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Greg Hopf Indigenous Tourism + Bridge Builder + Youth Advocate
Award-winning Dene Indigenous tourism leader, entrepreneur, and Indigenous youth advocate, Greg Hopf is passionate about building vibrant and thriving Indigenous communities. Charismatic and insightful, Greg shares powerful stories of Indigenous experience and ways of knowing and inspires audiences to work towards reconciliation in an authentic and meaningful way.
Born and raised in Denendeh (Northwest Territories), Greg was fortunate to live with his Aunt Celine and Uncle Jim Antoine in the tiny Dene community of Liidlii Kue (Ft. Simpson) where he learned his Dene culture and value system. Through experiences with his Liidii Kue family out on the land–hunting, trapping, fishing, and harvesting to name a few–he built a strong connection to the land, the animals, and the spirits. Inspired by his upbringing and pride in his Dene culture, Greg’s work is deeply rooted in understanding the opportunities and barriers for Indigenous communities, and telling the rich stories and teachings of those who have come before him.
After completing his post-secondary education in Alberta, Greg took his love for the land into new pursuits, from managing a hunting and fishing lodge in the Northwest Territories to building the Aboriginal Sport Circle for over 10 years. A certified Master Facilitator in Indigenous Cross-Cultural Awareness and facilitator in Indigenous Racism, Greg also garnered the expertise to develop an Indigenous cultural tourism strategy for the Thompson Okanagan region. A passionate leader and expert in cultural affairs and Indigenous tourism, it comes as no surprise that Greg would later lead the successful bid to host the International Indigenous Tourism Conference (IITC) in Kelowna in 2019.
Joining forces with his now business partner Frank Antoine in 2017, Greg Hopf launched Moccasin Trails, an award-winning Indigenous tourism company. Greg is also the co-founder of Moccasin Trails Consulting, which is focused on economic development, tourism development, and partnership building between Indigenous and non-Indigenous organizations.
Today, Greg proudly practices his Dene way of life with his wife Sharon and his kids, Keaton and Presley Hopf, in the Okanagan Valley. Greg takes tremendous pride in passing his culture to his children, while professionally working towards building the capacity and a positive legacy in all Indigenous communities, and educating non-Indigenous peoples in a respectful and authentic way.
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Introduction to Indigenous Culture: Living in Two Worlds
In this session, Greg brings audiences on a transformative journey of awareness by exploring Indigenous culture through the ancestral knowledge and legacies passed down from his Elders. From taking us back to trade roots and the tribal systems of family relationships and beliefs, to bringing us into today where the impacts of colonization are still rampant, Greg will share his powerful story of living in two worlds–an experience shared by many Indigenous peoples. With insightful perspectives on the role of intercultural communication and education, Greg will inspire audiences to pull these parallel worlds together.
Greg will share with audiences:
- An introduction to Indigenous ways of knowing; the ancestral paths, gathering rituals, celebrations, ceremonies, stories and legends of Indigenous cultures
- How Indigenous communities are reclaiming their voice and rebuilding their histories through ancestral legacies
- The tremendous possibilities of bridging the gaps between Indigenous and Western ways of being and understanding
Truth, then Reconciliation: An Everyday Practice
How much do we really understand about Indigenous peoples, current issues and reconciliation? We must learn how to practice reconciliation in our everyday lives–within ourselves, families, communities, governments, places of worship, schools, and our workplace. Drawing upon Indigenous truths, Greg will share the connections in our shared history to guide audiences towards establishing and maintaining respectful partnerships with Indigenous communities.
Join Greg in this presentation to:
- Discover frameworks for building sustainable reconciliation practices in their daily lives and environments
- Unfold the truths of Indigenous realities and the shared history of colonization
- Understand the systemic issues and barriers that have limited Truth and Reconciliation
The Power of Indigenous Partnerships: Connections through Tourism
In this presentation, Greg inspires audiences to see the importance of interconnectivity, the art of cultivating meaningful Indigenous partnerships, and the promise of Indigenous tourism for prosperous futures. Through reflecting on his own experiences of building and running an award-winning tourism business from the ground up in the Thompson Okanagan region, Greg explores the groundbreaking possibilities that can be made reality through Indigenous partnerships that are built on trust, honesty, and respect.
