The techniques of manufacturing durable cordage were once essential for many day to day economic activities such as making fishing nets and lines, ropes, bulrush mats and bindings.  The use of fiber was equally as important for arts such as weaving twined bags, straps, belts and sashes. 

   Our basic cordage workshop introduces students to the foundational techniques of harvesting and processing traditional fibers including basswood, dogbane, wood nettle, swamp milkweed and leg sinew.  Each student will learn multiple processes for making strong multiple ply cord from a variety of fibers.   Our 2 day advanced workshop covers basic cordage with the addition of basic twined bag manufacture and simple finger weaving and netting techniques.

 

The ability to kindle a fire from the natural materials that surround us has been a fundamental human skill for countless generations.   Our fire making workshops

provide students of all ages hands-on learning of basic fire making techniques using a variety of materials native to the Eastern Woodlands.  The friction based methods we cover include hand drill methods (well documented in Eastern North America at the time of European contact) and multiple variations of the bow drill.  We also cover percussion based fire making methods with flint and steel, using native tinder such as tinder fungus and milkweed hearts.   

 

We offer seasonal plant walks where participants learn about traditional Neshnabe uses of local plants and trees including; foods, beverages and fundamental technologies.  Terminology for specific plant and tree species can be provided in Bode’wadmimwen or Neshnabe’mowin.  This is an excellent way to become  familiar with many local plants and the diverse range of gifts which they provide for us.  Specific species covered will be dependent upon the season and location. Demonstrations of plant use and preparation for foods and technologies can be incorporated as well as hand-outs with key information.

Our birch bark basketry workshops are full learning experiences where students learn both about harvesting and preparing bark and spruce root as well as the foundational skills for basket making.  There are many options for specific workshop projects from simple to more advanced styles of containers including: mkeks, winnowing dishes, sap dishes, cylindrical storage containers and woven bark work.  We also offer classes for younger students on bark spoons, and birch bark bitings.

Split ash basketry has been a tradition in the Pigeon Family for many generations.  In this workshop students will learn basket making from pounding the splints off of the log to splitting and shaving.  Then each student will weave their own  beautiful ash basket, with the assistance of third and fourth generation expert weavers.  This workshop can also be adjusted for youth, public demonstration or a multiple day in depth exploration of the art form.

Flintknapping is the ancient art of chipping stone such as flint and chert into useful, sharp tools such as arrowheads, knives, scrapers and spear points.  In our introductory flintknapping workshop students will work with both ancient types of  antler and copper tools to learn the foundational steps and concepts of chipping and shaping useful tools.  This course can also be combined with a short course on hafting where each student will make a functional flint knife.

Brain-tanning is the old method of preserving and softening animal skin with the brain to produce a velvety soft, luxurious buckskin that is washable, durable and preferred for beading and quilling.  We tan hides using both wet and dry scrape methods.  Our brain-tanning class is an in-depth two day workshop where we will start with raw deerskins and end with beautiful, smoked brain-tanned hides.  We also have done tanning workshops on larger group projects such as buffalo robes, elk, moose and bear skins.

Our sweet grass basket workshop leads students through the process of coiling beautiful sweet grass and birch bark baskets and coasters.  The class begins with information on harvesting materials. Then, students select a design and begin creating.  Like all of our workshops, we provide all the necessary materials, tools and supplies.  This is a full day long workshop.