Reflecting on 2025: 30 Firsts for Talking Rock Tours
2025 was an incredible year full of education, new experiences, and awards within the 47 meaningful engagements. I’m grateful for everyone who accompanied me on the Talking Rock Tours journey. Join me as I reflect on and celebrate the events of the past year.
2025 – At a Glance:
Tours & Workshop:
I led 41 discovery tours and one gold panning workshop, including the largest school group tour with 107 young Geo-Explorers and their chaperones from Calgary. We also led multiple brand new custom tours along with a one-of-kind pilot tour, Whitecourt Meteorite Crater Askiy-Geo Discovery Tour.
Getting Featured:
I was featured in multiple publications online this year, including The Globe and Mail, Canadian Armed Forces, Otipemisiwak Metis Government, and Real Talk Ryan Jespersen Podcast.
Business Partnerships:
This year, Talking Rock Tours established multiple partnerships, including with RiverWatch Institute of Alberta, Hostelling International Canada, and Doets Reizen.
Here is a list of the Top 30 (1st Time) events in chronological order that occurred in 2025:
1. National Award Recipient, 2025 The Original Original Industry Leadership Award by Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) (Feb 25-27)
Check out my social media to see how the event turned out or read about it here:
ITAC Celebrates Excellence in Indigenous Tourism at 2025 Awards Gala
2. Committee Member, International Indigenous Tourism Conference (IITC 26) in Edmonton (Mar 6 to Present)
3. Verified Business, Talking Rock Tours’ brochure featured at Edmonton’s International Airport (YEG) (Apr 1 to Present)
As a local Indigenous business, Talking Rock Tours is now featured at the YEG Visitor Centre brochure stand going forward.
4. Largest School Tours, Ellison Travel & Tours on behalf of a Calgary Junior High School (Apr 16)
Conducted two Edmonton River Valley Askiy-Geo Discovery Tours for 107 Grade 8 & 9 students along with their handful of chaperones that rode on two coach buses from Calgary.
5. Pilot Tour, Whitecourt Meteorite Crater Askiy-Geo Discovery Tour (May 3)
This one-of-a-kind Canada geo-experience resulted from the training I received during a recent Indigenous Tourism Alberta (ITA)’s Six Senses program. Kichi maarsii Tracey Klettl for being my program mentor.
6. National Feature in Comic Book form, In Good Spirit Marketing Campaign by The Globe and Mail (May 9)
In Good Spirit brings to life the stories of four Alberta-based Indigenous tourism operators through vibrant comics illustrated by Indigenous artist Kyle Charles and personal audio storytelling narrated by each tour operator. Talking Rock Tours with A Different Kind of City Tour story was one of the four Indigenous businesses featured in comic book form along with our audio interviews.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/adv/article-in-good-spirit/
7. Familiarisation Tour, Jurassic Forest Park (May 14)
Met with Jeff Shirton (Operations Manager) and Shaylon Bourque (ITA) for a site famil tour and potential collaboration as a future guest speaker.
8. Seller, Rendez-vous Canada (RVC Winnipeg) (May 27-30)
Kichi maarsii to Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) for inviting me to be an official seller for the first time.
https://industry.travelmanitoba.com/news-events/industry-news/rendez-vous-canada-2025-welcoming-the-world-to-manitoba/
9. Familiarisation Tour, Manitoba Museum Archives, Winnipeg, MB. (May 30) Michelle Rydz, one of the Hudson Bay Company (HBC) Archivists, led an informative tour that showcased some of the oldest and significant artifacts from Canada’s largest HBC collection. One of my favourites was examining the oldest map of Canada at the time, which was drawn by Samuel Thorton in 1709!
10. Pilgrim, 1816 Battle of Seven Oaks Monument, Winnipeg, MB. (May 30)
I personally walked from the Forks to visit a sacred place where the Métis Nation was officially born. This monument commemorates the local battle that took place on June 19, 1816 against the HBC employees and the Selkirk settlers, known to the Métis as the “Victory of the Frog Plain.”
11. Pilgrim, Louis Riel’s Gravesite and Saint Boniface Tour, Winnipeg, MB. (May 31)
I personally walked from the Forks to visit another sacred place, the gavesite of Louis Riel to pay my respects to one of our founding Métis leaders who was wrongfully executed in Regina, SK. on November 16, 1885.
After I paid my respects to Louis Riel and his other family members, I met up with Rob Malo and experienced his amazing augmented reality walking tour of St. Boniface. Kichi maarsii Rob, and keep up the great work you do in Winnipeg!
12. Caretaker, Whitecourt Meteorite Samples from the University of Alberta (Jun 9)
Received 4 iron meteorite samples (IIIAB, medium octahedrite) from Dr. Chris Herd on permanent loan from a meteorite impact ~1100 years ago near Whitecourt, AB. that will be used in future discovery tour and workshop offerings. Also, one of the specimens was cross-sectioned with one side being polished and the other side being acid etched to show its Widmanstatten pattern.
13. Hands-on Workshop, Gold Panning on National Indigenous Peoples Day at Métis Crossing (Jun 21)
Provided fellow citizens of the Métis Nation within Alberta a family fun activity of gold panning North Saskatchewan River pay dirt inside their aluminum basins.
