where to look, there are BIPOC female-identifying and non-binary folks who complicate the predominant settler narrative of who explore and play in the outdoors, while inviting their community members along. Ultimately, the 10 figurative (and in some cases literal) trailblazers featured in the photo essay are here to disrupt the normative script of who belongs in the Canadian outdoors.
This photo essay was published in August 2021 by The Narwhal and can be read here.
Sandy Ward (she/her) rock climbs in the territory of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) Nation.
In the winter months, Sandy Ward, 35, is a competitive snowboarder and backcountry enthusiast. During the summer she spends her time mountain biking, rock climbing and going on the occasional hike. She is part of two organizations that “strive to break down the barriers involved in getting Indigenous people involved in these often high cost sports.”
"When I started out all I thought of was sending it on the biggest lines and I always thought of the outdoors as my playground. I now know that we belong to the land and we need to show it respect. … The outdoors is now my sanctuary and where I go to find peace and get away. It is also my classroom, where I can go to learn about the plants, medicines and foods that it gives us.”
JennaMae Togado-Webb (she/her) swims in the ocean before going free diving in Ch’axáý (Horseshoe Bay) on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), səl̓ilwətaɁɬ təməxʷ (Tsleil-Waututh), and šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmaɁɬ təməxʷ (Musqueam) Nations.
“I feel my connection with the ocean has gifted me a sense of empowerment. I have learned the skills to provide food for myself and my family if need be. That makes me feel purpose and power."
JennaMae Togado-Webb is 35, a freediver and a snowboarder. She has snowboarded, at times competitively, since graduating from high school and only began freediving one year ago but the sport has quickly become her main passion.
"Having an intense bond with nature, I have found, translates to being more mindful and respectful of your environment, to protect what you feel is a part of your peace.”
Kendra Coupland (she/her) does a sun salutation in a Port Coquitlam forest on the unceded territory of the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem) and S’ólh Téméxw (Stó:lō) people.
Kendra Coupland is 36, meditates outdoors on a daily basis, swims in freshwater lakes and hikes up to the many waterfalls in her area. In addition, she loves to canoe, forest bathe and camp.
“For me, reclaiming my participation in the outdoors is about putting down a stake and saying I have a right to be here, to live and thrive."
Indra Hayre (she/her) stands on a boulder on top of Blackcomb Mountain in Whistler, B.C. Whistler is called Skwikw by the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) Nation and Cwitima in the language of the Líl̓wat Nation.
Indra Hayre is 25, an avid skier, runner, hiker and mountain biker. She is also the founder of Incluskivity, an Instagram community that works to extend the outdoors to people who have traditionally been excluded.
“I recreated for the purpose of proving people wrong, and showing the few folks who did look like me on the slopes or up on the summit that they did belong in these spaces. But over time, I started to develop a relationship with the outdoors that was a lot more reciprocal, and it was for me.”
Anaheed Saatchi (they/them) climbs a boulder in Squamish in the territory of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) Nation.
Anaheed is 30, a rock climber and co-founder of BelayALL, a climbing collective that originally began with organizing carpools and pooling gear but has now expanded to include events, meetups, grassroots organizing and advocating for equitable pricing at the climbing gym.
“The dominant cultures of the outdoors industry reflect the dominant cultures I navigate on a daily basis. The barriers to entry for me continue to be a lack of representation from an early age, a lack of commitment to building equity and not prioritizing community over profit.”
Asalah Youssef (she/her) kayaks on Widgeon Creek in Pitt Meadows in the territory of the Katzie First Nation.
Asalah is 18 and is passionate about hiking, mountain biking, kayaking and meditating in the forest.
“The more I explored the lands, the more I realized the importance of my environmental footprint. The land so deeply tends to my wellbeing, so this relationship must be reciprocal. The realization that I am not separate from the Earth meant acknowledging that caring for myself means being a steward for the places I so gratefully explore."
Melissa Hafting (she/her) bird watches at Iona Regional Park (xʷəyeyət) in Richmond in unceded Musqueam territory.
Melissa Hafting is 35 and a birder. She founded and created the BC Young Birders Program to ensure young people have a mentor to make them feel included, especially if they identify as a woman or a person of colour.
“Birds have helped me so much to get through some of the most difficult times in my life. They help my mood and bring me peace, relaxation and serenity. I feel even more strongly to fight for conservation issues and to make the outdoors more accessible to all, so that everyone can experience these gifts.”
Filsan Abdiaman (she/her) runs in the woods in ʔəlqsən (Point Grey) in the territory of the Musqueam First Nation.
At 33, Filsan Abdiaman is an ultrarunner, trail runner and founder of a running collective called Project Love Run. The collective is open to all women, but recently Abdiaman decided to create a trail running clinic specifically for BIPOC women called ‘take it to the trails.’
"I hope to encourage intersectional conversations about feminism, running and movement-advocacy and self-love/self-worth. We cannot do the work to dismantle larger systems of oppression if we are not tackling our internal oppressions and limiting beliefs.”
Karen Lai (she/her) walks along a trail with the assistance of her outdoor walker in Pacific Spirit Park in ʔəlqsən (Point Grey) in the territory of the Musqueam First Nation.
Karen was born with Cerebral Palsy, Spastic Diplegia which affects her balance, coordination, motor dexterity, speech and mobility. "I always have to plan ahead, talk to the outdoor outfitters and find the appropriate adaptive equipment. There’s a lot of advocacy on my part too. … There’s a lack of awareness and knowledge about people with disabilities and the outdoors.”
Karen Lai is 46 and she kayaks, bikes and does light walks and hikes. She got involved in these activities through her friends and general love for the outdoors. She shared, “I just love the freshness of being in the outdoors, the quietness and just being away from … technology.”
Judith Kasiama (she/her) looks out into the Mount Fromme forest while resting on her mountain bike in the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the səl̓ilwətaɁɬ təməxʷ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nation and Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) Nation in North Vancouver.
Judith is 32 and hikes, backpacks, mountain bikes, skis — often in the backcountry. She is also the founder of Colour the Trails which advocates for inclusive representation in outdoor spaces through subsidized outdoor adventure, diverse content creation and working with allied businesses and organizations to break barriers and create accessibility.
"Diversity was already present and it was inclusion that was missing. As I share my lived experience as a Black woman, I find that the intersection of my Blackness, my displacement in terms of being a refugee, all plays into how I see nature and the outdoors.”