Meryl Grandy

I'm a little late in posting about this, but Mike O of Reflections Outdoors blog has been working to secure funding for a canoe project for at-risk native youth. Anishinaabe Babamadizwin: A Journey By Canoe.  Readers might recall that Mike previously helped organize a canoe restoration project in remote Fort Severn, Ontario to work on the freighter canoes of the local Cree community.

Here are some excerpts describing his vision of this new project...

The Anishinaabe Babamadizwin: A Journey By Canoe  would be a First Nations canoe project for Anishinaabe youth….using the canoe as a means to help these young people on their life's journey. Such canoe trips could develop leadership skills as well as increase awareness of their Native culture and traditions. The youth participants return to their communities as future leaders.

Such trips could involve bark canoes….and wood canvas canoes….built by First Nations youth….for the trips. This past summer bark canoes were built by Native youth in Ottawa….on Bear Island in Temagami ….and in Oshawa. Hopefully 4 wood canvas canoes, specifically built for this project, could be painted by various Anishinaabe artists….and after the trip ends each of these canoes could be raffled off to further fund canoe projects in First Nation communities.

Round 3 of voting for funding for this project runs for the next 12 days and once you register, you can vote each day of the remaining voting time. Read more and vote HERE if interested.

P.S. If you are problems logging on or registering with the Aviva Community Fund website (like I did), you'll need to try another web-browser. It worked finally when I used Google Chrome...

For those who appreciate fine, pyrographic paddle art, check out the amazing work of Dot Bonnenfant of Heritage Paddles. Her gallery page contains a wonderful array of designs including samples inspired by native artwork, natural scenery and symbolic decoration with special meanings for the recipient.

Three of my favourite designs include her version of the well documented, 19th Century Passamaquoddy / Maliseet at the McCord Museum in Montreal.


Dot was also commissioned to make a paddle as a presentation gift for the 2007 Heritage Rivers Conference -  Bill Mason Award. This paddle was presented to well known Canadian Wilderness Guide, Author and Artist, Hap Wilson.  Her design was inspired by aboriginal bead and porcupine quill work. Years ago, I got a chance to see this paddle up close when Hap was visiting the Toronto Outdoor Adventure show. The textured burning was amazing requiring a very steady hand and much artistry.





Not just limited to abstract designs, Dot has also done burnings of an ancient art form known to many canoe trippers...petroglyph artwork. The paddle set below was made as a wedding present for a family who have canoed and camped near petroglyph sites in Ontario.



As an aside, Selwyn Dewdney's 1962 publication, Indian Rock Paintings of the Great Lakes is available for full preview on Archive.org. The book is one of the most detailed works on petroglyph art in paddling country and contains many images along with some of their interpretive meanings.


More of Dot's inspirational burnings can be seen on her Facebook Page. For anyone seeking a truly unique paddle gift from a master woodburning artist, the contact info for Heritage Paddles can be found here.