Photographed at Petroglyphs Provincial Park near Woodview, Ontario Canada.
40764

Photographers be advised, the petroglyphs themselves are not permitted to be photographed.
I’ve been told the Elders of the Anishnaabeg First Nation people have requested that tourists
not take photos out of respect for the sacred nature of the site.

I’ve also been told First Nation people do not profit from this sacred site, however when I
visited there I was asked by a First Nation person, sitting there beside a park ranger, to
purchase a rubbing from one of the petroglyphs, so one has to wonder who the profits from
those rubbings go to.

Anyway, monetary considerations aside, my complaint with the place was that my only purpose
in going there was to photograph the petroglyphs (I can walk though equally scenic woods
almost anywhere) and nowhere did I read nor was I told of this restriction until after I’d paid my
admission to the park and walked the trail to the petroglyphs themselves. Had I known this in
advance I’d have never gone.

So, being one who respects the beliefs of others, requesting that no photos be taken for sacred
reasons is fine, although I don’t understand it since there are no problems with photos being
taken of things I hold sacred, but if anyone plans to go there to photograph the petroglyphs, be
forewarned. As far as I’m concerned, I wasted my 10 bucks admission fee, plus the cost of fuel
and the time it took to get there and I won’t be going back.