Hooksum Outdoor School is operated by Stephen and Karen Charleson of the Hesquiaht First Nation. Founded in 2000, the School aims to facilitate education through traditional Indigenous knowledge and modern skills. We are located in traditional Hesquiaht territories in Northwestern Clayoquot Sound on the west coast of Vancouver Island. The area is accessible only by boat or float plane.
Groups that have participated in programs at Hooksum Outdoor School include: universities, elementary and high-school groups, and recreational and youth groups. Groups are both native and non-native.
Hooksum Outdoor School offers an annual 28-day outdoor leadership training program that includes certifications in wilderness first aid, lifesaving, and sea kayaking. The School also offers customized programs for a variety of groups.
Hesquiaht culture and worldviews are incorporated in all aspects of Hooksum Outdoor School’s operation. From discussions around the campfire, to walks along the low-tide beach, to forest hikes to view culturally modified trees – Hesquiaht ways of living and ways of knowing the world surround us here.
You can learn more about us at: www.hooksumschool.com