B.C. students to carve massive cedar canoe

CAMPBELL RIVER, B.C. — A massive western red cedar log will soon find a new home in the water.

BC Timber Sales (BCTS) and the Nanwakolas Council helped locate and organize the delivery of the log to Carihi Secondary school in Campbell River where it will be used by students and staff to carve a traditional canoe with the input of Indigenous students, artists and elders.

Principal Fred Schuab and two teachers, Ray Wilson and Jeffrey Lontayao, began planning the project two years ago after being inspired by the gathering of the canoes in Campbell River. The gathering is known as the Qatuwas.

The Nanwakolas Council asked the BCTS for help in finding a gigantic 1.5-metre-by-9.1-metre red cedar log from BCTS’ Strait of Georgia Campbell River operating area that would be suitable for carving.

BCTS operations technician Dave Hamilton was tasked with banding, falling and delivering the log from the operating area to the school grounds. The tree was located in the traditional territories of the Tlowitsis First Nation and We Wai Kai First Nation which both endorsed the project.

The project has also received endorsement from the Wei Wai Kum, Homalco and Klahoose band councils, as well as the Métis National Council.

Carver and instructor Max Chickite, a member of We Wai Kai First Nation, assisted Hamilton in locating the perfect tree. Students from the Carihi Secondary forestry class were invited to be a part of the whole process of inspecting, marking, mapping and documenting the key characteristics of monumental and legacy trees.

The tree chosen is approximately 170 centimetres in diameter and is one of several large cultural cedar trees that BCTS has inventoried and reserved for First Nations to access under permit. 

The log was delivered to the school grounds this month where it will receive a traditional blessing organized jointly by Wei Wai Kum and Wei Wai Kai before any carving begins.

Many area companies also helped with harvesting the log, including Holbrook Dyson Logging Ltd., Sibola Mountain Falling Ltd., Fearless Trucking, Strategic Natural Resource Consultants and Discovery Crane.

“We are deeply honoured and humbled by being entrusted with this cedar log from our local Indigenous communities and Nations as a symbol of their trust and generosity,” said Schaub. “With this gesture comes a great responsibility to us, as a school and as a school district, to work closely and under the guidance of our local Indigenous communities, an opportunity to show reconciliation in action. As this canoe emerges from its tree, we will work hard to build trust and collaboration at all levels in education and in the community.”