by Nikki Rajala | Aug 1, 2026 | Voyageur
This book came out a year ago. It’s taken me more than a year to consolidate my thoughts into a post. While I requested permission to reprint images and quotes, I never heard back, so the only artistry I can show are the covers of Gawboy’s work. “Fur Trade...
by Nikki Rajala | Dec 9, 2025 | Voyageur
Q: How did voyageurs celebrate Christmas? A: Not like we do. Our favorite holiday traditions hadn’t been invented yet, so no Ho-Ho-Hos, no Santa, no tree or decorations, no cookies or concerts, no Nutcracker or Christmas Carol performances, no Grinch or Charlie...
by Nikki Rajala | Aug 15, 2025 | Voyageur
Could a voyageur climb the fur trade ladder and get a powerful job? Non, c’est impossible. A glass ceiling existed. There were strong class and caste restrictions in place, and it was impossible to transcend them. Reading, writing and mathematics skills were...
by Nikki Rajala | Jul 13, 2025 | Voyageur
“A Canadian, if born to be a labourer, deems himself to be very unfortunate if he … shall reach five feet ten or eleven, it forever excludes him from the privilege of becoming voyageur. There is no room for the legs of such people in these canoes, But if he shall stop...
by Nikki Rajala | Jun 15, 2025 | Voyageur
In honor of National Canoe Day — June 26 in Canada — I created this emoji: ͼ!¡¡¡¡¡¡¡!ͻ Canoes were built in a variety of sizes, depending on need. Indigenous people used canoes for traveling, ricing, … and large canoes for war and trading. When the fur trade...
