Trent University Launches Traditional Handcrafted Birchbark Canoe On the Otonabee River

Trent University has launched its traditional handcrafted birchbark canoe which was done on campus on the Otonobee River and showcased to the public on Monday.

Alex Labelle's canoe sit on the banks of the Otonabee River at Trent University. Photo courtesy of Trent University.

The month-long project marks the culmination of a project that has increased the visibility of and engagement in Indigenous culture among the campus community. Named Enheh, the canoe was officially launched by Métis canoe builder Alex Labelle. This name is an affirmative response that complements the expression of gratitude in Miigwech and honours the connections made during the building and the profound appreciation for the gifts and lessons provided by the people involved, nature, and the Creator according to Trent University.

“The birchbark canoe is more than a vessel – it is a vital piece of technology that has sustained Indigenous peoples for generations,” said Dr. Dawn Memee Lavell-Harvard, director of First Peoples House of Learning at Trent. “It enables trade, travel, hunting, and the gathering of food and medicine. By bringing together people from across the University and the community, this project has demonstrated what reconciliation looks like in action: doing hands-on work, thinking about knowledge holders in a different way, and showing that these knowledges are just as important now as they ever were.”

Labelle constructed the canoe from scratch in the atrium of Trent’s Bata Library. Students, faculty, and visitors had the opportunity to engage directly with the project by trimming roots, splitting cedar and forming ribs, gaining insight into the artistry and skill behind traditional canoe-building.

“Part of reconciliation is creating space for Indigenous knowledge in places, like libraries, which have long marginalized it,” said Emily Tufts, Trent librarian. “Over the past month, Alex has shared his knowledge in a way that is physical, embodied, and deeply meaningful. This project brought the work of reconciliation out of the theoretical and into the practical and material, giving students and staff a chance to connect with Indigenous traditional knowledge firsthand.”

Following the naming, Labelle launched Enheh from the west bank of the Otonabee River and paddled the canoe to the east bank of campus. It was carried to the Gathering Space in Trent’s First Peoples House of Learning for a celebratory feast to be displayed permanently.

“It’s great to know that FPHL and Trent students will put this canoe to use. Often people will put them up as museum pieces, but we're trying to bring canoes like this out of museums and back to into life,” said Labelle. “My time at Trent has been great—great people and lots of interest in the project. I hope this has shown people that you can go into the bush and find all the materials you need to build a canoe.”

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