Program Description

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Program Description

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To learn more about the past and American Indian life and how the Indians made and used canoes. Canoes were a large part of their lives, providing transportation, helping to gather food and to trade and connect with other cultures. The project will also help to teach the history of technology, class of cultures, Native American culture and provide a lens to the past.

Wood, Water, Stone

-Building an authentic canoe gives hands on experience about the past

-Canoe will help students learn about cultural and environmental influences Community

-Become a part of the Jamestown 400th anniversary

-Be a part of the Smithsonian Folklife festival

-Act as interpreters at Mount Vernon

-Working with the Alexandria Seaport Foundation and the Museum of the American Indian

-Sharing experiences through others through this website Grant

-2 Humanities teachers won a $9000 grant

-The Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thompson Fund for Excellence in Drama, Foreign Language, and Humanties

-Grant proposed by Emmet Rosenfeld and Milde Waterfall

Quotes-Why Build a Canoe?

“to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Jamestown" - Lauren Wendlberger

"Because it's so fun!" - Daniel Roh

"..to enhance our knowledge of the Virginian Indian culture"- Mikey Kim
"...to learn about our country's history" - Elysha Dinh

About the Project

About 100 Sophomores through their Humanities classes are participating in the construction of this authentic Native-American canoe. With conjunction of the Alexandria Seaport Foundation, Mount Vernon, and a grant from TJ alumni we are able to build this canoe at Mount Vernon using traditional Native-American tools.

Significance

What Purpose Does a Canoe Serve?

CULTURE

ADVANCEMENT

NEGOTIATION

OTHER LANDS

EATING

Native American Weapons

Native Americans probably would have used bows backed with sinew (the shredded fibers of animal tendon) to hunt. A typical European bow would only shoot a fraction of the distance a Native American sinew-backed bow did. Mr. Sottosanti demonstrated this—he built and brought in a fully working longbow where he glued sinew on the back. As the glue dried, the sinew shrunk, giving the bow additional strength and flexibility, which is why Native American bows were much more powerful and generally better than European bows, even though they had fewer resources.

Cultural Influences

1.) Pre-Contact

- Also known as "Hog trough"

- Simple, blocky shape

- Angled, sharp edges

- Flat bottom

- Not as effective at cutting through water

- No outside influence

2.) African-Influence

- High, heavy front end for buoyancy

- Lower, lighter back end

- Wider front, back tapers

- Built for washing up on land

3.) Western-Influence

- Similar to African-influence in shape

- Incorporates "reverse curve" hull design, more effective

at cutting through water

- More pointed front/back end

Why We Chose the Western Influence Dugout Canoe

Our HUM class chose to create a Western Influence Dugout canoe because we felt it was the most authentic Western canoe, was most appropriate to work on by Mt. Vernon Estates, and to display at the Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C. commemorating the 400th anniversary of Jamestown.

Outreach

When the English settlers arrived in Virginia they made contact with the natives. The relationship between the American Indians and the colonists was vital to their survival. The settlers initially viewed the Native Americans as savages. On the other hand, the English settlers were viewed by the Native Americans with curiosity. They had never seen a "white" man before and were intrigued. Even today, the media portrays American Indians in stereotypical, often false, ways. Through this canoe building project we hope to spread the knowledge of the true Native American culture to others.