I don't often steal true news items from other blogs, figuring that they do a good job speaking for themselves -- Gavin Atkins' In the Boatshed blog in particular. But Gav has posted news so interesting that I feel compelled to make sure my readers see it, on the off chance that they don't subscribe to his blog (which they should). It's about the discovery in England of what is probably the world's oldest birchbark canoe -- an American Indian canoe from Canada, thought to be about 250 years old.
http://intheboatshed.net/2010/12/09/250-year-old-birch-bark-canoe-in-cornish-barn-to-be-returned-to-canada/
There's more about it in the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association Forum:
http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?t=6917
Reports of this canoe appear in our local Falmouth, Cornwall, newspaper. I am ambivalent about its eventual return to Canada. It does not belong to one tribe but to the World and we have a fine maritime Museum here where it could be displayed and made available for research.
ReplyDeleteIn fact I don't understand this concept of indigenous boats being hugged to the bosom of any particular people. For example North-Western dugout replicas are restricted at the request of tribal members: http://www.applegateboatworks.com/coastal.html
So, should all the North American versions of coracles and currachs be dismantled because they are native to Ireland and the UK?
Edwin - I agree in principle that ancient artifacts should be available for viewing by people in other places. I just visited the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and was thankful for the opportunity to view ancient works of Egypt, Mesoamerica, etc.
ReplyDeleteMy understanding of this instance, though, is that the canoe's owner elected to give or sell it to the Canadian Canoe Museum as the one best qualified to preserve and study it. This implies no criticism of the truly wonderful museum in Greenwich, and it wasn't based on anyone's policy of repatriation.
I was thinking of the National Maritime Museum, Falmouth, Cornwall, just down the road from us. his has the national collection of smaller boats. Very interesting as it is lnked to a marine School with boat-building courses.
ReplyDeleteHadn't realised that it was the owner's decision though, sure it is up to them where it goes.
Thanks for clarifying Edwin. I had forgotten about the NMM in Falmouth, even though I mentioned it once: http://indigenousboats.blogspot.com/2009/09/national-maritime-museum-cornwall.html
ReplyDeleteThis brings to mind Martin Pring's visit to Cape Cod- and a detailed description of a canoe - following his 1603 visit here. It is not well known today that an Indian birch-bark canoe was taken back to Bristol. I wonder if it is still stored away somewhere in England like this 250-year-old canoe.
ReplyDelete"...Their boats, whereof we brought one to Bristoll, were in proportion like a Wherrie of the River Thames, seventeene foot long and foure foot broad, and made of the Barke of a Birch-tree, farre exceeding bignesse those of England: it was sowed together with strong and tough Oziers or twigs, and the seames covered over with Rozen or Turpentine little inferiour in sweetnesse to Frankineense, as we made trial by burning a little thereof on the coals at sundry times after our coming home: it was also open like a Wherrie, and sharpe at both ends, saving that the beake was a little bending roundly upward. And though it carried nine men standing upright, yet it weighted not at the most above sixtie pounds in weight, a thing almost incredible in regard of the largenesse and capacitie thereof. Their Oares were flat at the end like an Oven peele, made of Ash or Maple very light and strong, about two yards long, wherewith they row very swiftly…”