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August 13, 2007

Arcata, California As, I was putting the final touches on the canoe paddler of this 35 totem I've been working for months...a  fellow woodworker, Harvey came by to check it out.  "Fabulous" he said, and then Charley and I fitted the yew paddle in the hands of the canoe paddler.  Harvey yelled out, as we were up about 20 feet, "speaking of canoes, we are launching a repaired Yurok redwood dugout canoe tomorrow in Trinidad Harbor"  Harvey worked with a Yurok native, Axel whose father created the canoe back in the 1980's.  Over time in developed a sizable crack.  Harvey, created 150 dowels, with some gorilla glue and repair wood, viola, the crack fixed. 

Inside the yurok canoes' a carved nose brow, heart and kidneys... The following is from the Creation Story of the Yurok people. 'When it came time for the Redwood tree to speak, he said, 'I have wood and a strong heart to give to the people to build their houses and canoes to travel the waters.' And so, our houses and boats have a heart. When the heart of the canoe touches the water, they know one another - they have a relationship.

a historic photo of a Yurok on the Trinity River in Northern California, early 1900's.


The repaired Redwood Canoe, with Skip a Yurok who works for the park service. 


Maiden voyage of the repaired canoe...with the key instrumental people responsible for it happening.

 
the canoe paddler with a yew paddle on the stagecoach totem pole.  the yew wood is from blue lake.