Prince George, B.C. – A pair of UNBC professors are spearheading an effort mark Canada’s 150^th anniversary.

UNBC chair of Anthropology Dr. Michel Bouchard and Earl Henderson, UNBC First Nations Studies Metis instructor, are organizing the construction of a full-sized birch bark canoe which will begin next May at Two Rivers Gallery.

Dr. Michel Bouchard – photo courtesy UNBC

It’s a partnership between Le Cercle des Canadiens Francais de Prince George, UNBC and Two Rivers Gallery.

“It’ll be about 15 feet long, enough for the equivalent of half a dozen people at one time. We will be joined by university students who will help build the canoe while having students and community members come in for the courses learning the skills,” says Bouchard.

“We also want to include the larger community, whether they’re school children or community members so they can come and see how it’s done and how it’s made.”

The canoe will be launched on July 1 to celebrate the 150^th anniversary of Confederation.

To celebrate the project Bouchard will be launching his book Songs Upon the Rivers: The Buried History of the French-Speaking Canadiens and Metis from the Great Lakes and the Mississippi across the Pacific at ArtSpace this Tuesday at 7 p.m.