31 March 2021 - THE INVENTION OF SNOW SHOES

 

THE INVENTION 

OF SNOW SHOES

G'day folks,

Indigenous Americans from the Arctic Circle to the Great Lakes used snowshoes to make their winter travel more comfortable. They made the shoes from wooden frames fastened with rawhide thongs. These snowshoes distributed the wearer’s weight over a larger area and prevented them from sinking into the snow.

 

The tradition of snowshoes, in fact, united nearly all Native American tribes who lived in snowy areas. People in the North American Northeast made snowshoes by creating a frame of light wood and shaping it into an oval with a point on one end.

 

The Cree and other subarctic tribes also made snowshoes by flexing the rounded front of the frame upward and then fastening it into place with netting. New, high-tech and light-weight snowshoes have now been developed that are designed for running on groomed snowshoe trails. However, the Native Americans must be credited for giving us the idea.

Clancy's comment: Intelligent people, eh?

I'm ...

 

 

15 March 2021 - WHO INVENTED KAYAKS?

 

WHO INVENTED

 KAYAKS?

 

G'day folks,

Kayaks were used throughout the Arctic and subarctic region. Native Americans living in the northern regions of North America made kayaks by stretching walrus or sealskin over wooden frames. 

 

According to historians, the Native Americans developed the kayak as they needed a small, narrow boat to navigate choppy rivers. These kayaks even had a sealed cockpit to protect the paddler from sinking. These kayaks were made using a double paddle to increase the speed and were about 19 feet (5.7 meters) long. 

 

It is said that the kayaks were an important part of the Native American culture and were regularly used for seal and walrus hunting. Children were given a kayak by the age of 10 and they were expected to build their own by the age of 20.

Clancy's coment: There ya go. Something to pass onto your kids and grandkids.

I'm ...