September 21, 2025

‘LESSON LEARNED’ — DAY-OLD ST. DOMINIC’S ‘FRIENDSHIP CANOE’ PADDLED DOWN MUSKOKA RIVER FRIDAY

BRACEBRIDGE — A “Friendship Canoe” launch Friday passed the ultimate stress test at Kelvin Grove Park — “lesson learned.”

Surrounded by teachers and anxious students, a birch bark canoe built the past two weeks in a tent behind St. Dominic’s Catholic high school gently glided into the bay beneath the trickling Muskoka Falls where it met mid-stream with two almost identical native hand crafts.

Like they belonged there.

And they did — do.

“Friends for life,” canoe builders Amber Quakegesic, left, and Chuck Commanda lightly lift their beautiful birch bark creation Friday, which they built the past two weeks with the help of students at St. Dominic’s Catholic high school in Bracebridge. PHOTOS Mark Clairmont MuskokaTODAY.com

Two distant paddlers in gaudy Neon plastic kayaks must have been startled to see three locally-made First Nations canoes floating toward them — “a sight not seen on the Muskoka River in maybe 200 years,” said SMCDSB Indigenous teacher Bill Benoit.

All of them built by canoe master Chuck Commanda. His latest a co-creation with Chapleau apprentice Amber Quakegesic, Huntsville helper Dave Connell — and students — who finished sprucing up seams with sweet smelling pitch Thursday afternoon.

Friday morning they successfully tested the waters by pouring water into the gunnels before portaging the 36-pound golden light-weight from the school on an SUV roof rack.

“Probably used holy water,” joked one smiling wag at a pre-school ceremony.

**At about 36 pounds the canoe is easy to portage, but an SUV was depoloyed to transport it across town to the Muskoka River.**

“Widgiiwagan Jiiman,” which means “Friendship Canoe” (bringing people together) was the christening name chosen by students, staff and ultimately Commanda, who said he “paid attention” to his grandparents when they taught him the skilled art.

“Of course Chuck was always paying attention,” said principal Joe Conway. “There is a lesson we can take away from his story. As part of Truth and Reconciliation we are called to ‘pay attention’ to indigenous history, teachings and ways of knowing.

“For our community, this has been so much more than a Canoe Build Project. It is amazing that in such a short time, a tangible bond has formed.

“Of course the goal for Chuck has been to highlight the importance of trades, but more importantly was his message of reconciliation through shared experience and conversation.

“Chuck’s expertise as an Algonquin ‘Knowledge Keeper,’ has been paramount in sharing Indigenous teachings with us and ways of knowing through teachable moments and stories from his culture.”

**Students carry the Friendship Canoe into Kelvin Grove Park in a ritual march Friday afternoon for the much anticipated launch.**

Added Conway: “It’s been a gift of friendship and mentoring that enriched our school and culture by sharing your courage and positive outlook. You’re an inspiration and we commit ourselves to pay attention about our history and build on important lessons toward reconciliation and understanding.”

Commanda responded that “the journey began five years ago” with the first of five canoes now he’s built for the Catholic school board. The two canoes Friday were from the high schools Patrick Fogarty in Orillia and St. Joseph in Barrie. Others he built were in Midland and Collingwood.

Students Justin Stanley and Bella Bullock were thrilled with the opportunity for an authentic cultural experience and helped carry the Friendship Canoe off the SUV and reverently place it is the water.

Wearing orange ‘Every Child Matters’ t-shirts, they both said it was “really a lot of fun working on it.”

“We were there for some of the steps, not them all,” said Stanley.

Bullock noted “it definitely takes someone with a lot of experience, like the generational teaching steps.”

**Students, school officials and a few members of the public gathered to celebrate the launch Friday afternoon and wish the canoe bon voyage on her maiden trip.**

**Mayor Rick Maloney joined prayers and a dedication ceremony as a crowd of about 65 awaited the big moment.**

Fellow students agreed.

“It’s really cool to see it come together” said Josephine Lusk, a Grade 12 religion studies student.

Classmate Brooke Jonson added “we got to help, doing weaving around the gunnels. “It looks pretty good. I think it would hold people.”

For James McWhirter “it was really quick. I couldn’t build one in a month on my own. He said they imbued the spirit of the trees in to the boards for good luck.”
McWhirter and friends Evan Simm and Lukas Manuel said they all canoe.

Simm, who canoed a week in Algonquin Park this summer learned how “there are different types of canoes, depending on the use of them.”

And Manuel agreed with Simm it’s good the new canoe is lighter.

“It won’t be a pain to portage like other canoes.”

**“Knowledge keeper” and master canoe builder Chuck Commanda shares sweet grass smudge with students Justin Stanley and Bella Bullock who “embraced” the build.**

**A parade to the river’s edge at Kelvin Grove Park proceeded the official launch ….**

**… And then simply the celebrated Algonquin canoe was slipped into the water.**

Conway said the students “have been great,” especially those bussed in to St. Dominic’s each day from First Nations communities and kids who visited from other Catholic elementary schools.

“I’m elatated. Just having this time with Chuck and his team and having it built here. Every part of it and getting my feet wet, so to speak, by literally getting to build this from the ground up and spending time with them.

“Each day we’d get a little more engagement” over the five days last week and four this week it took to turn a rolled up piece of birch bark into a mode of transportation.

“Some like Justin, Bella, Ethan and Austen were out several days. They just embraced it.

“It was a wrap-around,” he said also pointing to the two visiting canoes. “That’s what it’s all about.

**The first paddle belonged to beaming builders Amber and Chuck, who easily glided away from the dock to cheers as they paddled out in to the open water in comfort and ease after a job well done.**

“Chuck, you told me today this canoe comes to life. You’re friends for life: “Ogiima wigwassi jiiman widgiiwagan, miigwech,” Conway concluded in thanking the school’s new widgiiwagan (friends) Commanda and Quakegesic.”

As Commanda prepared to share a sweet grass smudging with everyone, he said “this is the beginning as it unites people together. The canoe brought us together. I’m really happy you made this happen.”

Finally, before the river launch Commanda concluded: “We don’t have a word for good-bye — just bye for now. We’ll see you soon.”

And then he and Quakegesic paddled off in a day-old Algonquin canoe as students cheered.