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THE CHINOOK, A CEDAR CIVILIZATION
By DAVID CAMPICHE
FOR COAST WEEKEND
T
he long-tapered canoe slides
though the water with the
grace of a dolphin. Sleek.
Handsome. Ancient yet modern in
design. A work of art.
This is the matrix of a proud and
tenacious civilization that nearly
disappeared before our eyes. They
persevered. This is Chinook (or “Tsi-
nuk”) at its very best.
The giant cedar tree was picked by
the elders and the esteemed carver,
an artist among the proud peoples of
the Northwest coast. The tree rose
like twining hands from dark fertile
soil, from black loam that lay near the
water, Pacifi c water, or its tributar-
ies. A blessing was passed from the
natives to the tree. An explanation for
the transformation of its life was laid
at the roots of the 200-foot cedar.
There was no clear cutting of
entire forests by these First Peoples.
The trees were hand-selected for
building a lodge, a totem or canoe
— one here, one there. Often planks
were wedged from the north side
of the cedar. After half a dozen of
the broad boards had been carefully
extracted, the tree was left to grow
and prosper. Nutrition still fl owed up
the uncut section of that tree.
If a seeker is lucky enough to
walk in these preserved forests, he or
she may run into the giants, still tall
and vital, the scars mostly covered
up by age. Native women would peel
Continued on Page 7
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