ᒀᐱᑳᑲᓈᐦᑎᒄ ᑲᔦᐦ ᐊᔅᒋᐦᒄᐦ ᐁ ᐋᐸᒋᔥᑖᑲᓄᐎᐦᒀᐤᐦ ᐁᐦ ᑲᑴᒋᔅᑲᑕᐦᐅᑐᓈᓄᐎᐦᒡ
ᒀᐱᑳᐙᑭᓈᐦᑎᒄ ᑭᔮᐦ ᐊᔅᒋᐦᒄᐦ ᐋᐱᒋᐦᑖᑭᓂᐎᒡ ᐋᐦ ᑯᒀᒋᔅᑭᑐᑎᓈᐎᒡ

Yoke and Pail Race

Elder Teachings

Elders explain aspects of iiyiyiuiyihtiwin and practices, and offer insights into chischaayihtimuwin passed down through generations.

ᐧᑳᐱᑳᑲᓈᐦᑎᒄ / ᐧᑳᐱᐧᑳᐧᐋᑭᓈᑎᒃ was a wooden yoke, including the hook used to hang pails before metal hooks were available.

They carved the wooden yoke to better sit on the shoulders and the neck.

Roots ᐅᑎᐲᐅᐧᐁᔮᐲ / ᐆᑎᐦᐲᐦᐧᐋᔮᐲ made of black spruce were the best ones to use especially those found growing near ᐁᐦ ᐅᔅᒋᔅᑲᑖᐅᐦᑳᒡh / ᐋᐦ ᐅᔅᒋᑖᐅᑳᒡ where pine trees grew.

ᑳ ᒌ ᐧᐋᔖᐯᑦ / ᑳᒌᐧᐋᔑᒃ making string out of hide.

They braided the roots to make it stronger so it wouldn’t break off while carrying a heavy load of water.

The other thing they used as string were string made of seal hide ᐋᐦᒋᑯᔮᐲ / ᐋᐦᒋᑳᔮᐲ and string made of bear hide ᒋᔐᔮᑯᔮᐲ / ᒋᔖᔮᑯᐋᔮᐲ.

Using a yoke made hauling water easier. Sometimes, two people would carry it together, with one person walking behind the other to help balance a large pail.

– Louise Mayappo

I only seen a yoke ᐧᑳᐱᑳᑲᓈᐦᑎᒄ being used at the Waswanipi Old Post to get water ᐁᐦ ᐧᑳᐱᑳᓄᐧᐃᐦᒡ

The nurse’s residence at the Old Post had a yoke, you did not see the natives ᐄᓅᒡ to have them.

– Matthew Ottereyes

I still have a yoke ᐧᑳᐱᑳᑲᓈᐦᑎᒄ that my father made when we were living in the bush.

Birch bark was used for pails to get water ᐁᐦ ᐧᑳᐱᑳᓄᐧᐃᐦᒡ. He would use gum from trees to block the holes.

– Ella Neeposh

A yoke is called ᐧᑳᐱᑳᑲᓈᐦᑎᒄ.

It is used to fetch water, it is layed the back of ones neck and shoulders. A string is attached on both ends of the stick and the pails ᐧᑳᐱᑳᑲᓐᐦ are hooked on when getting water.

– Evadney Petawabano

I’ve seen a yoke ᐧᑳᐱᑳᑲᓈᐦᑎᒄ used to get water. The pails hang evenly on your shoulders, when you get water.

It works very well when the trail is bad.

It sits evenly around your neck and on your shoulders and your water must be filled the same level, when doing this your water doesn’t spill when walking.

ᒀᐱᑳᑲᓈᐦᑎᒄ ᑲᔦᐦ ᐊᔅᒋᐦᒄᐦ ᐁ ᐋᐸᒋᔥᑖᑲᓄᐎᐦᒀᐤᐦ ᐁᐦ ᑲᑴᒋᔅᑲᑕᐦᐅᑐᓈᓄᐎᐦᒡᒀᐱᑳᐙᑭᓈᐦᑎᒄ ᑭᔮᐦ ᐊᔅᒋᐦᒄᐦ ᐋᐱᒋᐦᑖᑭᓂᐎᒡ ᐋᐦ ᑯᒀᒋᔅᑭᑐᑎᓈᐎᒡ