Article #3

Traditional birch bark canoe built by arts students-Shane Fowler

Rating:****

This is a very interesting article that has opened my eyes to the difficulty of  building traditional canoes and how much of a process it is. 

Students in the aboriginal arts program at New Brunswick College are undertaking the challenge of building a traditional birch bark canoe. They are following instructions/guidelines that have been used for over 100 years. They are going through all the steps and not taking any shortcuts.One of the biggest challenges they are facing is getting birch bark for the project as it is scarce and they need big pieces for the canoe. They also have to dig up spruce roots for lashings. Once they complete the canoe it will be etched with aboriginal art.The class intends to launch the canoe next weekend at st marys pow-wow.

This article has informed me about how canoes were made by aboriginals years ago and furthered my knowledge of aboriginal culture.It has made me think about how times have changed and now canoes are mass produced and made out of fibreglass or metal. Canoe building used to be an art. I learned about the process of building a traditional birch bark canoe and how difficult it is. It has inspired to try my own woodworking projects in the future. It will make me more prone to try my own projects like this.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/traditional-birch-bark-canoe-built-by-arts-students-1.3101611