A sage-scented breeze drifted through the foliage as we sat around our campfire in preparation for a traditional Indigenous ‘smudging’ ceremony. A short time later, my guide, Tracey, stood calmly in front of me holding a large bunch of smouldering aromatic sage. With my hands, I wafted the smoke towards my face, bathing in the heavy-scented fog and thinking good thoughts in preparation for the day ahead.
I had come to Painted Warriors, an Indigenous adventure company based on a 33-hectare ranch an hour north-west of Calgary, Alberta, to experience the traditional and modern-day lifestyle of the Cree, Ojibwe, Métis and Mohawk peoples. The company was started by Tracey Klettl and her partner, Tim Mearn, in 2010, and from my first meeting with Tracey it was clear that she was a woman of strength, both in body and mind. Born of Cree and Mohawk descent, her cascade of long, dark hair and ready smile accompanied a skillset even the hardiest of outdoors people would envy. Not many can claim to be both an accomplished riding instructor and a competitor
