I'm from Sweden and love traditional woodworking. There is a long tradition of both scandinavians and saami using birchbark for everyday objects, like containers, baskets and shoes etc. We use a lot of similar techniques like spruce roots to bind together the different layers and I just love it when completely different cultures and people "invent" the same things despite beign thousands of miles away. Awesome video and great build!
Thank you very much for being witness of your work replicating this canoe the original way like generations of native people ( you call them First Nations) had been building them. It was a very impressive video. All the best to all people who had given their best to preserve the history of this classic boat build. Have always save tours and enjoy. Best wishes and greetings from Germany 🇩🇪👍👍😎
It's youtube that will pass the tradition down to the next generation, anyone could make one of these with the video, men teachers will come and go but this video will live on forever
This was only of the most lovely pieces of craftsmanship I've had the honor of watching in a very long time. Beautiful work and a rich piece of history and culture kept alive.
That's something I get a chuckle from every time I see it. Back in the late 60's a few companies painted aluminum canoes to look like birch bark except the painted it with the white side out.....lol
Believe in a man.. a man who is true in his efforts. The kindness of his soul is demonstrated in his voice. I wish i could shake your hand. Hug you're neck. Be a part of who you are.
I had a Birchbark canoe when I was a kid. It lasted me up till my 30's, when my neighbor's house burnt down, taking my boat shed, and my canoe with it. It was like getting kicked in the guts when that happened, but I still have the years of memories, and joy that using that canoe brought me.
When I was in junior high school, circa 1973... my sociology class made whale boats out of cardboard. It was such a fun experiment. This looks like an awesome video. Imagine this takes a great deal of patience. Thank you for sharing your video! I am going to sit back with my stove top buttery popcorn and enjoy it! The things I learn from You Tube videos.... loved how you shared about your ancestors and skills that I hope will never become obsolete. As I am watching, I am trying to imagine in my mind, how the Indians made these canoes without all the modern tools and such that you are using. May the young couple have a happy wedding and a beautiful life together! Share your traditions with your children. These are skills that should never die.
Wow this guy is smarter then he looks Lol. one of the best videos I've seen ever. This man knows his tread. What a wonderful thing to do for someone. This guy is a master builder of an all but lost art.
Incredible video! The canoe is a work of art. I can’t get over how complicated it is. Our country (USA) has a shameful history when it comes to how we’ve treated indigenous peoples. It’s good to see one of my fellow white men using his skills and the knowledge he’s acquired to give back something that belongs to the Native American people. He’s doing this with respect and humility as he works alongside the people whose culture this amazing technology came from. I think we can learn a lot more than just boat building from this.
You my good sir are the most artistic and skilled wood worker i have ever seen your not just making a means of transportation your making art and history, thank you kindly
They were stillmaking them at the turn of the century and still in use in the thirties. Modern "Oldtown" type canoes were based on the original designs and canvas covered ones could be painted to look very much like traditional. I think old movies liked that sparked my interest in early american history. It sure wasn't school history class lol. Child in the 60's
When I was in the 6th grade 60 plus years ago I remember drawing a picture of an Indian in a birchbark canoe and coloring it in with crayon and the teacher hanging it up on the wall. When I saw this I knew I had to watch it. I was totally engrossed. What I really liked was the earthly respect for the wood and giving homage to where it came from. The craftsmanship and attention to detail was a pleasure to watch. I'm so glad I stumbled upon this video.
If you can't stand it then just sit on it, seems like you might be more comfortable with that. The term Indian was 100% politically correct 60 years ago. He was describing something 60 years ago, and his words paid honor to the craft of the birch bark canoe.
I watched the whole thing too! I've seen the canoe in person and it is a beautiful craft. I couldn't believe how easy he made it looked, or how strong the birch bark really was
@@scottknudson8822 I have one criticism of your video. At the end you never gave us much of a look at the finished canoe- just two brief shots at the same low angle from the exterior. That was very disappointing. We need some shots looking at the whole canoe interior and exterior from different angles. We need some shots looking at the bottom out of the water. Without that there is no perception of the canoe form as a whole. I know the canoe was very beautiful, but you never really displayed that. Strange.
The Dufken Replica was built in Fremantle Western Australia by the same original method, the keel was laid then the hull planks fitted and then the frames were fitted to suit the hull. Amazing to watch the shipwrights bending such huge timbers over the longest barbecue in the world.
Grant your an absolute delight to watch splitting roots, and ceder ribs with such precision. Keeping this tradition alive is a tribute to the indigenous people who bought about this art form.
Enjoyed watching the whole process. This video satisfied a lot of curiosity i had with the birch bark canoe construction. Cheers from down under in New Zealand....
