Symbolically and functionally, the canoe is many things to the people of Canada, in addition to it being a major element in Canadian history and our Canadian heritage; for some, it’s also an element of competitive international sport; a vessel to engage with our landscape and connect with nature; a link and connection to personal family memories; and a vehicle for wilderness travel.
Jason Eke, a popular cedar-strip canoe builder and independent film maker, whose online paddling and boatbuilding video’s reach 20,000 views per month has completed the long awaited film Canoe: Icon of the North. Get the full-length film here.
Paddling Legends Showcased
The documentary showcases the points of view of many of Canada’s legends of the paddling community, including:
These well known experts describe why the canoe is important to them, while offering insightful guidance and advice to their audience.
“Icon of the North definitely has a Canadian spin on how the canoe’s a part of our culture. Of course, the canoe is important to people around the world but for my first film I wanted to showcase what the canoe means to me, as a story told by leaders of the paddling community who share my experience in this landscape,” says Eke. “I hope paddlers around the world will identify with the narrative and that the film will actually bridge a gap between recreational and sport, Canadian and international paddlers, because the reason we canoe is something we all share and I think the film captures what it is that we all love.”
Amazing Industry Support
From the very start of the film project, film producer/director Jason Eke gained the support of industry leaders like Salus Marine, KEEN Canada, Fox 40, Bending Branches, InReach Canada, Eureka!, Jetboil, the Bureau Group and Rapid Media and has also gained the cooperation of Canadian Canoe Foundation as the film’s title sponsor.
The Canadian Canoe Foundation is a charitable organization that develops watershed-focused environmental education projects and sends Canadian Youth on canoe-trip learning adventures. Canadian Canoe Foundation objectives are to educate communities about sustainability and to provide youth with a ‘hands-on’ education regarding Canada’s natural heritage and the importance of protecting our wilderness areas and waterways.
