The tree saps and splinters flew all over the place last week in PreHistoric Village museum. A canoe is being made from a fifty-year-old tree. It sounds easy with today’s technology, but that’s not how the volunteers are doing it. They make the vessel the prehistoric way. And that is intensive: “Well, I have three blisters and I am sweating a lot” says a volunteer.
“We only use hand tools”, course leader, Anton van den Heuvel, explains about the canoe building process in the PreHistorisch Dorp. “An axe, a dissel and a hand drill. That’s about all we have”.
With those tools, the poplar, which weighs about 1,000 kilos, must be transformed into a canoe. However, the volunteers are not working up a sweat for nothing. “I think it is very important to continue telling history. And especially to make it very tangible”, museum manager Yvonne Lammers says.
Afraid of wet feet
One of the volunteer workers, who is busy chopping, has another reason for participating. “I have a lot of canoes myself and I thought I should be able to build one myself. Anyone can buy one of those things, that is easy. I want to be able to make one myself”.
It doesn’t stop at just making it. The canoe is also actually launched. “The boat will soon be intended for use by the public, so adults and children can go on the water with it”, the course leader explains. The young spectators are not very keen to take a trip in the canoe. “Then I’m afraid I’ll sink”, a young boy, watching, says.
Those who are not afraid of wet feet can soon take a trip in the canoe. The vessel will be launched on Sunday.
Note from the editor: The PreHistoric Village started out as the Prehistoric village when it was a prehistory theme park. When other periods were added, such as a medieval area, the name acquired its capital H to signal the dual purpose: prehistory as well as history.
For more information: PreHistorisch Dorp
Source: Studio040
Translated by: Bob