Working together, sharing ideas and experiences, learning new ideas and ways of doing things, poking fun at each other, and teaching...this is the essence of human culture. Fantastic post. Thank you!
The person or people that invented this should have a monument erected in honor. He , she , or they were the native Einsteins. This is like a Stradivarius of bushcraft tech.
Seriously impressive craftsmanship. Really love the atmosphere of a bunch of friends just hanging out, taking part in the making of such an incredible thing, conversing while each contributes their energy to produce parts that add up to a much greater whole.
This guy is great. He masters the process and know how. He might not be using the best and most fancy traditional tools but he know which gets the job done.
@@738polarbear too bad for you people don’t have infinite time, and this video is 9 years old, that man teaching is likely dead or too old to teach, he’s trying to get as much done in the time he has to teach what he knows before he’s gone.
Brian, I watched an old video I found on this ancient skill (gentleman was a Native American) and I literally got choked-up while watching it. Beautiful!
"Grant Goltz was a soil scientist at Chippewa National forest in northern Minnesota. Goltz carved wooden life-sized waterfowl decoys out of his basement in Minnesota as a side hobby for many years. As a side hobby, Goltz carved full-size waterfowl decoys for many years. The anatomical detail of his carvings is impressive and he will research the birds he carves for weeks before ever touching the wood. In the 1970’s Goltz gained national and international recognition for his decorative decoys. In particular, the intricate paint work on the feathers is highly praised by collectors."
Wow, that is a GREAT build you and your group did! You’re absolutely right when you say that these technologies are anything but primitive. They are masterful adaptation of the available materials and tools to meeting their needs. Congratulations to all of you, and may the canoe have a long life...
An ancient and beautiful craft that in many ways defines Canada. A labour of love. Especially with pre-metal technology. Excellent video. Who needs prime time cable when we can watch and learn.
Very impressive work. It gives one a totally new appreciation of the sophisticated skills employed by early native Americans in building a birchbark canoe. Thank you for sharing this video through UA-cam.
Even more impressive that he did it in just 7 days. I saw another documentary yesterday about a carpenter with all the modern tools doing a skeleton canoe with cloth/epoxy coat, and he took 10 days. (With help).
Thank you for this, it's simply amazing. The amount of "man-hours" required, (no offense women, just a term and not meant to be sexist nor misogynistic), is confounding. This IS great technology utilizing nature. I truly respect the native cultures and people of North America. I'm happy that many have survived our recklessness, and sad that many have not. This video is quite mind blowing and educational. Again, thank you!
WoW, I have watched over 2500 videos on youtube in the last 2-3 years. I'll have to say, that is one of the most impressive videos I have ever seen. I would love to take part in one of his classes. Keep on teaching, its our future.
While browsing through the UA-cam, I came across this. I found it very interesting so I watched it to the very end. And then watched it again for the second time. Thank you for producing this educational and informative video.
Thank you for preserving our North American heritage. What you do is special and actually borders on the spiritual. May God continue to bless you and those that help in this endeavor.
Ive made a couple hundred skateboards with high tech laminating presses and modern adhesives.... But i found the splitting and forming of the keel timber to be very interesting and a great learning experience. Thanks for creating and posting this here. :) What a beautiful wedding gift!
What a great realization to see birchbark canoe construction still continues. Many congratulations to all involved, truly a labour of love. Many years ago I watched the construction of a birchbark canoe built by either Algonquin or Cree tribe Indians in Ontario right in the middle of summer, the mosquitoes and blackflies were unbelievable. It was like a mist, the workers never swatted the flies just kept working away, it was a family construct with adults and children involved. I believe it was filmed by the Canadian Film Board circa 1940. I understand this vessel was constructed from one birchbark tree. The finest Birchbark canoe in the Canadian Government collection was repatriated from the UK some years ago. Originally it was constructed in Canada then taken to England by an English Military officer, it was discovered in the rafters of a barn in the UK.
This whole piece, from concept, to the production, through to completion is a work of beauty in every level by which it can be perceived. My appreciation to everyone involved in this presentation. As for the process, as a tool guy, I'm yet more amazed at how the early peoples fashioned their craft with stone implements before the introduction of metal into their midst and the instructor's skill with a simple razor knife.
This was amazing. Way better than the dugout canoe from logs. I never would have believed its complexity and well thought-out planning until I saw you do it. Its a real masterpiece.
It’s five in the morning and I’m watching this; why it appeared on my screen I don’t know. Made my heart soar to see this thing of beauty being created...
