The First Nations of North America have contributed five well-known items of travel technology to the world: the canoe, toboggan, kayak, komatik, and snowshoes. Each was well suited for the harshness of the terrain and climate, and designed for swift and efficient travel over the land, water, ice and snow.
Snowshoes are made primarily of birch, however, tamarack may also be used on occasion. The preferred lacing for snowshoes is caribou hide babiche, although sealskin, canvas, and rope have been used when caribou hide is in short supply.
Snowshoes are made primarily of birch, however, tamarack may also be used on occasion. The preferred lacing for snowshoes is caribou hide babiche, although sealskin, canvas, and rope have been used when caribou hide is in short supply.
The First Nations of North America have contributed five well-known items of travel technology to the world: the canoe, toboggan, kayak, komatik, and snowshoes. Each was well suited for the harshness of the terrain and climate, and designed for swift and efficient travel over the land, water, ice and snow.
Snowshoes are made primarily of birch, however, tamarack may also be used on occasion. The preferred lacing for snowshoes is caribou hide babiche, although sealskin, canvas, and rope have been used when caribou hide is in short supply.
Snowshoes are made primarily of birch, however, tamarack may also be used on occasion. The preferred lacing for snowshoes is caribou hide babiche, although sealskin, canvas, and rope have been used when caribou hide is in short supply.
© 2008, The Rooms. All Rights Reserved.
Snowshoes - asham
The Rooms
Peter Armitage, curator/facilitator (St. John's, NL), Nympha Byrne, researcher (Natuashish, Labrador) and Gillian Davidge, education consultant (The Rooms, St. John’s, NL)
© 2008, The Rooms. All Rights Reserved.
Sometimes, in the country, when there was bad weather, and you had nothing to do, you just took your crooked knife and made snowshoes. It would keep you busy all day. You would find someone who didn´t have snowshoes, and you would make them a pair. We would make them for the women, children and for ourselves, or for anybody who needed them.
The Rooms
Peter Armitage, curator/facilitator (St. John's, NL), Nympha Byrne, researcher (Natuashish, Labrador) and Gillian Davidge, education consultant (The Rooms, St. John’s, NL)
© 2008, The Rooms. All Rights Reserved.
Eight types of snowshoes were made and used by Labrador Innu. These include:
Ushetusham – swallow-tail snowshoe
Kautapishusht - beaver-tail snowshoe
Papatshitakusham - snowshoe made from wooden planks
Mashkusham - single-bar, bearpaw snowshoe
Uikuessiusham* - two-bar, bearpaw snowshoe
Mashkusham* - bearpaw showshoe (top section not laced)
Shakusham
Ushuiakusham - porcupine tail snowshoe
In general, Labrador and Quebec Innu "preferred oval-shaped snowshoes with very short tails or no tail at all, styles that allowed them to manoeuvre in hilly, densely wooded and brush-filled terrain" (Time-Life Books, 1995:88). However, even in the barren, tundra area of the George River and Labrador plateau, oval-shaped snowshoes were still the preferred type.
In the late 1800s, while conducting ethnographic fieldwork at Fort Chimo (Kuujjuaq) in Ungava Bay, Lucien M. Turner noted six types of snowshoes in use among the Mushuaunnuat (Barren Ground Innu). These included three types of single-bar bearpaw snowshoes, swallow-tail, beaver-tail, and wooden snowshoes. With respect to laced snowshoes, he observed that t Read More
Ushetusham – swallow-tail snowshoe
Kautapishusht - beaver-tail snowshoe
Papatshitakusham - snowshoe made from wooden planks
Mashkusham - single-bar, bearpaw snowshoe
Uikuessiusham* - two-bar, bearpaw snowshoe
Mashkusham* - bearpaw showshoe (top section not laced)
Shakusham
Ushuiakusham - porcupine tail snowshoe
In general, Labrador and Quebec Innu "preferred oval-shaped snowshoes with very short tails or no tail at all, styles that allowed them to manoeuvre in hilly, densely wooded and brush-filled terrain" (Time-Life Books, 1995:88). However, even in the barren, tundra area of the George River and Labrador plateau, oval-shaped snowshoes were still the preferred type.
