Here stands the Black Eagle canoe a silent sentinel of Northwest Coast culture. This isn’t just any canoe it embodies resilience and creativity. It represents the spirit of indigenous peoples. The Black Eagle canoe is a fiberglass replica of the famed Loo Taas.
Bill Reid carved Loo Taas from a 750-year-old cedar for Expo 86. It was Vancouver’s moment to shine. Loo Taas was the first Haida ocean-going canoe carved in over a century. This sparked a renaissance of canoe culture.
SFU President Andrew Petter once said the Black Eagle represents the vitality of Northwest Coast canoe cultures. The Black Eagle journeyed from Canada’s national museum. It went to VanDusen Garden and finally to SFU. This five-year journey was thanks to Charles and Gayle Pancerzewski’s generosity.
In 2015 the Black Eagle found its permanent home on SFU’s Burnaby campus. The installation marked SFU’s 50th anniversary. Fresh cedar bows blessed Black Eagle with water. This was a symbolic welcome.
Bill Reid was born to a Haida mother and a European father. He embraced his Haida legacy through his art. Reid once said Western art starts with the figure but Northwest Coast art starts with the canoe. With help from artists like Guujaaw Reid created Loo Taas. It made a triumphant entry at Expo 86 in Vancouver.
The Black Eagle is one of four fiberglass replicas. George MacDonald commissioned them when he directed the Canadian Museum of Civilization. Reid humorously called these his Tupperware fleet.
Christopher Lewis a Squamish Nation councillor noted Reid’s spiritual connection. Reid offered one of his canoes to help revitalize their canoe culture. The Squamish now have many canoes participating in tribal journeys.
Reid’s granddaughter Nika Collison narrated Loo Taas was life-changing. Loo Taas carried Reid’s ashes in 1998 to his final resting place in Haida Gwaii. Loo Taas now rests at the Haida Heritage Centre. It stands as a testament to Haida knowledge and skill.
Haida canoes were exquisite crafted from red cedar. They were highly prized by chiefs. Haida canoes were the Cadillacs of the coast. Canoemakers worked through autumn selecting the best cedars. Roughed-out canoes were moved to the beach after snowfall. They were towed home for winter finishing.
In spring new canoes braved seasonal storms to head for the mainland. If they could withstand Hecate Strait they could withstand any weather. The canoes were traded at the Nass River.
Bill Reid aimed to gain knowledge about northern canoe technologies. Haida canoe making declined in the early 1900s. Seine boats became common. Carvers transferred their skills.
The best logs are 400 to 800 years old. They have fine grain few knots and no twist. Cedars of this quality are becoming harder to find. Simon Dick a Kwakwaka’wakw designed a Thunderbird carving for Expo 86. He also assisted Bill Reid in his Haida canoe project.
Rocks are heated and placed in the canoe with water. The hull is covered to retain steam. This softens the cedar. Spreaders stretch the canoe to its necessary width. The process adds strength and stability.
Tribal canoe journeys have become an annual event. New generations build on ancient traditions. The Black Eagle stands as a powerful reminder. It connects us to the past present and future. It embodies the spirit of the Northwest Coast canoe cultures.