New Brunswick·NewOn Nov. 5 about 30 people celebrated the continuation of traditional canoe making when they attended the launch of a traditional Wolastoqey birch bark canoe into the Saint John River.A traditional Wolastoqey canoe floated on the Wolastoq, bringing the craft back to the communityLaura Flight · CBC News · Posted: Nov 12, 2025 5:00 AM EST | Last Updated: 30 minutes agoListen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence. A 4.5-metre, traditional Wolastoqey birch bark canoe took passengers for a test ride in the Wolastoq River on Nov 5. (Laura Flight/CBC)Along the shore of the Saint John River dozens of people gathereed to celebrate the continuation of traditional canoe making when they attended the launch of a traditional Wolastoqey birch bark canoe into the water.The Neqotkuk artist who constructed the canoe said the ceremony represents the resilience of their culture.“Having a birch bark canoe on the water means that our culture is still alive,” Shane Perley-Dutcher said. WATCH | Building a birch bark canoe an ‘act of resiliency,’ says Neqotkuk artist:Indigenous group celebrates launch of birch bark canoe made entirely off the landWith the help of students from the Under One Sky Friendship Centre, Shane Perley-Dutcher constructed a 15-foot, traditional Wolastoqey birch bark canoe with materials harvested off the land.About 30 people attended the ceremony.Perley-Dutcher built the canoe under a program called, Under One Sky, which is a Wabanaki Land Based Program designed to bring Indigenous practices and skills back to the community.He described building the canoe as “healing” and said it was about passing on knowledge and traditions to future generations.“It’s bringing back a part of me that I wasn’t allowed to learn when I was younger,” Perley-Dutcher said.“It’s something that was a disconnect from our continuum on this land.” Perley-Dutcher was an artist in residence with the Under One Sky Friendship Centre and he guided a group of students through the five month long process of building a Wolastoqey birch bark canoe. Dylin Connor was a student working on the canoe project twice a week since May 14. (Laura Flight/CBC)Measuring 4.5 metres long, the canoe is made entirely from materials that the group collected from the land. These include a 6-metre sheet of birch bark, spruce root, spruce gum, cedar wood, and bear grease. “To be able to do this again, we’re bringing back something that was outlawed,” Perley-Dutcher said. “It’s something that wasn’t supported by colonial powers. So it’s almost an act of resiliency to be able to build a birch bark canoe on these lands.” ‘It’s kind of like a fulfillment’The artist had help from Dylin Connor and Jaytn Jackson, two students with Under One Sky, to harvest the materials. “It’s kind of like a fulfillment, like you’ve become whole,” Connor said about how it felt to be part of the canoe project. For Patsy Mckinney, the executive director of Under One Sky, it was an emotional day. “It’s a dream to be able to do this because I didn’t have access to this as a young person, nor did my children.”The canoe will be displayed at the Under One Sky Friendship Center. Every year, they plan to hold a ceremony to bring the canoe back to the water. This way, more and more people have the opportunity to celebrate the birch bark canoe tradition. “This is really exciting to bring it to this generation,” McKinney said. ABOUT THE AUTHORLaura Flight is a reporter at CBC New Brunswick in Fredericton. You can reach her at laura.flight@cbc.ca.
‘Our culture is still alive’: Birch bark canoe connects Wabanaki community to the land
