William Commanda

William (Morning Star) Commanda was born in 1913 in Kitigan Zibi, near Maniwaki, Quebec. As a young man he worked as a trapper and guide and became widely known for his unequalled skill in building traditional Algonquin birchbark canoes. He and his wife Mary both learned traditional skills from their families and together built more than 100 birch bark canoes as well as snow shoes, exceptional wooden furniture and leather, bead and quill work. They strived to keep these skills alive among the Algonquin of western Quebec through books, documentaries and workshops.

William continues to teach traditional skills to international audiences, reflecting his life experiences and the knowledge entrusted to him through ancient artifacts he has inherited.

Today, healthy birch trees large enough for canoe building are rare and, if this tradition is to survive, William Commanda urges us to rekindle our relationship with the earth:

“The Creator’s gifts from our Mother, the Earth, have been good and kind to us all; sustaining us throughout our history. Today, if we look around, we can witness the results of our disregard for her well-being. It is now time for us to recognize her needs, to care for her, to rebalance our relationship with her, for if we do not do this, our children and their children will have no future. This will require us to rightly assert our love for all things and each other. Today is a good day to begin this work”