Canoe Paddle

Item number A1559 from the MOA: University of British Columbia.

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Data
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Description

Carved wood paddle, undecorated, with a long narrow blade. Handle grip is made from a seperate piece of wood. The blade of the paddle is long and ovoid in shape.

History Of Use

Anthropologist Homer Barnett notes that: "Paddles were made of yellow cedar, yew and maple. Those of maple and cedar were painted, the mem's being black, the women's red. A smoky pitch fire and oil gave an impenetrable black. Ocher or an alder-bark infusion supplied the red. Practically, the colouration protected the wood and, so some say, prevented the glint of sunlight on a moving paddle (1955:116)." This style of paddle would have been used by a man.

Cultural Context

water travel

Narrative

The shape of this paddle is similar to one described by anthropologist Homer Barnett, which was used on the river during rough weather. He refers to it as a steersman's paddle (see 1955:117, figure 50). Women's paddles have rounded blades, similar to this one, but they are generally shorter in length.