Audiences will discover:
- The art of taking time to cultivate long-lasting partnerships built on integrity, how to manage risk, and tackling the fear of saying or doing the wrong thing
- Tangible ways to achieve the goals of projects and initiatives that benefit accessibility, education, community development, and beyond
- How communities and Indigenous entrepreneurs can build a lasting legacy through tourism
Mentoring for Resilience: Indigenous Youth and the Power of Sport
Reflecting on his youth, Greg shares his personal tragedies and triumphs with passion and vulnerability. The traumatic incidents of his early life led him to fall in love with competitive sport and ultimately changed the trajectory of his future. With these experiences, Greg began coaching and setting up Indigenous youth programs to help those at risk of becoming another statistic. Join Greg as he takes audiences on a visceral journey to explore the long-lasting impacts of mentoring youth for resilience.
In this session, Greg shares:
- The power of Indigenous sport, holistic approaches to mentorship, leadership skills and confidence
- How to change the lives of at risk youth through strategic planning and programming
- Lessons from his experiences building long lasting grassroots community programs that have continued to change the lives of Indigenous youth in isolated communities
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AWARDS AND HIGHLIGHTS
Kelowna Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards (2021)
Tourism Business Award Winner, All Nations Trust Company (2019)
National Indigenous Entrepreneur Finalist Nominee, Start Up Canada Awards (2019)
Customer Service Award Finalist Nominee, International Indigenous Tourism Awards (2019)
Speaker Categories:
Master of Ceremonies and Facilitators Authors and Storytellers Cultural Advisors Economics and Finance Education Elevating Business and Entrepreneurship Environment Healthy Relationships Hospitality and Travel Leadership and Mentorship Motivation Social Change Indigenous Awareness and DiversityBorn and raised in Denendeh (Northwest Territories), Greg was fortunate to live with his Aunt Celine and Uncle Jim Antoine in the tiny Dene community of Liidlii Kue (Ft. Simpson) where he learned his Dene culture and value system. Through experiences with his Liidii Kue family out on the land–hunting, trapping, fishing, and harvesting to name a few–he built a strong connection to the land, the animals, and the spirits. Inspired by his upbringing and pride in his Dene culture, Greg’s work is deeply rooted in understanding the opportunities and barriers for Indigenous communities, and telling the rich stories and teachings of those who have come before him.
After completing his post-secondary education in Alberta, Greg took his love for the land into new pursuits, from managing a hunting and fishing lodge in the Northwest Territories to building the Aboriginal Sport Circle for over 10 years. A certified Master Facilitator in Indigenous Cross-Cultural Awareness and facilitator in Indigenous Racism, Greg also garnered the expertise to develop an Indigenous cultural tourism strategy for the Thompson Okanagan region. A passionate leader and expert in cultural affairs and Indigenous tourism, it comes as no surprise that Greg would later lead the successful bid to host the International Indigenous Tourism Conference (IITC) in Kelowna in 2019.
Joining forces with his now business partner Frank Antoine in 2017, Greg Hopf launched Moccasin Trails, an award-winning Indigenous tourism company. Greg is also the co-founder of Moccasin Trails Consulting, which is focused on economic development, tourism development, and partnership building between Indigenous and non-Indigenous organizations.
Today, Greg proudly practices his Dene way of life with his wife Sharon and his kids, Keaton and Presley Hopf, in the Okanagan Valley. Greg takes tremendous pride in passing his culture to his children, while professionally working towards building the capacity and a positive legacy in all Indigenous communities, and educating non-Indigenous peoples in a respectful and authentic way.
Speaker Summary
Location: Canada
Language: English
Website: Click Here
Categories
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