Canoe Paddle Item Number: A8170 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Carved wood paddle with a diamond-shaped blade. The blade and the lower shaft are painted red while the upper shaft is painted black. Handle grip mortised and nailed onto the shaft and painted red. Black painted panel on the blade contains designs of a raccoon in grey and a curved shape in orange. These designs appear on both sides of the blade.
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)."
Cultural Context
water travel
Narrative
This is a man's paddle. Its diamond shaped blade differentiates it from the woman's paddle which has a round or pointed end, while river paddles are distinguished by a triangular notch cut into the bottom of the blade (see Elmendorf 1960:188-189).
Item History
- Made in British Columbia, Canada
- Collected in North Saanich, British Columbia, Canada during 1950
- Owned by Edith Bevan Cross before July 30, 1962
- Received from Edith Bevan Cross (Seller) and H. R. MacMillan (Funding source) on July 30, 1962
What
Who
- Culture
- Coast Salish: Saanich
- Previous Owner
- Edith Bevan Cross
- Received from
- Edith Bevan Cross (Seller) and H. R. MacMillan (Funding source)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- British Columbia, Canada
- Collected in
- North Saanich, British Columbia, Canada
When
- Collection Date
- during 1950
- Ownership Date
- before July 30, 1962
- Acquisition Date
- on July 30, 1962
Other
- Condition
- fair
- Current Location
- Case 3
- Accession Number
- 0081/0026 b