22 FOCUS - FEBRUARY 2019 idhostso@gmail.com • www.idealhomestorage.ca Port Perry 905-904-2050 Ideal Kitchens Cabinet Refacing New and Refaced Kitchen Cabinets Bathroom Vanities Unique Cabinets Transform your Kitchen into the Heart of Your Home The solution is just a phone call away. These children are exploring the Nonquon using lightweight ‘modern’ snowshoes. Bev Thibert snowshoeing in Northern Ontario with ‘traditional’ wooden snowshoes. These children are exploring the GOWITH THE SNOW GOWITH THE SNOW Have fun snowshoeing and learn along the way! The Friends of Nonquon continue the tradition of inviting families to ex- plore the Nonquon wetland on snow- shoes. Participants at this February 9th event, 9 a.m. to noon, will learn about the plants and animals that live in this wetland and of course to enjoy the winter landscape with others. Snowshoeing has its own unique traditions and story. Historians tell us that people in the northern reaches of Europe, North America and Asia began using snowshoes over 4000 years ago out of a basic need to ex- plore new territories and to find food in the winter. Inspiration for these first snowshoes likely came from observ- ing animals such as the Snowshoe and Arctic Hare, whose oversized feet enabled them to quickly move over deep snow. Indigenous people of North America developed the most ad- vanced and diverse snowshoes prior to the 20th century. Snowshoes for winter travel are almost universal amongFirstNationspeopleinCanada. The Athapaskans of the west and Algonquians of the northeast made the most sophisticated snowshoes. Frames were generally made of dura- ble, flexible Ashwood, and lacing from deer, caribou and moose hide. The toe and tail sections of the shoe were laced with a light babiche and the central body with a heavy babiche for better weight suspension. The moccasin is the traditional snowshoe footwear. Early colonizers from Europe were quick to adopt the use of snowshoes in NorthAmerica. Lumberjacks, trappers and anyone travelling in the winter used the teardrop shaped snowshoe. This form, the stereotypical snowshoe, resembles a tennis racquet, and indeed the French term is racquette à neige. The Canadian Snowshoe Clubs that flourished in the 18th century used this shape. Humans have continued to modify how snowshoes are made and how we use them. Our so-called “modern” snowshoes are made of metal, plastics and other lightweight materials. They are lighter than “traditional” snow- shoes and often have sharp points that give traction on icy terrain. Despite these advances some users still prefer traditional designs when travel- ling in the deeper snow of Northern Ontario. Today not many people use snowshoes for the purposes they were originally designed for. Today’s user is most likely trying to keep fit, climb- ing a mountain or outdoors enjoying Arctic Hare running across the treeless landscape of Baffin Island. PHOTOS BY JAY THIBERT CUSTOM RENOVATIONS Ian Ross, Port Perry • 905-242-4690 inspirationalwoodworks@gmail.com inspirationalwoodworks.com The sensible way to pay! • Interior & Exterior • Additions & Kitchens • Bathrooms & Basements • General Contracting Services • Hardwood & laminate installation • Custom interior wood work • Hanging interior doors • Casing windows & doors • Custom built inns • Kitchen & bathroom cabinet installation INSPIRATIONAL WOOD WORKS Custom InterIor FInIshIng 905-242-4690 Ian Ross inspirationalwoodworks@gmail.com Port Perry inspirationalwoodworks.com WooD WorKs thAt WILL InsPIre Your LIFe