What I have seen here is a traditional Master class in woodworking. This would pass in Germany at the Guild for carpentry/woodwork as a masterpiece, followed by a master certificate. There is an honor for tradition, pride in their own work and respect for the material. I have the utmost respect for the people and their work.
i was born in '65 and when i was in 6th grade i remember reading about voyageurs & native american indians & birch bark canoes .... and i have been fascinated ever since.
I've watched this before, but it's interesting enough to watch more than once. This time I noticed more information that I'd missed the first time. The construction techniques used in constructing this canoe show probably generations of development and improvements, and show a real knowledge of the local materials, and their individual characteristics, that suit them to each purpose. I found the method of tensioning the bark with the ribs particularly interesting, together with lining the inside with ceder veneers, prior to the installation of the ribs. Even more impressive is the fact that it was about a weeks work, and all with very simple tools.
Well, leaving aside the power drill and the steel froe and other steel tools, none of which the original canoe builders had. I'm no purist by any means, but those few modern tools they used reduced the build time by a factor we will never know until someone builds one entirely the "old" way and documents the process. It probably took months to build one of these centuries ago.
@@Daledavispratt Coincidentally, I've recently watched some Inuit building a kayak in a day, with nothing more than driftwood. and probably sealskin to cover it, in an old monochrome film from way back. The only tools were a drill consisting of a wooden rod with a pointed pin for a drill, and a knife, and rocks to sand and shape the timber, and lots of sinew to tie/stitch it together. As they were north of the arctic circle, their 'day' was probably a long one. There's a ''Time Team'' type program, where they build a reproduction ''Woodhenge'' from scratch using only the stone tools available at the time the original was built. Felling fully grown trees with stone axes. It was amazing how fast they could work. .
I am super impressed, amazed and admire the intelligence of these people of this country. Their creativity, their conception, the innovation to improvise and their skill to construct and patience to build a Birchbark Canoes from natural forest materials, it seems to me like gifted persons of people, who are as great as shipbuilders of wooden ships.
I am rediscovering my Ojibwa heritage. Was raised being told I was French. Thanks so much for sharing this I will be ordering video on payday. My son and I will be building one of these this summer. Haven't decided on size yet but big enough for 2 plus fishing and camping gear.
such a nice mixture of science, craftsmanship, cultural identity and political statement! If I would not be a scientist I would love to be a carpenter and boat-builder... wood is such a marvelous material! In sub-antarctic south america we had a similar canoe-building tradition, which unluckily disappeared as the last indigenous peoples also became extinct... you are paving the road for things to come!
Have no idea how I ended up coming to this video, but wow ... this must be one of the most fascinating video/documentaries I have seen in a while. Great video!
I agree Kick. I am an outdoorsman and I cut wood and drop dead trees for a hobby and somehow this video was in my Que. I started it and just couldn't stop watching. He makes it look so simple and I thoroughly enjoyed how all the materials were gathered locally. I had no idea that something like this was even possible. I am not more educated about canoe making. Thanks so much.
These folks have more respect for native culture than a lot of natives I’ve met. I hope these traditions get passed on generation to generation it’s very important for natives to understand their culture and to show the younger generations the same understanding. Much respect for First Nations , native Americans and people who show them the same respect for their knowledge of the traditions and culture. Some day if modern day “Rome” falls this knowledge is what will be important to human survival. Everything you need to survive and live is found in nature and somehow along the way humans have forgotten that.
Wow!!! Our museum has several authentic birch bark canoes - two on display. Our displays aim to educate on the Fur Trade and summer transportation in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The waves on Lake Superior were so big, the canoes had to be massive! Our collection contains a canoe possibly designed for a child, a fishing canoe, and a regular one used by the manager and president of Duluth South Shore & Atlantic Railway. Awesome video by the way, thanks for giving us an excuse to gush!
This is great. This is exactly what we should be teaching our children. With the help of videos like this one I'm teaching myself these crafts. Thanks much.
@Alex Taylor Thanks for your reply. I have seen several videos on how Indians made canoes in the traditional manner. I'm sure these builders did as well. I've also seen a video of native americans building a canoe and used poly bailing twine as a binder ( where it didn't show). The point , that I get from this is the finished product not how they get there so much. If i was in a survival situation it would be great to know primitive methods and I do experiment with original technology to learn the processes. I sincerely think no one is trying to pull the wool over anyones eyes. I don't doubt that there are many out there that believe this is how they did it.
I was working in my office and once in a while I put you tube on. I was drawn to this video like a moth to a flame I watched the whole thing. Absolutely amazing. To me these are the best type of UA-cam Videos to watch. Great Job
I have a video put out by the National Film Board of Canada called Cesar's Bark Canoe. It shows a first nation man building a birch bark canoe with just a pocket knife. There is virtually no dialogue but the process is shown in detail.
