This article stems from a collaborative effort with The Canadian Canoe Museum.
By Kim Gray
If you’re a canoe enthusiast in Canada, you may share the excitement about a significant development happening in Peterborough, Ontario.
The Canadian Canoe Museum is in the process of relocating its renowned collection from its current site to a new space under construction by the shores of Little Lake, set to open in 2024.
This move brings with it new complements to this uniquely Canadian cultural institution, which was founded in 1997 and hosts approximately 600 historic canoes, kayaks, and paddled watercraft. Initiatives are underway to enhance the museum’s collection, including the commissioning of a remarkable 21-foot-long ocean-going birchbark canoe, as depicted above.
This canoe was crafted last summer in Nova Scotia’s Kejimkujik National Park by Mi’kmaq artisan Todd Labrador, along with his daughter Melissa and extended family. Its design features a distinctive raised middle to withstand rough ocean conditions, as well as intricate and labor-intensive spruce root stitching.
“If you’re not patient, then birchbark canoe building is not for you,” Labrador remarks with a warm laugh.
Labrador, whose great-grandfather Joseph Jeremy was a master birchbark canoe maker, speaks of feeling his ancestors’ presence while he works.
“When I’m in the forest, gathering bark or roots, I can feel them around me. This craft runs deeply in my family’s heritage. I don’t pursue this for money; it’s a passion I dream about at night,” he shares.
Museum curator Jeremy Ward mentions that one of the new exhibit areas will focus on contemporary canoe and kayak design and construction techniques.
“Todd is an ideal choice for this exploration,” Ward states, adding that Labrador’s canoe will be featured alongside the creations of other ‘exceptional makers’ whose methods are rooted in tradition yet often incorporate their unique innovations.”
Situated on the Traditional Territory of the Williams Treaties First Nations, the ambitious new 65,000-square-foot Canadian Canoe Museum aims to be more than just a facility, according to executive director Carolyn Hyslop.
“From its very foundation, this will be a vibrant home for our collection and its accompanying stories, fostering collaboration and diverse relationships,” Hyslop explains about what will be a five-acre waterfront campus with both indoor and outdoor amenities. “It will be a welcoming space that belongs to everyone.”
Meanwhile, Labrador hopes that his canoe, adorned with engravings of his family’s handprints, will become a source of pride and a symbol of peace for his grandchildren, the Mi’kmaq Nation, Canadians, and people around the globe.
“When constructing a birchbark canoe, we often use bark from different trees. Just like people, bark comes in a variety of colors,” he notes. “I believe that if humanity unites, we can emerge strong and beautiful, much like a canoe.”
Melissa and Todd Labrador with Jeremy Ward and Carolyn Hyslop / Photo courtesy of The Canadian Canoe Museum
Editor’s Note: For more information about The Canadian Canoe Museum’s upcoming new location, we recommend reading Roy MacGregor’s detailed article in The Globe & Mail.
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