Yaksu ʔ mi ⱡ
Yaksuʔmi̓ⱡ - the sturgeon nose canoe has always been a practical mode of transportation for the Ktunaxa . The late Wayne Louie of the Yaq̓an nukiy ( Lower Kootenay ) community in Creston was the most recent Ktunaxa who made the canoe which has now been passed on to his son Jordan to keep the tradition strong . The canoe is used on calm waters such as on Kootenay Lake from Creston to Bonners . The canoe is designed to go through the bull rushes in the swampy areas of the lake . The Ktunaxa also took the canoe on the head waters of the Columbia . The white pine is grown throughput the region and is light weight material making for a very light canoe and easily transported on land when necessary .
The canoe is designed to resemble the sturgeon , a very versatile fish that lives in our waters . The Kootenay River is the home of the sturgeon . According to Wayne , the sturgeon is the keeper of our heritage , spirituality , and language .
Richard Jacob , a Ktunaxa of Yaq̓an nukiy has fond memories of when he was young and would watch his parents , Wilfred Jacob and Agatha Jacob ( Basil ), along with his grandmother Charlotte Basil build canoes , and is glad for the memories that help him build the canoe . Yaksuʔmi̓ⱡ is not very stable when travelling in the rougher waters such as on the Wasaʔki ( Elk River ). So , as you travel in our waters in Qukin
ʔamakis , ask yourself , did the Ktunaxa use yaksuʔmi̓ⱡ here ?
Watch ‘ The Rebirth of the Sturgeon Nose Canoe ’ on vimeo : vimeo . com / 110410378
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