Tuktu Paddle Tours

Tuktu Paddle Tours is based on a tradition thousands of years old. For Shinnecock, paddling is more than a means of recreation. Its about culture, self-preservation and survival. As People of the Stony Shore, we Shinnecock are sentinels and leaders in societal adaption and mitigation in response to climate change. Which is why Tuktu Paddle Tours’ mission is to educate all communities about how to survive in the face of, and without contributing to, the devastating effects of climate change. However, survival goes beyond the basic need of sustenance. Survival is also about self-preservation and the human ability to adapt to life’s traumas by relying on our connectedness with nature to intuitively reveal our personal power and strength. Established in 2017. Tuktu Paddle Tours is a local, family-owned and operated business located on the Shinnecock Territory. Founded by Shinnecock Elder Gerrod Smith, Tuktu serves as the for-profit arm to his daughter’s non-profit, Blossom Sustainable Development, a mental health and substance abuse counseling service. Tuktu works with Blossom as well as Shinnecock youth organizations to provide Eco Therapy as a means to prevent substance abuse and promote mental wellness and self-awareness. While a new concept to Western Society, Eco Therapy is in fact based on the aboriginal way of life and indigenous wisdom.