A vivid documentary series following the teachings, hardships, struggles and self-discovery that faced 6 Indigenous adventurers on a 25-day journey by birch bark canoe like no other.
A vivid documentary series following the teachings, hardships, struggles and self-discovery that faced 6 Indigenous adventurers on a 25-day journey by birch bark canoe like no other.
Created by the Cree, it is made by drying and pounding meat into a powder and mixing with an equal amount of melted fat. Adding dried berries, fruits, or plants available in season could also be done.
The waters are home to several types of fish, including the Walleye, Northern Pike, and Trout. Some traditional ways they could be caught are by net, spear, or digging channels to trap them.
Traditional canoes were made of all natural materials, including birch bark, cedar, spruce, and resin. They could vary in size from single to 12 man vessels and were essential to trade with other nations.
Often dome or conical in shape, these dwellings could be used seasonally and would often be returned to by families at various times of year.
Often a loop made of tree roots, rope, or wire and placed along the path of small to medium game, this method of sourcing food and fur is very effective when used in high volume.
Gathered from wounds on a spruce tree, the sticky gum would be mixed with ash and used to patch holes on the canoe.
The first of the sacred medicines. When any spirit is being removed from the Earth, tobacco is left as an offering for it. When burned it brings prayers up to the spirits.
Used for fishing, these nets would be set vertical in the water, with floats on top and held down by rocks. Simple to tie, this method made it easier to capture larger quantities of fish at once.
Made from the land, this trap, triggered by an animal pulling bait attached to a lever, would use the weight of a log to break its prey’s back or neck, leaving fur intact.
Maple sap would be collected in birch bark containers and poured into vats made of moose hide, hollowed out logs, or bark, where it was boiled using hot rocks until reduced to a sweet syrup.
A method of food preservation where meat or fish is hung above a low burning fire and the smoke cures the food, helping it last several days.
The outer surface of a birch tree, it can be shaped into baskets, used as covering over wigwams, or as the skin of a canoe. Sourcing should always be learned from an Elder with knowledge how not to hurt the tree.
Long, thin, and strong, when soaked they are pliable and act as rope and can be used to create snares or tie objects together, such as birch bark, shelter, and canoe frames.
Essential to life, this can be created using moss, dried leaves and twigs as tinder. Then certain sticks can be rubbed strategically together as a bow-drill or flint rock and metal can be banged together to create spark.
The cornerstone of the fur trade, the pelt was prized by Europeans for its texture, resilience, and value in the fashion world. Indigenous people were expert in locating and collecting hides, designing traps for all seasons and conditions.
Canoes would be carried over land to get to the next river or lake, which could last from a few minutes to several days. Crews would have to transport all their gear, tools, and furs at the same time, and often use their canoes as shelter.
Animal pelts were not only traded for tools or resources, but were used by families to make warmer clothing for winter months, blankets, hats, robes, or moccasins.
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