A 900-pound log gifted to the Westbank First Nation (WFN) is about to become a beautiful canoe in the next few weeks.
Nicole Werstuik, the youth and recreation programming manager, said the log came from the Mt. Boucherie Secondary School鈥檚 Aboriginal leadership class.
She said they received the log in January, which had been sitting in their public works yard until Tuesday, July 14.
鈥淚 was fortunate enough to collaborate with our intergovernmental affairs department with a culture and language grant,鈥� Werstuik said.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 how I was able to hire two facilitators, master carver Frank Marchand and his apprentice Will Poitras.鈥�
She said elder Wilfrid Barnes blessed the log and smudged the carvers and other youth participants, wishing them good health to help them put positive energy into the log as they carve.
鈥淥ur WFN youth works group started carving it along with Frank and Will. Other community members are also invited to come down and see what鈥檚 going on.鈥�
鈥淭he men鈥檚 wellness group came down, as well as some council members first day we started with a saw, chopping off the top and digging in there,鈥� she said.
The canoe has been named kwkeyuma? snk鈥檒ip, after two baby coyotes that were seen visiting the log before the project started. Werstuik said the goal is to finish carving the canoe by the end of August.
There will be another blessing ceremony as kwkeyuma? snk鈥檒ip is introduced into the water at the end of the project.
Community members interested in seeing the canoe鈥檚 progress are welcome to come down to the public works yard from Tuesday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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