Thanks to instructor Erik Simula, birchbark canoe building has been a ‘flagship’ of the Ely Folk School since we launched in spring 2015.  Erik facilitated a team of EFS volunteers and students who crafted our first canoe, a 14-footer, literally from the ground up: first by gathering spruce root, pitch, cedar and birchbark in the forest and then crafting the canoe week-by-week through the summer at the EFS green space. That culminated with a group of EFS enthusiasts bringing the canoe to the 2016 summer Pow Wow at Ontario’s Lac La Croix village where it was blessed in an elaborate ceremony by tribal elders.

( Birch Bark Canoe Project 2016: The Pow Wow | Ely Folk SchoolEly Folk School )

In recent years, Erik has facilitated crafting a larger 20’ canoe.   It’s well on its way (see attached photo), but Covid protocols have stalled its completion.  We look forward to resuming this project in happier, healthier times – possibly later this coming summer or fall.  Stay tuned for updates!