It's so nice these skills have been maintained. As I watched, I realized I've wanted to see how a birchbark canoe was made since I was a Cub Scout almost 60 years ago in SE Texas. It's now almost 7 years since the video was put up, and I really hope there are new canoes every year and into the future. Many thanks for showing us how it's done.
This was very well done. Sure they used a little bit of modern power tools like drills and saws and heat gun and I noticed him using a razor knife to trim. But everything he did could have been done with traditional tools and materials. It would have taken longer and been messier, but the basic construction would have been same. This guy is a true master..
Amazing how we think of the past as people with primitive skills.... its amazing to see that in the past... sophisticated advanced skills existed in abundance.... how to be completely skilled in the environment around them.... Awsome stuff..... more complicated than a lot of jobs today :--)
Very interesting and shows the true art involved with this masterpiece, thanks for the well presented video. All the time while watching I could just imagine some young man from long ago just waiting for the opportunity to peddle it down the river. How proud he and his teacher must have been.
WOW. I had no idea how those crafts were made. You have brought to life the harsh life those people were accustomed to which drastically contrast modern cultures. Thanks so much for this journey and for the wonderful narrative. I hope others will appreciate this
I'm from Sweden and love traditional woodworking. There is a long tradition of both scandinavians and saami using birchbark for everyday objects, like containers, baskets and shoes etc. We use a lot of similar techniques like spruce roots to bind together the different layers and I just love it when completely different cultures and people "invent" the same things despite beign thousands of miles away. Awesome video and great build!
True brotherhood of man, to come together as one , with a singular goal that keeps traditions alive
Fantastic craftsmanship! Thank you for keeping my peoples knowledge and spirituality alive!!!!!!
Thank you very much for being witness of your work replicating this canoe the original way like generations of native people ( you call them First Nations) had been building them. It was a very impressive video. All the best to all people who had given their best to preserve the history of this classic boat build. Have always save tours and enjoy. Best wishes and greetings from Germany 🇩🇪👍👍😎
It's youtube that will pass the tradition down to the next generation, anyone could make one of these with the video, men teachers will come and go but this video will live on forever
This was only of the most lovely pieces of craftsmanship I've had the honor of watching in a very long time. Beautiful work and a rich piece of history and culture kept alive.
That's something I get a chuckle from every time I see it. Back in the late 60's a few companies painted aluminum canoes to look like birch bark except the painted it with the white side out.....lol
TRUE DELIGHT WATCHING A MASTER CRAFTSMAN UP FRONT AND PERSONABLE! BEAUTIFUL FINISH. THANK YOU!
Believe in a man.. a man who is true in his efforts. The kindness of his soul is demonstrated in his voice. I wish i could shake your hand. Hug you're neck. Be a part of who you are.
Wow, was that magic I just saw? What a beautiful story you have told. Thanks :-)
I really like how good of a teacher he is with all the commentary.
I had a Birchbark canoe when I was a kid.
It lasted me up till my 30's, when my neighbor's house burnt down, taking my boat shed, and my canoe with it.
It was like getting kicked in the guts when that happened, but I still have the years of memories, and joy that using that canoe brought me.
Sorry for your loss. You should make a new one. I'm going to.... someday.
Beautiful to watch craft dissolve in to art. And the art become a utensil.
When I was in junior high school, circa 1973... my sociology class made whale boats out of cardboard. It was such a fun experiment. This looks like an awesome video. Imagine this takes a great deal of patience. Thank you for sharing your video! I am going to sit back with my stove top buttery popcorn and enjoy it! The things I learn from You Tube videos.... loved how you shared about your ancestors and skills that I hope will never become obsolete. As I am watching, I am trying to imagine in my mind, how the Indians made these canoes without all the modern tools and such that you are using. May the young couple have a happy wedding and a beautiful life together! Share your traditions with your children. These are skills that should never die.
Wow this guy is smarter then he looks Lol. one of the best videos I've seen ever. This man knows his tread. What a wonderful thing to do for someone. This guy is a master builder of an all but lost art.
Sorry ,it's not a lost art,birchbark canoes are being built all over america....however I will agree that the guy is very good.
This was an awesome video. My people never had canoes, but i've always been fascinated with birch bark canoes. Thanks for sharing this.
lptv.org/grant-goltz-rethinking-blackduck-pottery/
Joey,
Thanks for your kind compliment. Above is a link to the latest doc I've made with Grant.
Incredible video! The canoe is a work of art. I can’t get over how complicated it is.
Our country (USA) has a shameful history when it comes to how we’ve treated indigenous peoples. It’s good to see one of my fellow white men using his skills and the knowledge he’s acquired to give back something that belongs to the Native American people. He’s doing this with respect and humility as he works alongside the people whose culture this amazing technology came from. I think we can learn a lot more than just boat building from this.
