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Adultᐱᒥᐱᒎ: ᐁᐦ ᐙᔅᐱᒋᔥᑖᐹᓄᐎᐦᒡ
ᐱᒥᐱᒋᐤ: ᐙᔅᐱᐦᑖᐹᓂᐎᒡ
Winter Journey: Toboggan Packing
The tamarack tree is one of the strongest trees and was perfect for making a sled. The tree used had to be straight and have straight branches.
The tamarack tree chosen was often near water rather than on dry land. This was an important factor in selecting the right tree. The word in Cree, ᐁᐦ ᐄᐯᑖᐅᐦᑳᒡ , ᐋᐦ ᐄᔨᐹᑖᐅᐦᑳᒡ means “the tamarack tree standing or slanted near the water like a river or lake”.
Caribou hide was used to wrap the belongings of the people travelling. The hide also served as covering for shelter which was also a way for them to pack efficiently.
– Louise Mayappo
They would take smoldering logs and occasionally stop to blow on the embers to keep them burning until they reached their destination.
"ᐁᐦ ᐱᒥᐱᒋᓈᓄᐧᐃᐦᒡ / ᐱᒥᐱᒎᓇᓅᒡ", refers to carrying fire. After they began using stoves, they would carry their fire with them by transporting stoves that still contained embers. This way, they wouldn’t waste time building a fire upon arrival—it would already be ready.
Since they didn’t always have matches or rocks to strike together, they relied on different methods to start a fire without matches.
During winter, when the days were shorter, carrying fire made it easier to set up camp quickly upon arrival.
– Janie Pachanos
ᐁᐦ ᐱᒥᐱᑎᒣᐱᒋᓈᓄᐧᐃᐦᒡ / ᐋᐦ ᐱᒥᑎᒫᐱᒋᓈᓂᐎᒡ meaning “walking on a trail”.
ᐅᔅᒋᑖᑯᓂᒡ / ᐱᔅᐧᑳᑭᓂᒡ meaning “on top of snow”.
ᐁᐦ ᒣᔅᑲᓈᒉᐱᒋᑦ ᐊᐧᐁᓐ / ᐋᐦ ᐱᔅᑯᑎᒫᐱᒋᑦ ᐊᐧᐋᓐ meaning “walking without a trail walking on top of the snow.”
Before setting out on a winter journey, one important factor to consider is whether there is an existing trail or non-existing trail.
If there is no trail, the toboggan must be lightly packed because walking on fresh, untouched snow makes it harder to pull the toboggan.
An existing trail makes walking easier, allowing you to pack a heavier load.
Regular maintenance of the toboggan ensures it is in good condition and will slide or glide properly on the snow.
The load of your toboggan depends on the weather. Walking in mild weather with a heavy load is more difficult than in colder temperatures.
In mild weather, snow can build up on the bottom of the toboggan, eventually forming ice. This ice increases friction, making it harder to pull the load.
Always carry drinking water and keep it warm—do not drink cold water.
An essential tool to pack is an axe, as it is always needed for firewood and other tasks.
– Eddie Pashagumeskum
They did not always travel; they only moved to places where they could hunt nearby and find wild game.
When spring comes around, that is when they would move again and stay there during the springtime to hunt beaver.
The way we see it done today—traveling every day until reaching the destination—was not how it was done long ago. It is done this way now to show people what the winter journey, ᐱᒥᐱᒎ, is all about and how our ancestors traveled.
Long ago, people did not have much. They used ᐊᑎᐦᑯᔮᓐᐦ (caribou hide) to cover their belongings and as a mattress for sleeping.
For tying their sleds (ᐧᐋᔅᐸᑕᐦᐄᑲᓐ), they did not use rope but instead used ᒨᓱᔮᓂᔮᐲ (moosehide line). This line was also used to pull their sled, called ᐅᑖᐹᓂᔮᐲ.
– Matthew Ottereyes
In the fall, they would stay in one area, and when the season changed to spring, they would move to another camp (ᒋᐦᒋᐱᒋᓈᓄᐧᐃᐦᒡ) where hunting moose was good, and they would settle there.
In the springtime (ᒥᔪᔅᑲᒨ), when everything dried up, it would be time to move again to another camp (ᐁᐦ ᒋᐦᒋᐱᒋᓈᓄᐧᐃᐦᒡ), searching for a place with plenty of water, making it easier to paddle around and hunt muskrat.
They carried everything they needed in their toboggans. A child who was too heavy to carry on the back or unable to walk was also placed in the toboggan.
Moving from one camp to another (ᒋᐦᒋᐱᒋᓈᓄᐧᐃᐦᒡ) was not just a single journey; they made several trips.
They used old tents, birch bark, and even animal hides from their hunts to cover their toboggans.
– Ella Neeposh
The flat toboggan (ᓇᐸᒋᐦᑖᐹᓈᔅᒄ) was tied using rope. I have also seen moosehide, cut into strips, used as a line (ᒨᓱᔮᓂᔮᐲ) for securing the toboggan (ᐧᐋᔅᐸᑕᐦᐄᑲᓐ).
The way you lace a moss bag (ᐧᐋᔅᐱᓱᔮᓐ) is the same method used for lacing a toboggan when tying it up (ᐧᐋᔅᐸᑕᐦᐄᑲᓄᐧᐃᐦᒡ).
– Evadney Petawabano
During a winter journey (ᐁᐦ ᐱᒥᐱᒋᓈᓄᐧᐃᐦᒡ), I learned what to do by observing how everything was wrapped and tied up.
There were two kinds of toboggan ᓇᐸᒋᐦᑖᐹᓈᔅᒄ used long ago. A shorter toboggan was used for small game hunting. The long one was used for winter travel where you need to haul more gear.
Both birch and tamarack trees were used to make toboggans.