Wednesday, January 18, 2012

César et son fils Canot D'Ecorce

César Newashish, Native American Nation, Attikamek Manouane Reserve, Quebec, built this canoe. Early in the spring while the sap is running, he goes into the woods and chooses his birch. He sews the peeled bark with stripped spruce roots. Cedar wood comprises the end of the boat, ties, membrane and lathing. Last comes installation of the gunwales, sealing the boat and decoration.

His canoe is a work of art. At every stage, you will wonder anew.

A film by Bernard Gosselin.



Thank you Dave for sending me this jewel.
.

4 comments:

Graham Neil said...

Thanks for passing this on. Absolutely amazing, I am in awe.

doryman said...

It's almost a movie length video, so at first I thought I'd watch a few minutes. It wasn't but a minute later (I swear) and the boat was half done. Couldn't tear myself away!

I think of myself as an intuitive builder and it's a point of pride that I can build a boat without a lot of fancy shop tools, but to be able to build a boat with an axe and a knife, is simple amazing.

I don't think all our science and technology has improved on this canoe one bit.

skipjack1012 said...

That's the way it got all my guys. No way to stop watching it till you see what he does. It's so effortless and with an ax and a pocket knife? I don't think I'll be trying that one. Dave

doryman said...

The expectation throughout is that this perfectly seamless birch fabric, which is both stiff and supple will break or tear just where it shouldn't. But it never does.

Three knives, an axe, a homemade wood mallet, a hatchet, a brace and bit, a store bought hammer and a pencil from the hardware store. That's all it takes!

Sure, the fishing gear was equally minimal.

I don't think we've improved much on this way of life in five centuries of "advanced" civilization.