Dugout Canoe
date: label: Accession Date
content: 23 Feb 1894
label: Collection Date
content: ca. 1891
name: label: Collector
content: Lt. George T. Emmons
label: Donor Name
content: U.S. Department Of Interior
notes: label: Notes
content: FROM CARD: "USED BY THE INDIANS IN SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA FOR TRAVELING, ETC. DUGOUT OF THE TRUNK OF A SINGLE TREE OF THE GIANT CEDAR (THUJA GIGANTEA). AN OPEN, ROUND BOTTOM KEELESS CANOE; LONG SHARP, OVERHANGING BOW WITH SNOUT-LIKE PROJECTION AND STRAIGHT NEARLY VERTICAL OUTWATER; FLARING SIDES; SHARP, OVERHANGING STERN; ENDS CURVED UP RATHER SHARPLY WITH A CARVED FIGURE OF A BEAR RESTING ON THE BOW AND STERN; PAINTED ALL OVER WITH TOTEMS; EQUIPPED WITH 5 PADDLES. THIS IS ONE OF THE LARGEST AND FINEST CANOES BUILT BY THE INDIANS OF THE NORTHWEST COAST OF AMERICA. THE PERFECTION OF ITS LINES, ITS BUOYANCY, AND ITS ORNAMENTATION CHALLENGE ADMIRATION.- H. COLLINS' SMITHSONIAN BOAT COLLECTION MS. P. 893. G. T. EMMONS "TLINGIT ETHNOLOGY" (MSS IN AMER. MUSEUM NAT. HISTORY) MENTIONS THIS CANOE; "ONE OF THE LAST OF THE CANOES, THE PROPERTY OF THE NAN-YA-A-YI [Naanya.aayí] CHIEF, SHAKES [Sheiyksh], OF THE STIKINE TRIBE WAS NAMED HOOTZ YORK (BROWN BEAR CANOE) FROM THE CARVED BEAR FIGURES SURMOUNTING BOW AND STERN. THE MALE BEAR LEANING OVER THE BOW WAS THE WATCHMAN LOOKING AHEAD, AND THE FEMALE WAS SHOWN RISING OUT OF THE STERN. IT WAS ALSO CALLED "KETE YOURK" (KILLER WHALE CANOE) AS A KILLER WHALE WAS PAINTED ON EITHER SIDE OF THE BOW. ON EITHER SIDE OF THE STERN WAS PAINTED A RAVEN. THE KILLER WHALE AND BROWN BEAR WERE BOTH FAMILY CRESTS, THE RAVEN THE WIFE'S CREST. THIS CANOE PROCURED FOR GOVT. EXHIBIT AT CHICAGO WORLD'S FAIR IN 1893 ... ". SEE U.S.N.M. BULL. NO. 127, PG. 218-19 [canoe is listed as number 76315]. [Bow and stern] ILLUS.: HNDBK. N. AMER. IND., VOL. 7, NORTHWEST COAST, FIG. 4, LEFT AND CENTER, PG. 9. THREE DRAWINGS OF SPECIMEN [by Bill Holm are] IN NAA [NATIONAL ANTHROPOLOGICAL ARCHIVES] ..." ...CONTINUED, SEE CARDS. Note re photos: Smithsonian Photographic Services color slide # 73-5071 is view of National Anthropological Archives drawing of complete canoe showing midships artwork; color slide # 73-5072 is view of NAA drawing of bow of canoe; color slide # 73-5073 is view of NAA drawing of stern of canoe.
label: Notes
content: A 1943 memo in accession file discusses the transfer of this canoe, listed as Division of Engineering number 76315, from the Engineering Division to the Department of Anthropology, and indicates that it formerly had been suspended from the ceiling of the Boat Hall of the Arts and Industries building, but in 1942 was moved to the West Court of the Natural History Museum as an air raid precaution. This canoe has been called various numbers while at the Smithsonian, including Division of Engineering number 76315 and Catalogue Nos. 168115 and 398282 while in the Department of Anthropology. E168115 is the number used currently for it by the Department of Anthropology.
label: Record Last Modified
content: 18 Apr 2025
label: Specimen Count
content: 8
place: label: Place
content: Southeast, Alaska, United States, North America
topic: label: Topic
content: Ethnology
culture: label: Culture
content: Tlingit, Stikine
setName: label: See more items in
content: Anthropology
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: NMNH - Anthropology Dept.
identifier: label: Accession Number
content: 027833
label: USNM Number
content: E168115-0
objectType: label: Object Type
content: Canoe / Paddle
physicalDescription: label: Length - Boat
content: 13.3 m
label: Width - Boat
content: 1.7 m
label: Height - Boat
content: 2 m