Thank you for your humble respect for Native culture. Your humility makes you great.
blah blah blah, watched up until the sjw crap, then off to watch some catfish noodling...
@@grinster1 Your problem with Social Justice being WHAT, exactly? To be opposed to/alienated by Social Justice seems pretty harsh to me.
Seems fun to build one😯looks like a great time outdoors and very peaceful 🙂
You my good sir are the most artistic and skilled wood worker i have ever seen your not just making a means of transportation your making art and history, thank you kindly
lptv.org/grant-goltz-rethinking-blackduck-pottery/
Thanks for your kind compliment. Above is a link to the latest doc I've made with Grant.
Amazing attempt to preserve some of the talents and skills of the old ways.
I've always been fascinated with the Indian canoes in early westerns, 1930's John Wayne movies, Sgt Preston and so on, they look to be very authentic.
They were stillmaking them at the turn of the century and still in use in the thirties. Modern "Oldtown" type canoes were based on the original designs and canvas covered ones could be painted to look very much like traditional. I think old movies liked that sparked my interest in early american history. It sure wasn't school history class lol. Child in the 60's
Amazing!!! So honored to have this legend share his great skill and he is so humble. Great video!!!
When I was in the 6th grade 60 plus years ago I remember drawing a picture of an Indian in a birchbark canoe and coloring it in with crayon and the teacher hanging it up on the wall. When I saw this I knew I had to watch it. I was totally engrossed. What I really liked was the earthly respect for the wood and giving homage to where it came from. The craftsmanship and attention to detail was a pleasure to watch. I'm so glad I stumbled upon this video.
I can't stand it when people say Indian! Is it someone from India NO didn't think so so don't Indian
If you can't stand it then just sit on it, seems like you might be more comfortable with that. The term Indian was 100% politically correct 60 years ago. He was describing something 60 years ago, and his words paid honor to the craft of the birch bark canoe.
I watched the whole thing too! I've seen the canoe in person and it is a beautiful craft. I couldn't believe how easy he made it looked, or how strong the birch bark really was
lptv.org/grant-goltz-rethinking-blackduck-pottery/
Thanks for your kind compliment. Above is a link to the latest doc I've made with Grant.
@@scottknudson8822 I have one criticism of your video. At the end you never gave us much of a look at the finished canoe- just two brief shots at the same low angle from the exterior. That was very disappointing. We need some shots looking at the whole canoe interior and exterior from different angles. We need some shots looking at the bottom out of the water. Without that there is no perception of the canoe form as a whole. I know the canoe was very beautiful, but you never really displayed that. Strange.
The Dufken Replica was built in Fremantle Western Australia by the same original method, the keel was laid then the hull planks fitted and then the frames were fitted to suit the hull. Amazing to watch the shipwrights bending such huge timbers over the longest barbecue in the world.
cool! here's a vid of the building... ua-cam.com/video/stW1c4v-USQ/v-deo.html
When the work looks easy....sure sign of great expertise
Seeing this canoe "grow" form a skeleton to a piece of art was really amazing. Impressive woodworking skills.
Motivation there is great!
I saved this video to watch again, Alvin.
Grant your an absolute delight to watch splitting roots, and ceder ribs with such precision. Keeping this tradition alive is a tribute to the indigenous people who bought about this art form.
lptv.org/grant-goltz-rethinking-blackduck-pottery/
Alf,
Thanks for your kind compliment. Above is a link to the latest doc I've made with Grant.
Enjoyed watching the whole process. This video satisfied a lot of curiosity i had with the birch bark canoe construction. Cheers from down under in New Zealand....
Working together, sharing ideas and experiences, learning new ideas and ways of doing things, poking fun at each other, and teaching...this is the essence of human culture. Fantastic post. Thank you!
nice to see someone who knows how to use a froe and draw knife properly.
Outstanding,,, keep this craft alive
we need a class at the museum. It's super great.
Awesome gentlemen!
I don't want to negate your accomplishment...
But this just shows me that ancient man had so much more going on than we do!
The person or people that invented this should have a monument erected in honor. He , she , or they were the native Einsteins. This is like a Stradivarius of bushcraft tech.
Seriously impressive craftsmanship. Really love the atmosphere of a bunch of friends just hanging out, taking part in the making of such an incredible thing, conversing while each contributes their energy to produce parts that add up to a much greater whole.
lptv.org/grant-goltz-rethinking-blackduck-pottery/
Thanks for your kind compliment. Above is a link to the latest doc I've made with Grant.
Perfection, that is art and a culture that must be kept alive, thanks for the good video.
