I had questions of why... - I had questions of why people put masks when they were doing ceremonies, and who were the people's face figures on the Totem poles. Are these faces Gods of Sun, moon, river, or faces of ancestors？ We went to the tour with tour guide Patrick. He gave the explanation for these questions. The faces on the Totem Poles were the ancestors. The lowest on the pole was the eldest. Next generations were on the elder's shoulders. We are Manchu, from northern China. We had Totem poles in our culture too. The faces on the poles were ancestors' faces. If Indigenous were migrated from Easten Asia, three times large migrations around 20 thousand years ago, since we share the same culture, this might be a prove of origin of Indigenous. Nice guide, nice tour.

Great walk, great broad exposure to Stanley park - Beautiful scenery! We had a walk with Patrick, he was very nice and knowledgeable of the surrounding area. He is also very knowledgeable of the various tribes of Vancouver and their history/culture. Loved the vibe and energy of the walk, would easily do it again. Also our guide Patrick was very eager to answer any questions and was just one of the nicest people I’ve met so far!

Fantastic overview of the undocumented stories - Amazing experience! Patrick gave us a rich history and ensured we understood what each community went through and what the art means to each community.

We all need to learn this - Our guide was highly informative and clearly passionate about this topic. It was so nice of him to bring a thermos of tea, which we sipped as we all sat around after the tour to discuss various issues. I encourage all non-indigenous visitors to consider this tour, in which you learn things you definitely do not hear about elsewhere, and which we all need to know. Suggestions for the guide: speak more loudly or perhaps carry a small voice amplifier, and always face your audience when you are speaking.

Highly recommend Patrick and Spoken Treasures! - We booked the Spoken Treasures - Stanley Park and Patrick was phenomenal! His presentation about the indigenous wisdom regarding the importance of the intersection between the ocean and the forest which is now blocked by the sea wall was incredibly thoughtful and an excellent explanation. He patiently responded to our questions. Sharing tea with us at the end of the tour made this time all the more special. I learned a lot and would highly recommend this!

Fantastic - engaging and educational - The tour was great! Our guide Candace was so knowledgeable and engaging. The entire group enjoyed the tour and appreciated learning more about the importance of the land, particularly in Indigenous cultures.

Talaysay Tours Were Awesome! - 65 of our G6s joined for two Talaysay Tours (Spoken Treasures & Talking Trees) on March 29th, 2023. Candace and Jane were exceptional with communication and organization in booking the tours and putting together an itinerary for us. On the day of, Candace took the time to meet our group, welcome us and sang a song for the group. Sera, Shae, and Richard were our tour guides. They were engaging and shared a wealth of knowledge with our students. They did an excellent job and it was a great experience for the students - they learned a lot! I would highly recommend Talaysay tours and we are looking forward to booking more tours for our students in the future.

Beautiful tour - Amazing experience! Loved hearing Wes' songs & tales which he shared generously. Highly recommend this tour to anyone curious about the Indigenous history of the city and surrounding area.

A fresh and engaging way to spend time in Stanley Park - We really enjoyed this tour of Stanley Park with Alfonso, a member of the shíshálh Nation. Alfonso welcomed us with a song and taught us a traditional greeting. We wandered along the seawall with him as he helped us see the park, the bay, and Vancouver as they would have been experienced by the original inhabitants. He was extremely knowledgeable about indigenous culture and practices. We learned so much and parted reluctantly, eager to seek out more information about Alfonso's nation and the other first nations of Canada. A delightful experience and highly recommended.

Highly recommend for individuals and organizations alike! - Stanley Park Ecology Society staff attended Spoken Treasures by Talaysay Tours, a virtual tour through Stanley Park led by Indigenous Culture Ambassadors, Alroy and Candace. They’ve put together a wonderfully rich and heartfelt experience, recently making the transition to online programming. Candace and Alroy shared stories and oral accounts of the history of this land and the deep connection to the plants and animals that make up the local ecosystem. We would highly recommend attending their programs, whether online or in-person, and for both organizations and individuals. We're looking forward to working with Talaysay Tours in the future!