The construction of a traditional birch bark canoe was a unique and gratifying experience. I worked as part of a large group, under the supervision of professors, as well as an Indigenous Canoe builder. The whole process was done completely by hand, as we constructed the canoe using birch bark, and cedar (wood and roots).

While it was quite time extensive, working with material by hand gave a greater understanding of its capabilities. As a result, the anisotropic nature of wood was better understood with specific pieces of grain better suited for certain components than others. Hands-on knowledge combined with the Indigenous knowledge gained from the elder who assisted in the construction provided a new perspective of how to approach the design process.