Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata)
June 3, 2008
It is difficult for us today to fully appreciate what western red cedar meant to the native cultures of the Northwest Coast. We have nothing that can compare. Not even plastic, the ubiquitous source of so much of our stuff, can provide the variety of essential material goods to our contemporary culture. Beyond that, the tree held a position of great spiritual significance among coastal peoples-a reverence unimaginable for any substance today. For the Native Americans of the Pacific Coast, cedar was their tree of life.
Western red cedar can be found from the Alaskan panhandle to the northern tip of California. It is a shade-tolerant coniferous evergreen that prefers moist soils and grows to great diameters and ages. Some specimens have been known to live well over a millennium. In its extreme old age the tree takes on a majestic look, with an enormous buttressed base and an irregular, multi-forked crown reminiscent of cathedral spires. The wood of the cedar is soft and can be split easily. It also contains thujaplicin, a natural oil that inhibits fungus growth and keeps rot at bay for an extended period.
No one can say with any certainty when coastal peoples first began working with cedar. Archaeological evidence unearthed in British Columbia suggests that it may have been over 4,000 years ago. Numerous legends exist among Northwest Coast peoples explaining the origins of cedar, and although they don’t establish a time frame, they indicate that the tree has been utilized since antiquity.
Over countless generations Native American woodworkers perfected their tools and techniques for working cedar. By today’s standards their tools were rudimentary-stone hammers, hardwood wedges, and stone-bladed adzes and chisels-but in experienced hands, they proved to be all that they needed. Their wood source came in the form of drift logs, wind-thrown trees, and under certain circumstances, a combination of controlled burning and adze work was used to topple standing trees. Transporting logs and timbers took great effort, so location was critical in selecting just the right tree or log.
The largest and longest-lived feature of Northwest cedar culture was the longhouse. Large extended families lived together in these houses, which withstood the rain forest environment for generations. Early Euro-American explorers often marveled in their journals at the size and seamless construction of these longhouses, some in excess of 100 feet in length. Logs measuring several feet in diameter made up the framework of the dwelling, which was sided and roofed with heavy cedar planks.
Another testament to superior workmanship was the dugout canoe. These graceful craft offered coastal peoples their primary means of long-distance transportation and helped facilitate their intricate trade networks. Although sizes and styles varied, the methods used to construct the canoes remained relatively consistent throughout the region. Carvers hued and hollowed the dugout from a single log using chisels, adzes, and fire. The canoe was then filled with water and hot rocks from a fire placed within the hull to steam and stretch the gunwales, creating a wider beam. As useful as the canes were to the living, they also served as sarcophaguses for higher-ranking individuals upon their death.
Numerous other items came from the wood of cedar as well. Bentwood boxes, with all four sides created by notching and steaming a single plank, were used for cooking and storage; canoe paddles, fishing spears, and net floats aided maritime pursuits and the fishery; ceremonial masks and carved poles helped recall ancient traditions and history; and children’s cradles, toys, and serving dishes helped round out the household.
According to author Hilary Stewart, woodworking was traditionally men’s work, while women specialized in using the bark, branchlets, and roots of the cedar tree. Every spring as the sap began running, multiple generations of women would venture into the surrounding forest to strip bark. First, a horizontal cut was made across the truck of a young, straight tree and the bark loosened with an antler or hardwood wedge. Then, with a firm grip, the women would pull long, slender strips of bark from the tree in the shape of an inverted V. These strips would then be dried and beaten until soft and spun into yarn. From this fiber weavers created clothing, hats, mats, blankets, baskets, rope, and nets. Branchlets and roots were also used in basketry and for heavier-strength ropes.
As Euro-Americans began to colonize the Northwest Coast during 19th century, they too relied on cedar. Many pioneer farmers used the wood to build houses, barns, and fences. Throughout the 20th century, cedar was a sought after source for shakes, shingles, and finish lumber. As its popularity grew, so did its harvest level.
Today, few stands of lowland, old growth cedar remain. Some of the most accessible, remaining groves can be found around Willapa Bay, in southwest Washington. The most easily reached old growth cedar can be found at Teal Slough, 14 miles north of Ilwaco on Highway 101. For more adventurous cedar seekers, a larger, 274-acre stand can be found on Long Island. The island is part of the Willapa National Wildlife Refuge and is accessible only by boat. For more information call: (360) 484-3482.
Mixed stands of ancient cedar can also be found in the Valley of the Rainforest Giants around Lake Quinault, located 40 miles north of Aberdeen on Highway 101. Drive the 31-mile loop around the lake or hike any number of forest trails to view these magnificent trees. For more information call (360) 288-0571 or visit www.quinaultrainforest.com.