In the late 1800s, while conducting ethnographic fieldwork at Fort Chimo (Kuujjuaq) in Ungava Bay, Lucien M. Turner noted six types of snowshoes in use among the Mushuaunnuat (Barren Ground Innu). These included three types of single-bar bearpaw snowshoes, swallow-tail, beaver-tail, and wooden snowshoes. With respect to laced snowshoes, he observed that t Read More
Eight types of snowshoes were made and used by Labrador Innu. These include:
Ushetusham – swallow-tail snowshoe
Kautapishusht - beaver-tail snowshoe
Papatshitakusham - snowshoe made from wooden planks
Mashkusham - single-bar, bearpaw snowshoe
Uikuessiusham* - two-bar, bearpaw snowshoe
Mashkusham* - bearpaw showshoe (top section not laced)
Shakusham
Ushuiakusham - porcupine tail snowshoe
In general, Labrador and Quebec Innu "preferred oval-shaped snowshoes with very short tails or no tail at all, styles that allowed them to manoeuvre in hilly, densely wooded and brush-filled terrain" (Time-Life Books, 1995:88). However, even in the barren, tundra area of the George River and Labrador plateau, oval-shaped snowshoes were still the preferred type.
In the late 1800s, while conducting ethnographic fieldwork at Fort Chimo (Kuujjuaq) in Ungava Bay, Lucien M. Turner noted six types of snowshoes in use among the Mushuaunnuat (Barren Ground Innu). These included three types of single-bar bearpaw snowshoes, swallow-tail, beaver-tail, and wooden snowshoes. With respect to laced snowshoes, he observed that the "netting is made of deerskin [caribou], with the hair removed, and allowed to dry into a condition usually known as parchment. This is cut into strips of variable width, depending on the particular use for which it is wanted" (1894[1979]:146).
With respect to the lacing needle, amak u, Turner said:
A needle of bone, horn, or iron...is used for netting the snowshoes. The shape of the implement is flat and rounded at each point, to enable the needle to be used either backward or forward. The eye which carries the line is in the middle. Various sizes of needles are used for the different kinds of netting, of which the meshes differ greatly in size" (ibid.:146).
Snowshoe making information from Shimun Michel and Manian (Ashini) Michel, Sheshatshiu, interviews October-November 2003
Shimun: First, I have to look for a birch bark or tamarack tree to use for making snowshoes [the frames]. It usually takes me three days to look for the right kind of tree. I start by making the frames. I soak them in hot water and bend them into a round/circular shape. I make both ends meet, then I use a strong string to tie them together at the ends.
Because of the lacing going around your foot, the snowshoe cannot come off. The only time it can come off is when it breaks. You do not step on the middle crossbar that goes across the upper part of the snowshoe. The mouth of a snowshoe is where you put in your foot and it is where the lace-strap is attached.
There are different colours of wool that can be used for decorating a snowshoe. At the top of the frames, holes are made to put the wool through it. Some Innu decorate their snowshoes because they are proud of them. Also, there are different styles of snowshoes. In other Innu communities, some of the caribou hide is darker because the blood on the caribou hide was not well scraped off. There are other names for snowshoes too.
The beaver tail shaped snowshoe is used for working outdoors during the winter, for getting firewood, checking your trap line and going far pulling a toboggan. It is the men’s job to make snowshoe frames, and women’s job to lace and decorate them.
I learned how to make snowshoe frames from an Elder, Mishen Pasteen. It took me a week to make one. At first, I did not know how to measure the frames, how big I wanted them. Then on the third day, I did all that he taught me, and when I went to see him, he told me to use my fingers to measure. I did that, and finally I got it right. Today, we still do all types of snowshoes. We sell them to anyone who wants to buy them. We also make small snowshoes for decorating; hanging on walls. They make nice house decorations.
There is a lot of work in preparing a snowshoe because of the caribou hide. Also, a caribou hide has to be prepared and cut into laces.
Manian: Caribou hide is the best to use for lacing snowshoes. Moose hide is not resistant. It does not last like caribou hide. Also, sealskin is also good for lacing. The skin is cleaned and scraped really well. The fat on the skin is scraped off with an ulu. It is not slippery after it has been well scraped and it also lasts.
If none of these hides are available, you can always use canvas. You tear it up in strips, but it is only good for making the bear paw shaped snowshoes.
After you have finished the snowshoes, you hang them on a tree near your tent early in the morning. The animal masters would then feel sorry and help you get a caribou.
Types of snowshoes used historically by Labrador Innu.
