Louis Seguin was making biscuits the way fur traders used to, from scratch in a frying pan, on an open fire in the servant's quarters building at Fort 91原创 National Historic Site.
"I made butter this morning for the biscuits," said Seguin, a volunteer historical re-enactor from Chilliwack.
Celebrating Les Voyageurs at historic Fort 91原创 this weekend
鈥� 91原创 Advance Times (@91原创Times)
It was the 15th annual Vive les Voyageurs Festival, a two-day celebration of French-Canadian and Metis culture held Saturday and Sunday, April 12-13, at the fort, located at at 23422 Mavis Ave.
At a table facing the fireplace where the biscuits were cooking, another historical re-enactor, Gord MacIntosh from Nanaimo, was making some small utility pouches by hand and and explaining how, back in the days of the fur trade, Voyageurs had to have many skills, including sewing and baking.
"Because there's no one else that can do any of the work, so anything breaks, it's [their] responsibility to fix it," MacIntosh said.
In another room, artist Lisa Shepherd was explaining the traditions behind Metis beading and how the art form evolved.
Heritage presenter Celine Ahodekon explained the site, which re-creates the original fort that served a central point of the fur trade close to 200 years ago, was "very rich in history and very rich in culture."
"We are celebrating the contribution of French Canadians to the site," Ahodekon said.
"There were many people who came here to work [during the fur trade] including many, many, many, many French Canadians" Ahodekon said. "They were very strong people."
Many of the Hudson鈥檚 Bay Company workers who once occupied Fort 91原创 were of French-Canadian or M茅tis origin, transporting furs between the fort and other remote outposts.
Voyageurs, who have been called the "logistical backbone" of the North American fur trade, transported goods and furs by canoe and on foot over long distances.
Originally built in 1827, to challenge Americans who had monopolized the fur trade, the first Fort 91原创 went up at a location 4 km upstream of its present site.
It was relocated and rebuilt in 1839, only to be destroyed by fire in 1840.
Day 2 of Vive les Voyageurs was set to start at 10 a.m. Sunday, April 13., with a range of presentations that included the art of trapping beavers, how to make maple taffy, black smithing, barrel making and more.
Regular admission fees apply. Youth 17 and under get in free.
