Building a canoe from birch bark is an exercise in tradition and understanding

When the birch bark canoe being built by Chuck Team sets out on the River Wye on Thursday afternoon, it will be a bridge to a past that stretches back 4,500 years.

Armed with the accumulated knowledge of his ancestors, the Team approaches creation with the dedication of an apprentice—patiently completing one job before moving on to the next, his hands busy shaping, carving and smoothing every component of the canoe, ensuring it is watertight. .

“When I was a kid, we did it all by hand,” Kommanda said, working in a pop-up tent in the yard at Elmvale Area High School (EDHS), where it had been set up since last Monday. “Nowadays, after a while, I use some power tools, but it’s the same process, the same technique.”

Commanda learned how to build birch bark canoes under the guidance of his grandparents, William and Mary Commanda, during his childhood in the community of Kitigan-Zibi, Quebec, about 90 minutes north of Ottawa.

“My grandmother explained everything because she was patient,” says the 64-year-old craftsman. “My grandfather, who had no patience, would do the work and she would explain what he was doing.”

While the grandfather was building, young Komanda absorbed everything that his grandmother told him.

He learned where to find the right trees and how to choose the best ones for building. He learned about spring bark and winter bark and how to collect both to make the vessel watertight and leak free. He learned why his ancestors replaced bindings made of animal parts with spruce roots.

“Wisdom comes from the earth,” said Team. “There was a time when they used ‘babish’ – moose hide thread – to tie everything together, but the animals would gnaw it, which compromised the structure.

“They got tired of repairing them, and one day someone pulled the root of the fir tree. They tested it and it was surprisingly strong. It was also bitter to the animals, so they did not want to eat it.”

The team, a member of the Algonquin Nation, came to EDHS at the invitation of the school’s principal, Mark Rusillo, who sees the work of the Team as much more than just a form of transportation.

“It’s not just about building a canoe,” Ruzylo said. “It’s about establishing connections.

“If we treat this as just a construction project, we’re missing more important messages.”

According to Ruzylo, when the canoe is finished and placed in the Wye River — a ceremony called a birth — the connection will become apparent.

“The Mouth of the Wye is the place of Sainte-Marie Among the Hurons,” Rousillo said. “The fact that we can connect our students, our school and this canoe and have it born in the river behind the school on the River Wye is important. It connects us to St. Marie, which connects us to Georgian Bay, which connects us to Beausoleil Island, which connects us to Christian Island, to the French River, and then to Manitoulin Island.

“It shows the connections we have, and it reaffirms the sense of connection,” he added.

In addition, according to Ruzylo, canoeing plays a key role in understanding other parts of the curriculum.

For example, in math, students can explore the fins of a canoe as a series of parabolas. In physics, students can learn about volume and displacement. In geography, students can consider watercourses and ecozones. Historically, canoes have animated transport and trade. In the technique, the design of a canoe made of birch bark comes to the fore.

“I think that in order for learning to be meaningful, it has to be tied to something specific,” Ruzylo said. “We often look at experiential learning as a way to reinforce lessons, and canoeing is an incredible learning tool because of the principles involved.”