From Healing to Building: Carrying Canoe Knowledge Forward

There’s a kind of stillness that comes when your body forces you to slow down.

For me, that moment came while I was off work waiting for knee surgery on my meniscus. I had to miss out on the canoe racing season, something that’s usually such a big part of my life. Being away from the water, from my team, and from racing was hard. It felt like a part of me was on pause.

What I didn’t expect was that this pause would open the door to something deeply meaningful, something that would reconnect me to culture, family, and purpose in a whole new way.

During that time, I returned home to Sto:Lo territory in Chilliwack, my ancestral home. Being there always brings a sense of grounding, but this time it gave me something more. It gave me the opportunity to learn.

My sister, Cheyenne Gardner, was learning how to build a single stripe war canoe under the guidance of master canoe builder Keith Point. I’m so grateful she thought to include me in that process. Even though I wasn’t physically able to help the way I normally would, I was there. I watched. I listened. I learned.

This wasn’t just about construction. It was about patience, intention, and respect for the process. Every step carried teachings. How to listen to the wood. How to shape with care. How to move with purpose. Being present for that, alongside my sister, felt powerful. It was a different kind of participation, but no less meaningful.

There was something healing about it too. Even though my body was limited, I was still able to grow, to connect, and to take in knowledge that I could carry forward.

When I returned to Burrard Canoe Club, I knew I didn’t want to keep that knowledge to myself.

Canoe culture has always been about sharing, about passing teachings from one person to the next so they continue to live on. I took what I had learned and shared it with my partner, Kyle Williams, and my canoe sister, Raquel Ormandy. Together, we built a single stripe war canoe, carrying forward the teachings that had been shared with me.

I’m especially grateful to Raquel for applying for funding to support this project. That support helped make the build possible and allowed us to bring this work to life in a good way.

We were grateful to be able to set up and build in the backyard of Gordon George Sr. on Tseil Waututh Nation in North Vancouver. That space became more than just a worksite. It became a place of connection. It meant a lot to be welcomed there, to do this work on those lands, and to feel supported throughout the process.

Community showed up in a big way. Canoe family and friends would stop by, check in on us, and watch the canoe take shape over time. Those moments, sharing stories, laughter, and encouragement, reminded me that this work is never done alone.

As part of that journey, I named the canoe Birdie Rose. I designed a Northwest Coast chickadee to go with it, to commemorate the build and the teachings I received alongside my sister. Birdie is my middle name and Rose is hers, and it felt right to carry both of us forward in the canoe’s name and design.

Now, one of the most meaningful parts of this whole journey is seeing Birdie Rose out on the water. My heart fills with joy watching new canoers learn in her, and seeing her chosen again and again to be taken out. To know that she is being used, carried, and shared by the community in that way means everything.

Watching Kyle and Raquel learn, ask questions, and put their hands into the work was something I won’t forget.

That’s how knowledge moves. That’s how it survives.

What started as a difficult season, being off work, missing racing, and waiting for surgery, became something I’m deeply grateful for. It gave me time to reconnect with where I come from, to learn from a master with my sister, and to bring those teachings back to my canoe family.

And now, that knowledge continues forward, not just in the canoe we built, but in the people who carry it.

With gratitude,

Tara-lee Gardner

Burrard Canoe Club 🛶

About the Author

Tara-lee Gardner has been pulling with Burrard Canoe Club since 2022. She has always felt a strong connection to the water, spending time kayaking up Indian Arm to Granite Falls and paddle boarding whenever she can. She previously sat bow in women’s six man canoe races and continues to grow her skills and connection to canoe culture both on and off the water.