Excellent! That’s awesome! Great work and keeping history alive! Thank y’all! 😊👍👍
How bizarre that anybody could give this work of art the thumbs down ! ,,,it’s just fantastic in my eyes ! 👍
This guy is great. He masters the process and know how. He might not be using the best and most fancy traditional tools but he know which gets the job done.
lptv.org/grant-goltz-rethinking-blackduck-pottery/
Thanks for your kind compliment. Above is a link to the latest doc I've made with Grant.
You are giving back an ancient skill and bless you for it
Ah yes the ancient electric drill and spring loaded clamps . i am disappointed . I thought they were going to show an authentic build.
Q
@@738polarbear too bad for you people don’t have infinite time, and this video is 9 years old, that man teaching is likely dead or too old to teach, he’s trying to get as much done in the time he has to teach what he knows before he’s gone.
Brian, I watched an old video I found on this ancient skill (gentleman was a Native American) and I literally got choked-up while watching it. Beautiful!
The majestic Birch - wonderful yellow leaves in the fall and look what these craftsmen do with the bark.
outstanding. this goes straight to favorites.
lptv.org/grant-goltz-rethinking-blackduck-pottery/
Thanks for your kind compliment. Above is a link to the latest doc I've made with Grant.
"Grant Goltz was a soil scientist at Chippewa National forest in northern Minnesota. Goltz carved wooden life-sized waterfowl decoys out of his basement in Minnesota as a side hobby for many years. As a side hobby, Goltz carved full-size waterfowl decoys for many years. The anatomical detail of his carvings is impressive and he will research the birds he carves for weeks before ever touching the wood. In the 1970’s Goltz gained national and international recognition for his decorative decoys. In particular, the intricate paint work on the feathers is highly praised by collectors."
Wow, that is a GREAT build you and your group did! You’re absolutely right when you say that these technologies are anything but primitive. They are masterful adaptation of the available materials and tools to meeting their needs. Congratulations to all of you, and may the canoe have a long life...
in this day and age of 3D printing, your craftsmanship and style are really refreshing. Who makes stuff by hand these days? YOU do ... and how!
That is one of the most beautiful boats I've ever seen
An ancient and beautiful craft that in many ways defines Canada. A labour of love. Especially with pre-metal technology. Excellent video. Who needs prime time cable when we can watch and learn.
lptv.org/grant-goltz-rethinking-blackduck-pottery/
Brian,
Thanks for your kind compliment. Above is a link to the latest doc I've made with Grant.
Very impressive work. It gives one a totally new appreciation of the sophisticated skills employed by early native Americans in building a birchbark canoe. Thank you for sharing this video through UA-cam.
lptv.org/grant-goltz-rethinking-blackduck-pottery/
Thanks for your kind compliment. Above is a link to the latest doc I've made with Grant.
Even more impressive that he did it in just 7 days.
I saw another documentary yesterday about a carpenter with all the modern tools doing a skeleton canoe with cloth/epoxy coat, and he took 10 days. (With help).
Thank you for this, it's simply amazing. The amount of "man-hours" required, (no offense women, just a term and not meant to be sexist nor misogynistic), is confounding. This IS great technology utilizing nature. I truly respect the native cultures and people of North America. I'm happy that many have survived our recklessness, and sad that many have not. This video is quite mind blowing and educational. Again, thank you!
WoW, I have watched over 2500 videos on youtube in the last 2-3 years. I'll have to say, that is one of the most impressive videos I have ever seen. I would love to take part in one of his classes. Keep on teaching, its our future.
lptv.org/grant-goltz-rethinking-blackduck-pottery/
Thanks for your kind compliment. Above is a link to the latest doc I've made with Grant.
Wish I could like your comment twice. Your bang on...
While browsing through the UA-cam, I came across this. I found it very interesting so I watched it to the very end. And then watched it again for the second time. Thank you for producing this educational and informative video.
These canoes are better than the modern ones!
Thank you for preserving our North American heritage. What you do is special and actually borders on the spiritual. May God continue to bless you and those that help in this endeavor.
Ive made a couple hundred skateboards with high tech laminating presses and modern adhesives.... But i found the splitting and forming of the keel timber to be very interesting and a great learning experience. Thanks for creating and posting this here. :) What a beautiful wedding gift!
What a delight to see Grant so connected to material and process and give a running commentary.
What a lovely wedding gift. Thanks for taking the time to speak to an audience while making this. It was wonderful.
The way my guy is able to split those strips really does it for me.
lptv.org/grant-goltz-rethinking-blackduck-pottery/
Thanks for your kind compliment. Above is a link to the latest doc I've made with Grant.
