The Smithsonian beckoned and local birch bark canoe artisan Marcel Labelle agreed to create a canoe installation for the museum.
Labelle and his wife Joanne left on Tuesday (Feb. 23) with plans to arrive in New York yesterday. Although he was a bit anxious about driving a canoe through the huge metropolis he wasn't going to let it stop him from making the journey. An American philanthropist has fully funded the trip and the couple is looking forward to their first visit to the “Big Apple”.?Labelle was scheduled to be featured at the Smithsonian from 10am to 12noon and from 1 to 4 pm yesterday and today (Friday, Feb. 26). He is also booked for tomorrow (Saturday, Feb. 27) from 1 to 4pm.
Labelle packed a roll of bark, his roots, resin, tools and “Minododem” (good spirit), the canoe he chose for the occasion.?The Ontario Arts Council (OAC) funded the building of “Minododem”. Labelle approached the OAC about building a canoe he could keep and use as a teaching and healing tool. They were behind his Reconciliation Canoes project from the beginning. Since building Minododem, Labelle has toured many schools. He was at Eastwood Collegiate in Kitchener last week.?Labelle learned canoe building from the bush and spirit world. He is currently writing a book about his journey from Musashi employee to master birch bark canoe crafter. Labelle has several canoes displayed in his workshop. “Kitchisiripini” is named for his grandmother’s people who have disappeared. He was building the frame when his grandmother appeared to him and guided the naming. Another canoe is named “Menomashkiki” which means good medicine.?“People heal through canoe building,” Labelle explained. ?The canoe named “Niimki”, which means Thunder Spirit, has a very powerful energy.?“A couple of years ago I came upon a tree that had been hit by lightning,” Labelle said. “The bark was still good, full of power.”?Although Labelle receives great joy from teaching mainstream Canadians about traditional aboriginal canoe building, he is most honoured when he has the opportunity to work with and heal native peoples. His voice is low and passionate as he describes a recent speaking engagement he had at a drumming session.?“My people were assimilated, forced to attend residential schools,” Labelle said. “They didn’t know how to drum.”?Labelle’s influence continues to grow.
He was part of Toronto’s Winterfest at Nathan Philips Square. While wearing a warm fur hat and buckskin coat, he explained how he uses the same materials to build his canoes as were used 400 years ago. He had a large, continual audience throughout the day.?“I’ve been this way for always but now people are listening,” Labelle said with a laugh.
His story will be featured in an Ontario economics textbook within a section highlighting successful native business models.?The Grand River Community Metis Council is raffling off one of Labelle’s birch bark canoes and a hand carved paddle. The canoe is valued at $9,900; tickets are available by contacting Janique Labelle at janique.labelle@hotmail.com and will soon be available at Labelle Flowers.