10 - Wadnesday, September 2, 1992 - North Shore News

Squamish unveil
st ocean-going

canoe in

30 years

Xwmelch’sten Park ceremony

THE FIRST ocean-going
canoe to be built locally in
at least 50 years was unveil-
ed at a special blessing cer-
emony held at
Xwmelch’sten Park on the
Capilano reserve during
Squamish Nation Day, Aug.
27.

By Paul Hughes
Contributing Writer

Chief Simon Baker and several
other elders moved slowly around
the 40-foot long, - five-foot -wide
hand-carved canoe to the beat of
drums, gently touching the sides
of the craft with boughs from a
red cedar, the species of tree from
which it was carved.

“Today this canoe is ready to
travel 1o Bella Bella with first na-
tion’s: paddlers from the north,
south, east and west,” said Baker,
referring to the Gaatuwas Project,
a gathering of canoe cultures from
around the Pacific Rim, scheduled
to take place in the summer of
1993,

The Bella Bella gathering is the
main reason the canoe was carved.
The driving force. behind the
Squamish band’s participation in
the project was Bob Baker, cul-
tural coordinator for the band.

‘ Early on he became interesied
in Gaatuwas and. immediately
began lobbying the Squamish
Band Council for the funds to
start the project. So much so that
he soon became saddled with the
nickname ‘‘Lobby Bobby.°’

But his persistence paid off.
The canoe has become a focal
point for the rebirth of the
Squamish heritage.

As the coverings were removed
to reveal the bow with the sea-
lion design, the sleck Slack hull
and the sacred red paint of the in-
terior, a ripple of emotion and
pride washed over the onlookers.

This: was especially apparent in
the faces of the elders, some of
whom have dim memories of such
canoes up and down the coast.

_ Said elder Joe Washington, an
Honored: guest from the Lummi
reserve: ‘“‘What I'm seeing here
today is what our old people used
to talk about.’”

The canoe was carved by Cedric
Billy, one of the few master
carvers with the skills necessary to
complete such a project.

He-has built countless racing
canoes, but never had he tackled
one of this scale.

Many of the traditional
methods used to carve ocean-
going canoes were buried in the
mist of unwritten history.

Cedric and his wife Penny
carefully researched each step in
the process, talking to elders and
other carvers.

Finally, after five months of
agony, the canoe was launched at
Mosquito. Creek Marina. Even
then the worries weren't over.

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Said Billy, “I know it will float
because it’s wood. But will it float
right side up?”
He had nothing to wovry about.
Tne hull sat perfectly level and
sliced eagerly through the water.
The canoe will not only be used
in the Gaatuwas Project, but will
be available for Squamish band 2 : Z ; =
members who want to explore NEWS ohoto Neil Luconte

their traditional territories in a .
traditional manaers MASTER CARVER Cedric Billy carved the 40-foot-long ocesn-going cance that the Squamish will

Referring to the historic occa- take to Bella Bella for the Gaatuwas Projeci, a gathering of cence cultures from around the Pacific
sion, Bob Baker said, ‘This is a Rim set to take place in the summer of 1993.
very moving moment. This canoe
is going to put us on the map.”

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