What a great realization to see birchbark canoe construction still continues. Many congratulations to all involved, truly a labour of love. Many years ago I watched the construction of a birchbark canoe built by either Algonquin or Cree tribe Indians in Ontario right in the middle of summer, the mosquitoes and blackflies were unbelievable. It was like a mist, the workers never swatted the flies just kept working away, it was a family construct with adults and children involved. I believe it was filmed by the Canadian Film Board circa 1940. I understand this vessel was constructed from one birchbark tree. The finest Birchbark canoe in the Canadian Government collection was repatriated from the UK some years ago. Originally it was constructed in Canada then taken to England by an English Military officer, it was discovered in the rafters of a barn in the UK.
This whole piece, from concept, to the production, through to completion is a work of beauty in every level by which it can be perceived. My appreciation to everyone involved in this presentation.
As for the process, as a tool guy, I'm yet more amazed at how the early peoples fashioned their craft with stone implements before the introduction of metal into their midst and the instructor's skill with a simple razor knife.
This was amazing. Way better than the dugout canoe from logs. I never would have believed its complexity and well thought-out planning until I saw you do it.
Its a real masterpiece.
I am a boatbuilder by trade and I am fascinated to watch You people keeping this craft alive. Truly enjoyable. Thank You
It’s five in the morning and I’m watching this; why it appeared on my screen I don’t know. Made my heart soar to see this thing of beauty being created...
It is a masterpiece of a canoe plus a light weight one but is very labor intensive build.
What I have seen here is a traditional Master class in woodworking. This would pass in Germany at the Guild for carpentry/woodwork as a masterpiece, followed by a master certificate. There is an honor for tradition, pride in their own work and respect for the material. I have the utmost respect for the people and their work.
i was born in '65 and when i was in 6th grade i remember reading about voyageurs & native american indians & birch bark canoes .... and i have been fascinated ever since.
I've watched this before, but it's interesting enough to watch more than once.
This time I noticed more information that I'd missed the first time.
The construction techniques used in constructing this canoe show probably generations of development and improvements, and show a real knowledge of the local materials, and their individual characteristics, that suit them to each purpose.
I found the method of tensioning the bark with the ribs particularly interesting, together with lining the inside with ceder veneers, prior to the installation of the ribs.
Even more impressive is the fact that it was about a weeks work, and all with very simple tools.
Well, leaving aside the power drill and the steel froe and other steel tools, none of which the original canoe builders had. I'm no purist by any means, but those few modern tools they used reduced the build time by a factor we will never know until someone builds one entirely the "old" way and documents the process. It probably took months to build one of these centuries ago.
@@Daledavispratt
Coincidentally, I've recently watched some Inuit building a kayak in a day, with nothing more than driftwood. and probably sealskin to cover it, in an old monochrome film from way back.
The only tools were a drill consisting of a wooden rod with a pointed pin for a drill, and a knife, and rocks to sand and shape the timber, and lots of sinew to tie/stitch it together.
As they were north of the arctic circle, their 'day' was probably a long one.
There's a ''Time Team'' type program, where they build a reproduction ''Woodhenge'' from scratch using only the stone tools available at the time the original was built. Felling fully grown trees with stone axes.
It was amazing how fast they could work.
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I thought I had seen it all..... Beautiful work & craftsmanship.
lptv.org/grant-goltz-rethinking-blackduck-pottery/
Patrick,
Thanks for your kind compliment. Above is a link to the latest doc I've made with Grant.
There's absolutely nothing "primitive" about this technology. Craftsmanship at it's finest!
I am super impressed, amazed and admire the intelligence of these people of this country. Their creativity, their conception, the innovation to improvise and their skill to construct and patience to build a Birchbark Canoes from natural forest materials, it seems to me like gifted persons of people, who are as great as shipbuilders of wooden ships.
This nourishs the soul.
I am rediscovering my Ojibwa heritage. Was raised being told I was French. Thanks so much for sharing this I will be ordering video on payday. My son and I will be building one of these this summer. Haven't decided on size yet but big enough for 2 plus fishing and camping gear.
such a nice mixture of science, craftsmanship, cultural identity and political statement! If I would not be a scientist I would love to be a carpenter and boat-builder... wood is such a marvelous material! In sub-antarctic south america we had a similar canoe-building tradition, which unluckily disappeared as the last indigenous peoples also became extinct... you are paving the road for things to come!
Have no idea how I ended up coming to this video, but wow ... this must be one of the most fascinating video/documentaries I have seen in a while. Great video!
lptv.org/grant-goltz-rethinking-blackduck-pottery/
Kick,
Thanks for your kind compliment. Above is a link to the latest doc I've made with Grant.