Ushetusham – swallow-tail snowshoe
Kautapishusht - beaver-tail snowshoe
Papatshitakusham - snowshoe made from wooden planks
Mashkusham - single-bar, bearpaw snowshoe
Uikuessiusham* - two-bar, bearpaw snowshoe
Mashkusham* - bearpaw showshoe (top section not laced)
Shakusham
Ushuiakusham - porcupine tail snowshoe
In general, Labrador and Quebec Innu "preferred oval-shaped snowshoes with very short tails or no tail at all, styles that allowed them to manoeuvre in hilly, densely wooded and brush-filled terrain" (Time-Life Books, 1995:88). However, even in the barren, tundra area of the George River and Labrador plateau, oval-shaped snowshoes were still the preferred type.
In the late 1800s, while conducting ethnographic fieldwork at Fort Chimo (Kuujjuaq) in Ungava Bay, Lucien M. Turner noted six types of snowshoes in use among the Mushuaunnuat (Barren Ground Innu). These included three types of single-bar bearpaw snowshoes, swallow-tail, beaver-tail, and wooden snowshoes. With respect to laced snowshoes, he observed that the "netting is made of deerskin [caribou], with the hair removed, and allowed to dry into a condition usually known as parchment. This is cut into strips of variable width, depending on the particular use for which it is wanted" (1894[1979]:146).
With respect to the lacing needle, amak u, Turner said:
A needle of bone, horn, or iron...is used for netting the snowshoes. The shape of the implement is flat and rounded at each point, to enable the needle to be used either backward or forward. The eye which carries the line is in the middle. Various sizes of needles are used for the different kinds of netting, of which the meshes differ greatly in size" (ibid.:146).
Snowshoe making information from Shimun Michel and Manian (Ashini) Michel, Sheshatshiu, interviews October-November 2003
Shimun: First, I have to look for a birch bark or tamarack tree to use for making snowshoes [the frames]. It usually takes me three days to look for the right kind of tree. I start by making the frames. I soak them in hot water and bend them into a round/circular shape. I make both ends meet, then I use a strong string to tie them together at the ends.
Because of the lacing going around your foot, the snowshoe cannot come off. The only time it can come off is when it breaks. You do not step on the middle crossbar that goes across the upper part of the snowshoe. The mouth of a snowshoe is where you put in your foot and it is where the lace-strap is attached.
There are different colours of wool that can be used for decorating a snowshoe. At the top of the frames, holes are made to put the wool through it. Some Innu decorate their snowshoes because they are proud of them. Also, there are different styles of snowshoes. In other Innu communities, some of the caribou hide is darker because the blood on the caribou hide was not well scraped off. There are other names for snowshoes too.
The beaver tail shaped snowshoe is used for working outdoors during the winter, for getting firewood, checking your trap line and going far pulling a toboggan. It is the men’s job to make snowshoe frames, and women’s job to lace and decorate them.
I learned how to make snowshoe frames from an Elder, Mishen Pasteen. It took me a week to make one. At first, I did not know how to measure the frames, how big I wanted them. Then on the third day, I did all that he taught me, and when I went to see him, he told me to use my fingers to measure. I did that, and finally I got it right. Today, we still do all types of snowshoes. We sell them to anyone who wants to buy them. We also make small snowshoes for decorating; hanging on walls. They make nice house decorations.
There is a lot of work in preparing a snowshoe because of the caribou hide. Also, a caribou hide has to be prepared and cut into laces.
Manian: Caribou hide is the best to use for lacing snowshoes. Moose hide is not resistant. It does not last like caribou hide. Also, sealskin is also good for lacing. The skin is cleaned and scraped really well. The fat on the skin is scraped off with an ulu. It is not slippery after it has been well scraped and it also lasts.
If none of these hides are available, you can always use canvas. You tear it up in strips, but it is only good for making the bear paw shaped snowshoes.
After you have finished the snowshoes, you hang them on a tree near your tent early in the morning. The animal masters would then feel sorry and help you get a caribou.
Types of snowshoes used historically by Labrador Innu.
© 2008, The Rooms. All Rights Reserved.
Learning Objectives
• Describe how traditional Innu snowshoes are made
• Examine how different types of snowshoes were used for different types of terrain and snow conditions
• Appreciate the importance of Innu Elders passing on traditional knowledge and skills to younger Innu