14. Business to Business Partnership, RiverWatch Institute of Alberta (Jun 21 & 29, Jul 13)
Brand new one-of-a-kind Talking Rock EcoFloat Discovery Tour
https://exploreedmonton.com/event-calendar/talking-rock-ecofloats
15. Podcast Participant, Real Talk Ryan Jespersen – Indigenous History Topic (Jun 27)
One of three Real Talk Round Table panelists – Hear how Matricia Bauer (Warrior Women), Keith Diakiw (Talking Rock Tours), and Kendra Dudzic (The Woods Experience) are preserving and amplifying Indigenous history through tourism.
https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-ig7qw-18ed2c8
16. Participant, Tipi Set Up Sessions at Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site (Jul 1)
On Canada Day, I had the opportunity along with other members of the public to learn from a local elder how to respectfully set up and take down a tipi.
17. Medicine Harvester, Sacred Heart Church of the First Peoples Annual Medicine Picking (Jul 19)
Led by Elder Fernie Marty, members of the parish car pooled to Frog Lake, AB. We respectfully harvested buffalo and horse sage near one of Chief Big Bear’s campsites.
18. Geologist/Indigenous Consultant, 8 Geological and Indigenous Sites of Alberta for Southern Methodist University – Meadows School of the Arts (Jul 20-Nov 13)
Provided Alberta Geologic Site & Indigenous Context written reports for artist Kerry Maguire.
19. New Tour, Devon’s 75th Anniversary Voyageur Park Discovery Tour (Aug 9)
Provided 4 custom, 1-hour, local river valley discovery tours within Voyageur Park for the town of Devon’s community milestone.
20. Business Participant, Métis Nation within Alberta’s Business Showcase at Métis Crossing (Aug 23)
Selected as one of the verified Métis businesses being promoted in a trade show format during the annual Citizens’ Gathering.
21. Travel Trade Partnerships, Hostelling International Canada (HI Canada) (Aug 28 to Present) & Doets Reizen (Sep 29 to Present)
Offering HI Canada members a 10% discount on both Edmonton River Valley Discovery Tours (Askiy-Geo & La Tayr-Geo).
https://hihostels.ca/en/membership/discounts-offers/talking-rock-tours
Offering Doets Reizen’s European clients year round Alberta geo-experiences.
22. Cree Spirit Name, Elder Leonard Saddleback from Samson Cree Nation (Sep 1)
While attending my first Alberta Day, I spent the afternoon with Elder Leonard in his tipi on the Legislative Grounds near the Fort Edmonton V historic site (1830-1915) and the brand new Treaty 6 monument. Before our time together was over, he asked me if I would like my Indian Name. He initially caught me off guard, but I said yes as it felt right and it was the perfect place to receive my Cree Spirit Name. As I was kneeling, Elder Leonard was touching me on the top of my head with his eagle feather. I then closed my eyes and felt some of my ancestors sitting around me. Besides Keith, I am now known as wâpi kihîw îyinîw (White Eagle Man).
23. New Tour, Alberta Museums Association (AMA)’s AGM Red Deer Piper Creek Discovery Tour (Sep 5)
Provided a custom, 2-hour, local creek valley discovery tour within Kin Kanyon Park for the AMA delegates at the conclusion of this year’s AGM.
24. New Tour, Edmonton & Area Land Trust (EALT)’s brand new Medicine Garden Discovery Tour (Oct 3)
Provided 2 custom, 1-hour, local river valley & new medicine garden discovery tours as part of the EALT’s Volunteer Appreciation event.
25. New Tour, Edmonton Street Car River Valley Discovery Tour (Oct 8)
Provided a custom, 1.5 hour, river valley discovery tour onboard one of Edmonton’s historic street cars for the Goodwill Industries of Alberta leadership team with the memorable main stop being on top of the High Level Bridge.
26. National Video (1 of 3), “Why Lt(N) Keith Diakiw Remembers” for the 2025 National Canadian Armed Forces Veterans’ Week (Oct 21)
27. National Fellow Recipient, Fellowship of Geoscientists Canada (Oct 22)
I am now a “Fellow” of Geoscientists Canada along with my new designatory letters of “FGC” for my lengthy volunteer experience with APEGA’s Rock & Fossil Clinic since 1997 when I was a University of Alberta undergrad. I received this honour at the annual APEGA Awards Dinner at the Delta Hotel Edmonton on October 30 from the APEGA President, Terri Steeves, P.Eng.
28. Citizen Spotlight, Otipemisiwak Métis Government (Oct 31)
Citizen Spotlight: Lieutenant (Navy) Keith Diakiw
29. Co-speaker, Land Acknowledgement Speech & Wreath Laying for No Stone Left Alone (5 Nov)
It was an honour to work with Cadet Sgt Rain Rabbit on our land welcomes, as well as laying the Treaty Six Territory wreath on behalf of the Treaty 6 First Nations Chiefs for the first time at the Beechmount Cemetery Cenotaph in uniform. Keep up the great work Maureen and Randall!
30. Wreath Layer, Remembrance Day Ceremony at the Kingsway Legion (Nov 11)
I had the honour to lay a wreath on behalf of the Aboriginal Veterans Society of Alberta for the first time at the Kingsway Legion Cenotaph in uniform.
Overall, I’m very grateful for everyone who was part of the past year. Community partners and you, my Geo-Explorers, make all of this possible. This year-in-review roundup reflects a year of learning, growth, and meaningful connections, and I’m looking ahead to what’s next with appreciation for what I’ve learned, and excitement for what’s to come. I can’t wait to show you what’s on the horizon for 2026.