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Home Bushcraft Camp Craft César's Bark Canoe - Bernard Gosselin 1971

César's Bark Canoe - Bernard Gosselin 1971

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This documentary shows how a canoe is built the old way. César Newashish, a 67-year-old Attikamek of the Manawan Reserve north of Montreal, uses only birchbark, cedar splints, spruce roots and gum. Building a canoe solely from the materials that the forest provides may become a lost art, even among the Native peoples whose traditional craft it is. The film is without commentary but text frames appear on the screen in Cree, French and English.

Please leave your comments below...

 
Comments (18)
18 Saturday, 23 June 2012 17:47
Michael Edwards
What a brilliant film! I REALLY enjoyed the fact that there wasn't a lot of talking. apart from the people talking amongst themselves. Loved the way that he use's his lifetime of skills, he make's it look SO easy. Especially as we can tell how much work it takes from start to finish. I just hope that i am as able as he is when I reach that age ; )
One of those films you can watch over and over, plus pick up new bits that you missed before.
17 Saturday, 23 June 2012 15:34
paragliderman
how much we have forget , fantastic vid and very informing of the old ways .
16 Tuesday, 08 May 2012 20:36
Luke Skyewalker
What an awe inspiring video. I watched it through once and will watch it through again (and then possibly again). Thanks for putting it on.
15 Friday, 27 April 2012 18:24
Tragar
i feel very humble
14 Thursday, 13 January 2011 00:00
Rod Anderson
Absolutely magnificent, hail Cesar!!
13 Tuesday, 28 December 2010 13:16
Wonz
That was one of the best instructional videos I have ever seen, it's amazing what nature provides, and even more amazing this man has skills to transform what nature has provided him.
12 Friday, 17 December 2010 02:12
mack
fantastic piece of film, what a skill , respect to the man, I was in a trance for an hour watching him.
11 Sunday, 31 October 2010 14:44
Ashley Cawley
Glad you like it Nilson, the original webpage for it is: http://www.nfb.ca/film/Cesars_Bark_Canoe/

I can't see a function to download it on that page, but there is an option to buy it. You might be able to download it using a website that helps you save flash-videos, that is if the content is public-domain.

All the best,
10 Saturday, 30 October 2010 22:46
Nilson
I´m totally amazed by this craftmanship sitting 1 hour admiring open mouthed, breath holding watching those old mans skills.
Thx for uploading this great documentation. Is there any way to dl it ?
9 Friday, 15 October 2010 18:10
Tony1948
O for the time and skill,can i buy it or can he be my dad and teach me how to do it.Absolutely beautiful I want to be his son
8 Sunday, 08 August 2010 15:38
simon
Thank you so much for putting this film up. It is fantastic and so very inspiring, and as Matt said, mesmerising.
Makes modern life look crazy!
Ray Mears did do a programme in which he built (under tuition) a birch bark canoe.
7 Thursday, 29 July 2010 20:41
Thomas Strosse
If I remember correctly, Ray Mears has also made one in his previous shows. Might not been as detailed described as in this documentary, but it's still good to see people that are keeping those skills alive.
6 Friday, 09 July 2010 21:34
GoneWithTheWind
That was great. Like ost people I learn best through visual instruction. I feel like I could build a birch bark canoe after seeing this. What a gift this man has given us.
5 Thursday, 17 June 2010 00:16
marco71lucca
la natura ci offre la materia prima,l'uomo la modella con sapienza e abilita.
il risultato ... bellissima vederla scivolare sull'acqua !
ciao César Newashish e grazie.
4 Saturday, 05 June 2010 16:34
lee
unbelivable
3 Thursday, 03 June 2010 12:03
Ashley Cawley
Cracking wasn't it? :D
2 Wednesday, 02 June 2010 20:01
T Cohen
Amazing just amazing.
1 Tuesday, 01 June 2010 21:21
Matt
Just spent an hour completely mesmerized by this mans' knowledge and skill.

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Natural Bushcraft is a personal project aiming to provide a free bushcraft resource available to everyone.

Sharing Bushcraft Skills and Knowledge Freely regardless of age or status is important to me.

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'The True Spirit of Bushcraft'

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Ashley Cawley.

UK Wild Food - Jan

Listed here are Wild Foods that should be available in parts of the UK in January.

Dandelion
Nettle
Daisy leaf

Gorse flower
Greater Plantain
Ribwort Plantain
Buck's Horn Plantain (coastal)
Scurvy Grass
Hogweed
Chickweed
Sea beet
Sea Radish
Pennywort (particularly good at the moment)
hawkbit
Watercress
Alexanders (very good at the moment)
Chirvil (be very careful , as Hemlock Water-Dropwort is starting to sprout now and looks very similar, but is deadly poisonous!)
Cleavers
Sea Purslane
Rock Samphire (still usable, but a bit over now, coastal)
Yarrow
Rose Hips
Common Sorrel
Ivy-Leaved Toadflax
Wood sorrel
Three-cornered leek
seaweeds

*These are just some of the wild edibles you will find in the UK this month.

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