(Wiisawaawoot)
Late 19th century
Unidentified Eastern Cree Builder
Southern Hudson Bay Area, Quebec, Canada
Given in memory of Mr. James Y. Deupree

The bark of the birch tree is the perfect material for building canoes; it is strong and flexible, and it does not stretch or shrink. Large birch trees were plentiful across a large part of North America and Canada.

This particular canoe is the only known 19th-century Cree-made “crooked” canoe in existence. It is called “crooked” because of the rise at each end of the canoe. This makes the canoe easier to control on whitewater rivers.