Dugout Canoe: Steve Philipp
Sāādūūts in Steve Philipp
Boat Type
Location
Year Built
2007
Beam
3.5'
LOA (Length Overall)
21'
Boat Plans
Project Sponsors
King County 4Culture, The Tulalip Tribe, The Chehalis Indian Tribe, The Squaxin Island Tribe, The Lucky 7 Foundation, The Hugh and Jane Ferguson Foundation, The Jeffris Wood Foundation, The Eulalie Blodel Schneider Foundation, The Waldorf Schools Foundation and The Sir Harbert Read Foundation
Website Link
Oral History
This Haida dugout canoe, Steve Philipp, was carved from a 700-year-old red cedar log, donated to CWB by the Haida people of Hydaburg, Alaska. The Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation provided the Carving Shed, and Tsimshian/Haida Native and CWB's Artist in Residence, Sāādūūts (Robert Peele), designed the canoe and supervised its carving by hundreds of students of all ages and cultures. Sāādūūts' goal is "carving cultural connections". While his students are working, Sāādūūts introduces them to the spiritual heart of Northwest Native culture.
Boat Story
"Let's build a canoe for Steve" were the words of CWB Founders Dick and Colleen Wagner and Sāādūūts at the wake of Steve Philipp. It was held in Steve's virtual backyard, the longhouse of the Tulalip Tribes.
Steve Philipp was in everyone's heart that day at that place, but he affected everyone else he ever met. Steve Philipp was renowned for his knowledge of the life skills of the Northwest's First People. He was a teacher of those skills, a boatbuilder of artistic elegance, advisor on native canoe carving and maintenance, a fisherman, mountain rescuer, folk musician and story teller of wit and wisdom.
This canoe will carry on the spirit of Steve Philipp and his respect for the culture of the native people of the Northwest.
