Native Uses of Cedar

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Native Uses of Cedar

• Dwayne Martin, Tla-o-qui-aht
• Stephanie Peterson, Makah
• Nuuchahnulth
• May 20, 2005

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Uses

• Bark
• Baskets
• Rope
• Art and Ceremonial
• Household Items

• Wood
• Longhouses
• Canoes
• Ceremonial

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Harvest of Bark

• Harvest in the spring

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Weaving
Kathey Ervin
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Harvest of Wood

• Planks
• Take only a few from a tree
• Use of rocks and planks for weights/leverage
• Use of mud clay protecting tree from fire
• Can take a season to split

• Whole Trees
• Tend to look for wind fallen trees or root rot
• Cant harvest just any tree-spiritual
• Take what is needed and leave the rest of tree-
  shape and hollow on site

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Longhouses

• Planks made of Cedar because of the woods
  strength, resistance to decay, ability to produce
  straight, easy to use board

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Art
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Ceremonial

• Ceremonial
• Regalia
• Headdresses

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Canoes
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Building of a Canoe

• With todays modern tools takes 6 weeks for a
  master carver
• Skills and teachings are the same

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Culturally Modified Trees (CMTs)

• Caused by
• Stripping of bark
• Splitting for planks
• Present Importance
• Used to outline borders of Native Territories and
  traditional uses

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Other Trees that are commonly used by Natives

• red alder
• Fuelwood, smoking fish, art, ceremonial, paddles,
  drums
• Pacific yew
• Paddles, weapons
• Sitka Spruce
• To seal canoes, color