CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHAT’S APP GROUP
Two members of Team Antigua Island Girls – the all-female rowing team that blazed a trail in the sport after crossing the Atlantic in 2018 and the Pacific in 2023 – dipped their oars into Canadian waters last month.
Invited as guests of honour by the Okanagan Nation, Christal Clashing and Kevinia Francis travelled to Vancouver, through the generous sponsorship and support from the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority’s Canada Office, which made their participation possible.
Acting as cultural ambassadors for Antigua and Barbuda, the duo joined the 2025 edition of the Pulling Together Canoe Journey, representing the twin-island nation on an international stage that celebrates cultural exchange, community, and connection through water.
“The Canoe Journey is more than just an event. It’s a sacred experience rooted in culture, history, and healing,” said Francis.
“Being invited into that space is deeply meaningful to us.
As women who’ve crossed oceans, we know that water carries stories, memories, and spirit.
This journey feels like a continuation of our own, and we’re showing up ready to listen, to learn, and to walk – or paddle – in deep respect for the people and the traditions we’re joining.”
Created in a partnership between local Indigenous groups and several Canadian government agencies since 2001, the Pulling Together Canoe Journey is a week-long adventure which took place from July 6 to July 14 through Vancouver Island’s WSÁNEĆ, Malahat, and Cowichan territories.
Over 300 participants embarked on a journey in traditional West Coast canoes, making it a treasured opportunity to engage with the rich cultural traditions of Canada’s First Nations communities.
Clashing and Francis became known to Canada’s First Nations through their charity and advocacy work on behalf of Antigua and Barbuda.
The Island Girls were recently honoured with the Gold Plaque for the Most Precious Order of Princely Heritage for Humanitarian Endeavours, in recognition of their service to the country and stewardship of its community.
The pair of Clashing and Francis were invited by Max Henry of the Pauquachin Nation and Betty-Jean Kruger of the Okanagan Nation and offered seats in Henry’s own canoe, where they had a chance to learn about Okanagan beliefs and values firsthand.
“During the Pulling Together journey, we interacted with both interior First Nations (like the Okanagan) and coastal First Nations peoples (like the Pauquachin Nation). So much of their story resonates with ours.
The way they hold space for their ancestors, the way they protect their traditions, and the deep connection they have to land and water,” said Clashing. “… even though we come from different parts of the world.
It reminds us that while our waters may be different, the values that guide us are often similar.”
The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority – Canada Office not only sponsored Clashing and Francis’ participation but helped forge a meaningful cultural bridge, enabling Indigenous and Caribbean communities to share stories and values across oceans.
as part of their cultural exchange, Clashing and Francis shared small gifts provided by the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority and extended an open invitation for Indigenous communities to visit the welcoming shores of Antigua and Barbuda and write the next chapter of Caribbean-First Nations friendship.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE PULLING TOGETHER CANOE JOURNEY VIDEO RECAP – (Courtesy the Pulling Together Canoe Society).
CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHAT’S APP GROUP
CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHAT’S APP GROUP
CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHAT’S APP GROUP
CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHAT’S APP GROUP
CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHAT’S APP GROUP
CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHAT’S APP GROUP
CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHAT’S APP GROUP
CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHAT’S APP GROUP
CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHAT’S APP GROUP
CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHAT’S APP GROUP
CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHAT’S APP GROUP
Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Antigua!
We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages.
Contact us at [email protected]
Will always be proud of The Island Girls