A rich visual testament to the practical and cultural power of the dugout canoe, balanced in its description of meaning and method.

Tla-o-qui-aht master canoe maker Joe Martin, in collaboration with former museum curator Alan Hoover, describes the meaning and method behind one of the most vivid and memorable symbols of the Northwest Coast: the dugout canoe. Both artform and technological marvel, the chaputs carries Indigenous cultural knowledge passed down through generations, not only of the practical forestry and woodworking that shape every canoe, but also of the role and responsibilities of the canoe maker.

The text includes both a step-by-step explanation of the canoe-making process from tree selection onward (carefully described and dynamically illustrated) and the personal histories of a number of Joe's canoes, encompassing their planning, creation, cultural significance and role in the process of reconciliation. The teachings Joe received from his father and the expertise he has gained in a lifetime of canoe-making are recorded here in his own words for generations to come.

Joseph E. Martin is the director of the Canadian Business History program, adjunct professor of Business Strategy, and Executive in Residence at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.

Joe Martin's profile page

Alan L. Hoover's profile page

"Making a Chaputs describes a clever, amazing tradition rooted in deep respect for the forest and a lifetime of Indigenous knowledge — a highly recommended book!" “Kathryn Bernick, archaeologist and editor of Waterlogged: Examples and Procedures for Northwest Coast Archaeologists

"Joe Martin's work reflects the generationally linked traditions found in Salish Sea archaeological sites going back thousands of years. He has passed this paramount art on through Native apprentices and, here, in his own words, with esteemed colleague Alan Hoover."??Ed Carriere and Dale R. Croes, co-authors of Re-Awakening Ancient Salish Sea Basketry