ASTORIA, Oregon — Many folks tend to think of Oregon history only in terms of the rough-and-ready pioneer life that meant hardship and great adventure in the early 1800s, when covered wagons crossed the country to reach the Willamette Valley.
While it was a hard lifestyle to be sure, the truth be told, the Oregon story reaches back many thousands of years to a time that may feel distant and is largely based upon Native American legends and timeless stories.
You can touch Oregon history through a man who takes a block of cedar and ancient carving tools to create amazing artwork that reaches across the centuries. Sharp tools are critical to keeping some traditions alive!
So is learning how to use them, according to longtime wood carving instructor Jim Bergeron.
“Once you’ve learned how to carve with these ancient tools, it’s like learning how to ride a bicycle," said Bergeron. "It’s real easy – but until you get there, it’s not easy at all.”
Bergeron is a rare teacher of Native American wood carving techniques and styles that span the centuries.
His students come from all over to learn from a master who creates cedar bentwood boxes, ceremonial masks and bowls of alder – each piece carved in the traditional Chinook Indian style.
The craft requires patience and attention to detail, according to student Kathleen Stratton.
“It’s like gardening to me," said Stratton. "It is the only thing sitting here before me and so I tend to forget about everything else and really focus on the carving.”
The classroom is open to any and all who travel to Astoria and step inside the Barbey Maritime Center; a place likewise steeped in history. It was once the Astoria Train Depot, built along the town’s waterfront more than 120 years ago.
The Center is next door neighbor to the “must-see” Columbia River Maritime Museum where real Native artifacts can be seen and appreciated.
Bergeron’s workshop bears out that he’s been teaching Native skills for nearly 40 years. There are scores of hand-crafted adzes made from cascara wood that hang from the rafters, and his finished carvings are a marvel to see and touch — from monumental masks to a plate-sized “shark” mask worn in ceremonies and practical tools like a fishing spear of carved from alder and bone.
“This tool was used in shallow water," Bergeron said. "You would spear the fish over the back and then the spear head disconnects, so you could play the fish with a long cord that is attached to the spear. A really a remarkable tool.”
Bergeron said that his greatest hope for teaching the Native carving skills is to keep tradition alive – and that more people will find beauty in the wood and find value holding onto Oregon’s distant past.
“There really aren’t many people around doing this anymore, so I hope my teaching changes that," he said. "These skills were here for thousands of years, so I think it’s important local history and a part of the Oregon story.”
Be sure to watch the weekly half hour program of Grant’s Getaways. The show airs each Saturday and Sunday at 4 p.m. on KGW.
For something different, you can follow my Oregon adventures via the Grant’s Getaways Podcast. Each segment is a story-telling session where I relate behind the scenes stories from four decades of travel and television reporting.
You can also learn more about many of my favorite Oregon travels and adventures in the Grant’s Getaways book series, including:
- "Grants Getaways I," Photography by Steve Terrill
- "Grant's Getaways II," Photography by Steve Terrill
- “Grant’s Getaways: 101 Oregon Adventures,” Photography by Jeff Kastner
- “Grant’s Getaways: Guide to Wildlife Watching in Oregon,” Photography by Jeff Kastner
- “Grant’s Getaways: Oregon Adventures with the Kids,” Photography by Jeff Kastner
The book collection offers hundreds of outdoor activities across Oregon and promises to engage a kid of any age.
You can reach me: Gmcomie@kgw.com