Model birch bark canoe
Reproduction
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Object number17242
TitleModel birch bark canoe
Creator Micmac East Woods (manufacturer)
DescriptionThis model canoe was made in the 19th century; a tiny but exquisite version of the real thing, probably made as a souvenir. It was made by the Mi’kmaq people, for whom boats like this were a key part of daily life.
Mi’kmaq come from the eastern coast of north America, including Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland. In the past they relied on their environment to sustain them. They followed the seasons: spring and summer were spent on the coast fishing and gathering shellfish; autumn and winter saw them heading inland to hunt animals such as moose, beavers and porcupine. The quills of the latter were used in decorative beadwork – you can see coloured quills decorating the sides of this model canoe.
Across Canada and North America people built and used boats which worked best for the climate and waterways of the area in which they lived. They used local materials with great skill and ingenuity. Light-weight, narrow bark canoes, which could be lifted and carried around rapids or waterfalls, were the preferred choice for the continent’s great lakes and rivers and around sheltered shorelines.
The canoe’s light framework was made from wood and covered with the bark of the paper birch, then made watertight with pitch made from balsam fir trees. Birch bark was lightweight; moreover, when it was used inside out, the surface of the boat became smooth and waterproof. Open-topped, with room to sit or kneel, these canoes were silent and swift, propelled with single-bladed paddles.
Production placeCanada Maritime Provinces
Object nameModel - canoe