THE CRADLE BOARD

TIKANAGANS - CRADLE BOARDS

A lot of our historical photos come from fishermen of long ago. These were photos by Edwin Mills from his fishing trips into Northern Ontario in the 1930's amd 1940's.  Mr. Mills published his "tales" in the book, "Paddle ,Pack, and Speckled Trout"1985 ; second printing Cowichan Press 2001.

Fishermen are also generous as Mr. Mills, the son,  donated some of his books to the Nipigon Historical Museum, for our Gift Shop. For our collection , he donated a prize winning trout mounted on Birch bark. Later he mailed us 22 maps his father had used when he was planning his fishing trips. and 120 more photos. The bonus from that gift was being able to discover Cross Lake on an old map from the 1920's. I had been looking for that Lake for about four years to answer a request from Norway to locate the site of a railroad construction accident in 1909. The shape of the lake is the same today so we can find it on modern maps. Names tend to change.

The following photos show the Tikanagan and how it was worn.

Attawapiskat River 1941 Baby in Cradle Board - Tikanagan

Mother and child , Attawapiskat River 1941.

Mother,child and home , Attawapiskat River 1941.

Mother showing how a Tikanagan is worn. Attawapiskat River 1941.

Photo by E.C. Everett. Nipigon area Tikanagan.

Photo by E.C.Everett. Nipigon area Tikanagan.

Mother and child in Tikanagan, Ogoki Lake 1945. E. Mills photo.

The European influence of 300 years can be found in their clothing.

Taken in Ontario's remote hinterland, in the country north of the Ogoki River.
Published as a full-page photo in Hydro News, Vol 30 Number 9, September 1943