[BCMA] Fraser River Discovery Centre celebrates boat builders this Aboriginal Day

[Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv.]

Media Release

For Immediate Release

June 11, 2010

 

The Fraser River Discovery Centre celebrates boat builders for Aboriginal
Day

 

New Westminster - On Sunday June 20 from 1:00 to 3:30, the Fraser River
Discovery Centre is acknowledging Aboriginal Day with a look at the rich
boat building history of people on the river with hands-on activities and
art stations.

 

Boat builders have lived and worked along the Fraser River for thousands of
years. First Nations people were the first expert boat builders, using
incredible skill and ingenuity to create dugout canoes out of a single cedar
tree. "Cedar was a very important material for boat-building," says Shannon
King, Education Coordinator, "it is light-weight, rot resistant and the
grain of the wood is very straight. First Nations boat builders recognized
these qualities and placed a high value on cedar."  

 

Visitors to the Discovery Centre will be encouraged to discover the artistic
and technical skills required to build a wooden boat. There will be a number
of tools available for visitors to try, including a D adze, a tool used by
First Nations carvers for fine details and finishing work.

 

Also on Sunday, the theatre will be featuring a short documentary film made
about a recent, unique partnership between the Kwikwetlem First Nation and
local governments. In 2008 work began on a 60 foot cedar dugout canoe, the
first time in 100 year since the last similar event. The film includes
interviews with the boat builders and children from the Kwikwetlem Nation.
At 2pm, Kristina Joe, one of the Kwikwetlem Nation's educators, will be
hosting a short introduction to the film.

 

Activities will begin at the Discovery Centre at on Sunday June 20th at 1:00
and will run until 3:30. For more information, please call 604-521-8401 or
email info at fraserriverdiscovery.org.

 

The Fraser River Discovery Centre is an interpretive centre connecting
communities in discovery and celebration of the living, working Fraser
River. It is located at 788 Quayside Drive, New Westminster. From June 1
until August 31, the Discovery Centre is open seven days a week from 10am to
4pm. Admission to the galleries is by donation.

 

-30-

 

For more information please call:

 

 -- 

Kathleen Bertrand | Exhibit and Communication Coordinator

Fraser River Discovery Centre

788 Quayside Drive 

New Westminster, BC V3M 6Z6 Canada

T 604.521.8401 ext. 104  |*F 604.521.9401

www.fraserriverdiscovery.org

 

 

To restore the river to health, we first have to comprehend it. - Alan
Haig-Brown The Fraser River

 

* Do you need to print this email? Please consider the environmental impact
before printing.

 

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