Historic Paddle Illustration: Cockburn's Mi'kmaq Encampment at Point Levis

Here's another illustration of a Mi'kmaq paddle from a painting by James Pattison Cockburn. Mi'kmaq encampment at Point Levis, Quebec dates to around 1840. The foreground features a paddle leaning against a birchbark wigwam.

Mi'kmaq encampment at Point Levis, Quebec

James Pattison Cockburn (1779-1847)

About 1840, 19th century

30.5 x 51.5 cm

Gift of Mr. David Ross McCord

M1821

© McCord Museum

It seems many artists chose to paint this location and made note of the Mi'kmaq encampments in the area. You can contrast Cockburn's rendition to two other artists by viewing this previous post.  In my opinion, Cockburn represented the paddle shape much more accurately.

Paddle Closeup

Tappan Adney illustrated what a typical Mi'kmaq paddle looked like in the mid-to-late 19th century after noting that earlier paddles seem to lack handles and just had a pole-style grip. Here's a Mi'kmaq paddle from Figure 59 in Bark Canoes and Skin Boats of North America.

Paddle from Figure 59

Bark Canoes and Skin Boats of North America