These voyageurs visit while they pound this black ash log to get strips for basket weaving. The rhythmic tap-tap-tap was heard throughout the voyageur camp. The workers are Jon MacKay of Fort Dodge, IA; Nathan Miller of Minneapolis; and Chris Pinkerton of Minneapolis.
The Grand Portage National Monument historic fur trade depot on Grand Portage Bay is always an interesting place during Rendezvous Days. This year was a bit busier, as a film crew from Great Divide Pictures used the great rendezvous as footage for a film about the park. The film will debut in autumn 2011.
Actors from Thunder Bay, Ontario and participants from the voyageur encampment joined several Grand Portage community members who play roles in the film. The filmmakers took advantage of the historic reenactment of a 1797 rendezvous at the North West Company post. Scenes shot ranged from paddling on Lake Superior to an evening dance in the Great Hall.
In a decidedly modern twist, a helicopter with camera mount flew over Grand Portage Bay and along the Pigeon River to capture scenes of the surrounding landscape.
Despite the excitement over the upcoming film, life at the rendezvous went on as usual. There was an increase in attendance again this year, with approximately 320 visitors with 145 tents in the encampment. New this year was the option of camping at the north gate, which is now a grassy field instead of a paved parking lot.
The National Park Service hosted workshops and demonstrations in blacksmithing, tinsmithing, gunsmithing, knifemaking, swordsmanship, cordage making, haggis making, pemmican production, basket making, trade good packaging, a gentleman’s business meeting, bagpipes and string music, historic cooking, lacrosse matches, and tours of the historic encampment.
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