A First Nations Longhouse is being constructed on the Green in Fredericton, adjacent to the Beaverbrook Art Gallery. Embodying unity and solidarity, the Wolastoq Nations at Madawaska, Tobique, Woodstock, Kingsclear, St.Mary’s, Oromocto, and the Wolastoq Grand Council are jointly promoting Peace and Friendship with their allies.

Native communities in various parts of North America traditionally constructed Longhouses, which occasionally extended over 100 m (330 ft) in length but were generally around 5 to 7 m (16 to 23 ft) wide. The prevailing theory suggests that the walls were crafted from sharpened and fire-hardened poles (potentially up to 1,000 saplings for a 50 m (160 ft) house) embedded into the ground, while the roof was made of leaves and grass. Bark strips were woven horizontally through the pole lines, forming relatively weatherproof walls. Doors were typically located at both ends of the house, covered with an animal hide for warmth, but were also incorporated into the sides of particularly lengthy longhouses. Longhouses incorporated fireplaces for warmth and had openings on the roof for smoke to escape, thereby preserving oxygen within the house.

This post has already been read 1664 times!