Cultural Awareness Guidelines

Cultural Awareness Guidelines

Jane’s Walks can be led by anyone; however, all walks that present or share a culture or a cultural perspective should be developed and delivered in a way that supports and authentically represents that community and culture. An intentional and focused approach is needed to ensure that all Jane’s Walks are a welcoming and culturally respectful experience for all participants.

Inspired by the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada’s National Guidelines for Developing Authentic Indigenous Cultural Experiences in Canada, the following questions are intended to help walk leaders determine whether they are the appropriate voice to present cultural content through a Jane’s Walk. 

When developing a walk, ask yourself:

• Can I demonstrate the participation and support of the people and community leaders whose culture is represented in my walk?
• Can I demonstrate a connection to the community portrayed in my walk, that reflects a responsibility to that community?
• Does the cultural community being portrayed through my walk have influence or control over the content? 
• Can I demonstrate suitable experience, knowledge or formal training related to the culture that I plan to share?
• Is all of the cultural content presented in my walk done in an appropriate, respectful manner that follows any cultural protocols? 

If you cannot answer an enthusiastic “yes” to all of the questions above, we recommend that you reconsider whether you should lead a walk on that topic. Instead, you could consider supporting members of the relevant cultural community in developing their own tour for Jane’s Walk. 

The full National Guidelines for Developing Authentic Indigenous Cultural Experiences in Canada is a great resource for anyone developing culturally respectful content. Thank you to the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada for allowing Jane’s Walk Ottawa-Gatineau to share their guidance with our community.