The Making of a Birchbark Canoe

Forming the Canoe

The gunwales are lashed together using the root gathered in the swamps.
Work proceeds from the center of the canoe out, until all four quartersare
complete. The picture below shows the difference between a regular side binding
and a thwart binding, which requires more strength.

The root is used for sewing up the different pieces of bark, as well as for
binding the gunwales of the canoe together. The picture above and below
here show a stem prior to and after binding.