Our Canoeing Heritage
Preserving the Art
The Museum is an important catalyst in the
preservation of the techniques of Aboriginal canoe
and kayak building and of traditional European
canoe building. Just as the Museum has saved from oblivion many
historic Aboriginal craft, its mandate also includes
the preservation and documentation of important
types of canoe and kayak building. There is not one
of the original great Montreal Canoes left in the
world and many other important types are in
danger of disappearing from memory.
The Museum has launched a program of
documenting important building techniques
with the detailed filming of the construction of
the original style of canoe that launched canoe
building in the Peterborough area. And a generous
grant from the Federal Museum Assistance Program
has allowed the Museum to initiate a new method
of taking very precise lines off small craft. Thus,
future generations of canoe and kayak builders
will be able to perpetuate the art.
| 
