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Tofino, BC - When Valeen Jules performed spoken word poetry at the Koksilah Music Festival last year, the 24-year-old played ancestral Nuu-chah-nulth music in the background.听
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As the familiar melodies danced through Joe Martin鈥檚 ears, the master carver was lured to the stage and introduced himself to the young poet.听
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Like kindred spirits, they bonded immediately and Martin has been mentoring Jules as a wood carver ever since.
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From paddles to bentwood boxes, the exposure led Jules to dream of carving a traditional dugout canoe that would allow family members to travel along the coast.
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After securing grant funding from the Canada Council for the Arts and First Peoples鈥� Cultural Council, that dream is becoming a reality.听
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Jules decided to name the canoe, 蕯a茮ac虛u, which means two-spirit in Nuu chah-nulth. It is a nod to the youth鈥檚 queer identity.
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鈥淥ur queer ancestors were powerful and had roles in whaling, in carving [and] in harvesting,鈥� said Jules.听
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Rallying Ryan Sabbas and Joshua Watts to help, Martin is guiding the project forward.听
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鈥淚 had Ryan in mind since the beginning,鈥� said Jules. 鈥淲hen I first started carving just over a year ago, I invited two or three peers to come learn as well. Ryan was the only one who showed up and was as equally excited to learn.鈥�
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Nestled in the forest off the Pacific Rim Highway, the team of carvers shaped the canoe, or chaputs, from a fallen red cedar tree.
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In between chipping away at the hull of the canoe with a hunched spine, Sabbas let out a grown while gripping his lower back.听
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鈥淭he ancestors are mocking me,鈥� he laughed, poking fun at his own fragility. 鈥淚t is really hard work.鈥�
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Sabbas normally operates a water taxi in-and-out of his home in Hot Springs Cove. When he got the call from Jules to help with the project, he dropped everything for the opportunity to learn a tradition his own grandfather used to practice.听
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In his absence Sabbas鈥� father stepped in and said, 鈥渓earn as much as you can, I鈥檒l run the boat.鈥�
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While he misses being on the water, Sabbas said he enjoys carving canoes more.
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鈥淚t鈥檚 really fulfilling,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t makes me feel really good.鈥�
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Encumbered by the distractions of digital technology, Sabbas said younger generations have become 鈥渓azier.鈥�
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鈥淚f a lot of our younger guys saw how rewarding it was, it would get them out more,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to be distracted out here. I mean, look how far we鈥檝e gotten in just a few hours 鈥� [the canoe] is already hollowing out.鈥�
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Watts joined the project with more experience, having previously worked on eight canoes - one of which he carved on his own.
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He described the work as an 鈥渉onour.鈥�
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鈥淚t鈥檚 really fulfilling knowing that our ancestors would be proud,鈥� he said.听
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While he still considers himself a learner, Watts dreams of becoming a master.
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鈥淚鈥檒l get there one day,鈥� he said.
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Having never carved a canoe in a forest, Watts said that Martin is teaching them how to use the environment to assist with the process.
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From learning the traditional measurements of the stern and the bow in proportion to the hull, along with the use of depth plugs, Martin鈥檚 teachings have been 鈥渆ndless,鈥� he said.
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鈥淭he canoe is like a school,鈥� said Watts. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a link to our language and culture.鈥�
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Looking ahead, Jules, Sabbas and Watts all plan to continue carrying their ancestors鈥� knowledge forward by continuing to carve dugout canoes.听
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鈥淚 expect to see some more canoes on the water after this,鈥� said Martin.
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