Moose hide treatment

Before being sewn and used, an animal skin underwent many treatments. It was first scraped with knives, machetes. The most commonly used tool was the moose bone scraper (tcicakwigan), to remove the remaining meat and fur. The hide was often mounted on a trestle made from a tree trunk with the bark removed to make a smooth surface. The hide was then laid over a fire as the smoke gave it a more waterproof and solid finish. The fire was fueled with rotten wood to create a lot of smoke, and once ready, the leather was sewn into moccasins, clothing, and even pots.

All photos are from the mid-20th century and were taken on the shores of Lac Simon.