Greg Hopf

Greg brings audiences on a journey of awareness and education to introduction what Indigenous culture is and means to him. He shares the trials and triumphs, tribal lands, ancestral travel and trade roots and the tribal systems of family relationships and beliefs. Greg introduces individuals to the ancestral paths his people walked, how they gathered, how they eat, why and when they celebrated. Despite the impacts of colonialism many of these beliefs systems, traditions and values are still very much alive today. From languages to food, celebrations to ceremonies, stories to legends, Greg takes you on a journey from what he has learned and what was passed down to him by his Elders.  He shares a journey of understanding our relationship with Mother Earth, the animals, its ecosystems and the traditional practices and belief systems of his people. Greg will give audiences an authentic first-hand experience brought to him through his elders, community, and the research he has done as a consultant, tour guide and a successful business owner. He shares the stories that were passed down orally from generations to generation, and how communities are rebuilding their history through these stories.

Indigenous people today live in two parallel worlds where Indigenous and western worldviews can be conflicting. Through understanding Indigenous ways of living and the role of intercultural communication people can pull these two parallel worlds together and learn from one and other. Greg touches on what does living a holistic life look like and what elements (cultural, physical, spiritual, emotional) are needed to live the best life possible. You will learn from stories Greg will share on how he navigates living in two worlds, from being on the land harvesting food for his family one day, and the next being in a corporate boardroom giving a presentation to CEO’s and corporate executives in a big city.

Through his lived experience in running an award-winning tourism business to working at a destination management organization in the Thompson Okanagan region, Greg will share his insights on how to successfully develop Indigenous tourism. Tourism is a positive tool for reconciliation that brings people from different backgrounds together to learn about Indigenous cultures, histories, and stories throughout authentic experiences. Indigenous tourism is a promising approach to sustainable development, a way for Indigenous communities to support culture and language, generate revenue, create meaningful jobs, increase access to healthcare and education, and conserve natural resources. Greg shares his experience and stories related to the power of sharing stories, history, and culture through experiential tourism and how communities and Indigenous entrepreneurs can build a lasting legacy through tourism.

Greg got involved in sport as a child and played most sports growing up, before falling in love with competitive hockey that took him travelling around the world. Through his experience playing sport, coaching and setting up Indigenous youth programming, Greg truly built an understanding of the power of Indigenous sport, holistic approaches to coaching and the opportunity of building meaningful relationships, leadership skills and confidence through sport.  Sport is a true tool for reconciliation and the positive ripple effects it has on children that ripples through communities. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission has specific calls to action around Indigenous sport (87-91) from recognising Indigenous athletes in the history books to ensuring territorial protocols are followed in sporting events to creating inclusive policies that promote physical activity and reduce barriers to sports participation. Greg will share his lived experience of building programs that have a powerful Indigenous component and how they have resulted in team success in medaling at major international multisport games and national championships.  He will share his lessons on building long lasting grassroots community programs and the positive effects that continue to change the lives of Indigenous children in isolated communities.

How much do you actually 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. To do so constructively we must remain committed to the work of establishing and maintaining respectful relationships, to action, building bridges and learning how to be an ally. Greg will build awareness on how to practice reconciliation through first-hand knowledge and experience, and people will leave with a clear understanding of what they can do to support truth and reconciliation in Canada.

Creating Indigenous partnerships based on trust, integrity, honesty, and respect is the key to working with any community. Greg will share examples successful partnerships to achieve community projects or initiatives, and how meaningful partnerships between Nations and municipalities, corporations and/or non-for-profit organizations benefits the entire community. Greg highlights the importance of learning about the Indigenous history and culture, how to manage risk, how to tackle the fear of doing or saying the wrong thing and the art of taking time to cultivate relationships.

Greg’s personal story of his youth and upbringing has many twists and turns, he shares his personal tragedies and triumphs with such passion and emotion for his audiences. The trauma he lived and witnessed was experienced first-hand, suicides, deaths and addictions, quickly changed his life, and he knew if he did not change, he would become another Indigenous statistic. Competitive sports became his escape, and he quickly realized he wanted to make this his career.  He figured if he found a way out, then he could share his learnings with other youth to help them on their journeys. Greg’s role as Executive Director with the Aboriginal Sport Circle was entirely around youth empowerment through strategic planning and programming, he was able to positively influence and create meaningful change in the lives of youth at risk. Many youth that were a part of the program went to build lives of their own anchored in the values and principles they gained through the Aboriginal Sport Circle.

• Partnering for Sustainable Economic Opportunities in Canada
• First Nation Governance
• Residential School Awareness
• Impacts of Colonialism
• Shared Realities: What it’s like growing up as an Indigenous person in Canada