National Canoe Day Date in the current year: June 26, 2024

A canoe is a lightweight narrow watercraft that is typically propelled by a single-bladed paddle. The term “canoe” is sometimes used interchangeably with “kayak”, but there are differences between the two watercraft. In British English, “true” canoes are sometimes called Canadian canoes or simply Canadians, whereas kayaks can be referred to as canoes.

Canoes were independently invented in many parts of the world, from the Americas to Australasia. The earliest form of the canoe was the dugout canoe made from a hollowed tree. The world’s oldest known dugout is believed to have been constructed sometime between 8040 BC and 7510 BC. Later on, many indigenous peoples in different regions began to make bark canoes.

The Indigenous peoples of the Americas made their canoes from birch bark. The bark was stripped from tree trunks in early spring with the help of wooden wedges. Then the two parts of the hull (the bow and the stern) were sewn together, stretched over the ribs made of white cedar and fastened using a special thread called watap. To make their canoes watertight, Indigenous peoples of the Americas used balsam fir pitch. Modern canoes are usually made of plastic or composite materials. They are mostly used for recreation and water sports; canoeing has been an Olympic sport since the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin.

Canoes were a popular mode of transportation in Canada due to their versatility and reliability until the mid-19th century. They were extensively used for trade and exploration. Canoes have been an important part of the Canadian identity since the early days of its formation because they were equally important for the Indigenous peoples of Canada and for the voyageurs who used canoes to transport furs over long distances during the height of the North American fur trade. For the Indigenous people of Canada, the canoe is a symbol of their connection to the land, family and community. From 1935 to 1986 the reverse of the Canadian silver dollar depicted a canoe paddled by a voyageur and a person of Indigenous descent with the Northern Lights in the background.

In 2007, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation sponsored the Seven Wonders of Canada competition. A panel of judges picked the canoe as one of the winners. In the wake of the competition, the Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough, Ontario designated June 26 as National Canoe Day to highlight the cultural significance of the canoe.

Over the years National Canoe Day has become popular not only in Canada but also in the United States. Of course, the best way to celebrate the holiday is to go canoeing with your friends or family and explore the beauty of nature, but we also suggest that you take it as an opportunity to learn more about the importance of the canoe for the Indigenous peoples of Canada and its cultural symbolism.