This summer, Mohawk College had the pleasure of hosting a unique land-based learning opportunity with master canoe builder Chuck Commanda. Over a two-week period, five Indigenous students worked with Chuck to build a traditional birchbark canoe in the Hoop Dance space at the Fennell campus.
The project was a collaboration between Indigenous Initiatives and Education, Indigenous Student Services, the Mohawk College Foundation, and the McKeil Family Foundation, who commissioned the canoe, and are strong supporters of Mohawk College.
When not at Mohawk College, the canoe will be touring the Great Lakes on Theodore Too, a working replica of the popular Theodore Tugboat TV show. Theodore’s mission is to promote careers in Canada’s marine industry while also talking about the importance of looking after our waterways.