The canoe is a means of transportation that First Nations have been using for thousands of years to travel on waterways. In the past, the canoe was made of bark. Today, even though canoes are still sometimes made of bark, those for everyday use are mostly made of fiberglass.
Building a canoe could take up to two weeks. The artisans frequently used birch bark because it is strong and light, but also pine, elm or spruce bark. The pieces of bark were assembled on a wooden structure that gave them the necessary shape. To make the canoe watertight, the joints were covered in tar or resin gum from coniferous trees. The canoe was often decorated with designs and drawings engraved on the bark.