The Ojibwa/Chippewa Indians traveled on foot or
in sturdy birch bark dugout canoes. Everything they used was made by
hand, including their canoes.
The Chippewa were master canoe builders. First
they put stakes in the ground, forming an outline of the canoe.
The
stakes were not part of the canoe. They were used to hold the boat
upright while it was being built.
Next, they placed thick sheets of
birch bark inside the stakes, forming the canoe. They added bent cedar
ribs to brace the canoe. They sewed the bark with string made from
spruce roots.
They glued it together with spruce gum that made the
seams watertight. They had a portable, light weight, sturdy,
waterproof bark canoe.
Some of their boats were so big they could move
entire families. They moved around a lot because, except in the
summer, the Ojibwa lived in isolated
family camps, harvesting foods, as directed by the seasons.