I agree Kick. I am an outdoorsman and I cut wood and drop dead trees for a hobby and somehow this video was in my Que. I started it and just couldn't stop watching. He makes it look so simple and I thoroughly enjoyed how all the materials were gathered locally. I had no idea that something like this was even possible. I am not more educated about canoe making. Thanks so much.
Took the words right out of my mouth. No idea how i got here, but damn glad i did.
dude same how did i get here? shit im baked
Scott Knudson cXZZXY
These folks have more respect for native culture than a lot of natives I’ve met. I hope these traditions get passed on generation to generation it’s very important for natives to understand their culture and to show the younger generations the same understanding. Much respect for First Nations , native Americans and people who show them the same respect for their knowledge of the traditions and culture. Some day if modern day “Rome” falls this knowledge is what will be important to human survival. Everything you need to survive and live is found in nature and somehow along the way humans have forgotten that.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge of birch bark wood canoes, God bless amen.
Wow!!! Our museum has several authentic birch bark canoes - two on display. Our displays aim to educate on the Fur Trade and summer transportation in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The waves on Lake Superior were so big, the canoes had to be massive! Our collection contains a canoe possibly designed for a child, a fishing canoe, and a regular one used by the manager and president of Duluth South Shore & Atlantic Railway. Awesome video by the way, thanks for giving us an excuse to gush!
There should be a
lptv.org/grant-goltz-rethinking-blackduck-pottery/
Ralph,
Thanks for your kind compliment. Above is a link to the latest doc I've made with Grant.
This is great. This is exactly what we should be teaching our children. With the help of videos like this one I'm teaching myself these crafts. Thanks much.
lptv.org/grant-goltz-rethinking-blackduck-pottery/
Tim,
Thanks for your kind compliment. Above is a link to the latest doc I've made with Grant.
@Alex Taylor Thanks for your reply. I have seen several videos on how Indians made canoes in the traditional manner. I'm sure these builders did as well. I've also seen a video of native americans building a canoe and used poly bailing twine as a binder ( where it didn't show). The point , that I get from this is the finished product not how they get there so much. If i was in a survival situation it would be great to know primitive methods and I do experiment with original technology to learn the processes. I sincerely think no one is trying to pull the wool over anyones eyes. I don't doubt that there are many out there that believe this is how they did it.
I was working in my office and once in a while I put you tube on. I was drawn to this video like a moth to a flame I watched the whole thing. Absolutely amazing. To me these are the best type of UA-cam Videos to watch. Great Job
Great video. Amazingly light weight too.
I have a video put out by the National Film Board of Canada called Cesar's Bark Canoe. It shows a first nation man building a birch bark canoe with just a pocket knife. There is virtually no dialogue but the process is shown in detail.
W7llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllminstodyy
OMG! That is a work of art! I would love to be seen cannoeing in that thing, but at the same time I would want to keep it forever lol
It's so nice these skills have been maintained. As I watched, I realized I've wanted to see how a birchbark canoe was made since I was a Cub Scout almost 60 years ago in SE Texas. It's now almost 7 years since the video was put up, and I really hope there are new canoes every year and into the future. Many thanks for showing us how it's done.
Best video on UA-cam.. Museum quality art work.
I have wondered all of my life how birch bark canoes were made, so this has been a treat to watch.
I just loved watching all of you .
PBS fucking still rules, this is some early 90's level awesome shit.
This was very well done. Sure they used a little bit of modern power tools like drills and saws and heat gun and I noticed him using a razor knife to trim. But everything he did could have been done with traditional tools and materials. It would have taken longer and been messier, but the basic construction would have been same. This guy is a true master..
Amazing how we think of the past as people with primitive skills.... its amazing to see that in the past... sophisticated advanced skills existed in abundance.... how to be completely skilled in the environment around them....
Awsome stuff..... more complicated than a lot of jobs today :--)
Absolutely incredible, what fantastic knowledge to have, to be able to create the old traditional way ancestors built canoes, definitely a thumbs up
Very informative. Really enjoyed both watching the building techniques and listening to the thoughtful comments of the builders.
Very interesting and shows the true art involved with this masterpiece, thanks for the well presented video. All the time while watching I could just imagine some young man from long ago just waiting for the opportunity to peddle it down the river. How proud he and his teacher must have been.
amazing craftmanship!
i love it when he actually state that he's using a modern tool
Wonderful program that includes woodworking techniques and history lessons.
How nice work. It is great that you guys help keep this tradition alive.
WOW. I had no idea how those crafts were made. You have brought to life the harsh life those people were accustomed to which drastically contrast modern cultures. Thanks so much for this journey and for the wonderful narrative. I hope others will appreciate this
What a wonderful work of art and meditation. This has empowered me greatly. Many thanks.