Students enrolled in the University of Saskatchewan College of Engineering have an opportunity to learn about First Nations design concepts thanks to engineering professor Sean Maw, who is incorporating Aboriginal design concepts into his courses.

Maw’s interest in the concept stems from his exposure to a First Nations cultural program he participated in as a camp counselor at Camp Tawingo, in Huntsville, Ont. While there, he became fascinated with canoes and began researching them. Indeed, Maw acknowledges, canoes and kayaks are two Aboriginal designs that are often overlooked.

Maw also points out that the U of S mandates that its programs be more inclusive and welcoming of Aboriginal youth, culture and content, but in engineering it is hard to see where that could come into play. First Nations design presents an opportunity for the college and for Maw. First Nations watercraft is a perfect example of Aboriginal design to present to students.

“One of the things I appreciated about First Nations watercraft across Canada was how all the designs were really quite good for their environments and exhibited positive traits like sustainability and ease of maintenance,” Maw said.

He notes that the varied design features are great for teaching and that many students can relate to activities like kayaking and canoeing. He also points out that the inclusion of Aboriginal content is easily integrated into classroom instruction. The travois, a triangular object used for pulling objects over land, is one such item Maw discusses in class.

“The travois is basic statics or dynamics, which a competent first-year student, having done most of that course, could do. So I threw that into the design course last year as an example of something that looked pretty straightforward and told the students to analyze it,” Maw said. “It was an interesting education exercise of watching the students taking what they know and applying it.”

Maw says that although engineering contributions from Aboriginal cultures have been overlooked in the past, there are many First Nations engineering examples to draw from.

“The dugout canoes on the west coast had some really advanced structural concepts that Western engineers and scientists didn’t understand until the 60s or so. It was so good, they didn’t appreciate how good it was. This is a fairly advanced concept about 1,000 years old and it’s that assumption there that there’s nothing to look at, but I think there is,” Maw said.

The travois and watercraft are not the only First Nations designs. Maw points out that teepees, wigwams and longhouses present examples of Aboriginal structures. Moreover, snowshoes and various kinds of traps were also designed by First Nations. 

Maw says the U of S has the potential to become a leader in this field by way of its graduate students pursuing First Nations’ studies.

“The goal [of the project] would be first, documenting the technological history of Canada’s First Nations and second, developing a curriculum from that for all levels, from kindergarten to grade 12, university, the works,” Maw said.

Matthew Dunn is one potential candidate for graduate studies in this area. A professional engineer and Indigenous Peoples Initiatives co-ordinator at the College of Engineering, he works through various initiatives to support Indigenous engineering students at the U of S and to raise Indigenous awareness within the college.

As such, Dunn is excited by the project since it involves consultation with First Nations and Métis communities.

“Being Indigenous and being an engineer, I think it’s important to explore traditional examples of First Nations engineering and technology. Those examples can be used in our existing engineering classes to help explain fundamental engineering concepts. Additionally, they can be used when we’re doing outreach in Indigenous communities,” Dunn said.

Dunn adds that this type of programming will allow First Nations, Métis and Inuit youth the opportunity to connect with engineering and allow them to see how their culture and history has contributed to this field of study.

Dunn is optimistic that the interest is there and believes it is just a matter of finding the right partner for funding.

“I would love to be able to pursue a PhD in this area if I can make it work with my current position with the College of Engineering. However, if that’s not possible, if there’s anyone else interested in the project, we’d be happy to meet with you.”

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Liam Fitz-Gerald

Graphic: Jeremy Britz/Graphics Editor