A partially carved dugout canoe that’s offered a fascinating window into West Coast history at a display outside Ucluelet’s former chamber of commerce office is set to be returned to the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ First Nation.
A July 25, 2013 Westerly News story explains that the historic artefact was discovered about 25 years prior by a log-loader operator for MacMillan Bloedel who recognized it as an unfinished dugout canoe. The artefact stayed at a storage yard but, after Clayoquot Forest Services took over the site, CFS operator Bill Irving presented the log to the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ First Nation.
Years later, in 2013, Irving, then the mayor of Ucluelet, requested the partially carved canoe be temporarily loaned to the district to display and the Nation agreed.
An informational sign posted at the artefact explains that “the unfinished First Nations canoe was carved more than 200 years ago.”
The sign points to “distinctive scalloped chip marks” as proof that an adze was used to begin shaping the bottom of the canoe and burn marks from fire-heated stones are still visible.
Carvers would fall a tree by lighting a fire at the base and chipping away at the charred remains with bone or rock.
“Before metal tools were introduced over 200 years ago, fire, stone and bones were used to fell trees and trim logs,” the sign reads. “Wet clay kept the fire under control. Spruce sap helped sustain the fire.”
During Ucluelet’s June 9 municipal council meeting, district CAO Duane Lawrence explained the now-former chamber building is being repurposed as a daycare and the new owners of the lot have requested that the district relocate the artefact.
“Because this is a First Nations heritage artefact, we reached out to the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government to determine what they would like us to do with this because it does not belong to the municipality,” he said.
“There was, as I understand it, a ‘handshake deal’ and some sort of agreement between different parties of both communities…Now that process is more formal. There’s a lot of work being done across the country to repatriate artefacts back to their heritage communities.”
He said the district reached out to the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government and they advised that the First Nation “would love to see it being returned.”
“It’s not municipal property, so the land owner has asked for it to be removed. At that point in time, because it’s an artefact, we’re required to engage with the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government,” he said.
“They indicated back to staff that they want it back, they’ve wanted it for a long time and it’s of very significant cultural importance to them. They have also indicated that this is one of the best examples of a partially dugout canoe that they have ever seen…It’s of very high cultural importance and value to Hitaçu.”
He said the Nation is ready to accept the artefact, though the district will need to do some work to ensure the integrity of the log stays intact during the relocation.
“We don’t know what that looks like and they’ve requested us to investigate it with somebody that knows what they’re talking about with an old tree and determine how best to move it without damaging the structure or the integrity of the log,” he said.
He added that the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government would also like the fence and plaque currently at the artefact to travel with it.
He said a brief cost estimate landed between $5,000-7,0000, which the district can cover through its operating budget and if it winds up costing more than that, staff will return to council with some recommendations.
A Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government spokesperson told the Westerly News that the Nation is “looking forward to the return of such a significant piece for Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ.”
“The Culture and Heritage department is still working out the logistics of its relocation with the District of Ucluelet. We look forward to sharing more in the time to come.”
andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
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