The Paddles of Walter Caribou
Grand Portage National Monument in Grand Portage, Minn. marks the lower terminus of the 8-mile Grand Portage used by fur-trading voyagers to transport trade goods and furs from the Pigeon River to Lake Superior. The current fort is a reconstruction of the original fort. Inside the stockade, there’s a display of paddles built by Walter Caribou, a Ojibwe, who lived in Grand Portage. Caribou was known as a great storyteller and a good paddle maker. In the above picture, the paddles from the left going clockwise are labeled:
- Ladies Paddle
- Middleman Paddle
- Francis Anne Hopkins painting “Canoe Shooting Rapids” paddle.
- U.S.A. Paddle
- “Rendezvous Awards” Paddle
- Ladies Paddle.
- Cribbage board
- “Distressed” paddle
- U.S.A. Voyageurs Paddle
- Wild Ricing Sticks
- Crossed “gift” paddles
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6 Comments
Darren
Hudson Bay Snuggies? :-)
I love that place…it oozes history. I wonder if they’d let a guy take some lines off some of Walter’s paddles. Any idea? I’d love to carve some of those patterns.
Andy
Nice article. I really gotta visit that place. and of course, do the fry bread.
Bryan Hansel
Mmmm…. Fry bread.
Darren – I bet they’d let you. Ilena has a friend that works there, so there’s always that connection.
James Garrison
Bryan – Thanks for writing this article! I remember Walter, and bought one of his paddles in 1991 when I was at Grand Portage photographing the Little Cedar Tree Spirit on Hat Point. I’ve used it a few times, and it’s light as a feather. He signed this one “Walter Caribou, Grande Portage MN, 1991 55605” in blue ballpoint pen.
Bryan Hansel
You’re welcome. Do you have a picture on your paddle? I’d love to add it to the article.
Jim
Many years ago my family and I visited Grand Portage. While we were there I met Mr. Caribou and we had a long, pleasant conversation. It is one of my most treasured moments. I purchased two of his hand carved paddles and asked him to sign them, which he gladly obliged. Those paddles are prominently displayed on the wall in our den. To me, they are priceless memories of a special time. As a side note, my great grandfather was from Ontario which further connects me to that part of history.