The Micmac people of Canada are a culture rich in tradition and history. They are a Native American tribe inhabiting parts of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Quebec. The Micmac or Mi'gmag of New Brunswick were also the first to meet Jacques Cartier one hot July day in 1534, hence the naming of the waters in that area Baie de Chaleur or 'bay of heat'.

Cartier and his crew were very taken with the craftsmanship and ingenuity of the natives, and they noticed that the local people made items from birch bark, including everything from cone-shaped hats to baskets and wigwams.

Spruce roots were also incorporated into the items, used to sew the seams, dug up from the ground without harm to the tree. In addition, spruce gum proved to be quite an effective sealer.

Besides the functional aspect of birch bark items, the women of the tribe would use their teeth and other tools to create unique designs in the bark as decoration. Specific styles of 'Birch Bark Biting' could be used to identify a particular family or clan who made the item, alternatively the design could signify the owner of the piece.

The Micmac are especially skilled at designing and making birch bark canoes up to 35 feet long, capable of holding around 50 people. Traditionally, they would travel in these throughout coastal regions searching for food; fishing cod, herring and even shellfish - the fittest and strongest hunters diving almost 30 feet below the surface of the water in order to procure lobsters for the rest of the tribe.

The Micmac people continue the tradition of creating items from the bark of birch trees; in fact it has become something of an art, mostly in the form of baskets and moosecalls, while exceptionally skilled craftsmen produce canoes.

To buy a traditional birch bark canoe in 1999 would cost the patron anywhere from Canadian$10,000 - 20,000, depending on the size. This may seem a bit much, but imagine being able to sail and fish from an authentic bark canoe like the ones used by natives thousands of years ago - the rarity of the event and emotional value you would experience would be priceless.