A few years ago, CBC TV showed The Return Of The Jets about the Winnipeg Jets and the second coming of the NHL to Winnipeg. When they were discussing the Jets’ new logo, it was mentioned that the idea for the logo came from Winnipeg’s close ties to the Royal Canadian Air Force….in particular the 17 Wing Squadron….in fact the new team sweaters were premiered at the 17 Wing Winnipeg base. But something caught my eye other than just the story of Winnipeg’s new NHL team….it was the 17 Wing Badge:
From Royal Canadian Air Force: 17 Wing Squadron.
Yes, of course I would have to notice the canoe….but why a canoe on a Royal Canadian Air Force Wing Badge????? Well I did an online survey of various resources….but could find nothing definitive….
Since 17 Wing is based in Winnipeg, could it be something to do with Winnipeg’s ties to the fur trade????
I would love to find out if anyone reading this might know….
The RCAF and canoes???? Canoes and aircraft???? Flying canoes?!?!?
Of course there is the story of the La Chasse-galerie also known as “The Bewitched Canoe” or “The Flying Canoe”….this is a popular French- Canadian tale of voyageurs who make a deal with the devil (as described in Wikipedia: Chasse-galerie).
La Chasse-galerie de Henri Julien (1852-1908), from Wikipedia: Chasse-galerie.
There are several versions of this tale….as Wikipedia: Chasse-galerie adds:
After a night of heavy drinking on New Year’s Eve, a group of voyageurs working at a remote timber camp want to visit their sweethearts some 100 leagues away (300 miles). The only way to make such a long journey and be back in time for work the next morning is to run the chasse-galerie. Running the chasse-galerie means making a pact with the devil so that their canoe can fly through the air to their destination with great speed. However, the travellers must not mention God’s name or touch the cross of any church steeple as they whisk by in the flying canoe. If either of these rules are broken during the voyage, then the devil will have their souls. To be safe, the men promise not to touch another drop of rum to keep their heads clear. The crew take their places in the canoe which then rises off the ground, and they start to paddle. Far below they see the frozen Gatineau River, many villages, shiny church steeples and then the lights of Montreal. The bewitched canoe eventually touches down near a house where New Year’s Eve festivities are in full swing. No one wonders at the trappers’/loggers’ sudden arrival. They are embraced with open arms and soon are dancing and celebrating as merrily as everyone else. Soon it is late and the men must leave if they are to get back to camp in time for work. As they fly through the moonless night, it becomes apparent that their navigator had been drinking as he steers the canoe on a dangerously unsteady course. While passing over Montreal they just miss running into a church steeple, and soon after the canoe end up stuck in a deep snowdrift. At this point the drunken navigator begins swearing and taking the Lord’s name in vain. Terrified the devil will take their souls, the men bind and gag their friend and elect another to steer. The navigator soon breaks his bonds and begins swearing again. The crew become more and more shaken at the possibility of losing their souls, and they eventually steer the bewitched canoe right into a tall pine. The men spill out and are knocked unconscious (or pass out). Notably the ending of the story changes from version to version. Sometimes the men are condemned to fly the canoe through hell and appear in the sky every New Year’s Eve, but in other versions all, or all but one, escape the terms the devil made.
One variation has the devil himself steering and deliberately trying to break the rules on the return journey, at which point they threw him out of the canoe to save themselves.
Here are a few videos from YouTube about the ‘Flying Canoe’:
On Daily Motion, check out this telling of the tale: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2zjwf_felix-leclerc-la-chasse-galerie_music.
So several versions of the tale have been told….through songs sung….even animation. The ‘Flying Canoe’ has been depicted on amazing art work….on postage stamps….even on beer labels….even through amusement rides….and all based on this legend.
During the Opening Ceremony for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, a canoe containing a fiddler was lowered from the ceiling in an allusion to the legend.
Of course, some folks have taken the idea of the ‘flying canoe’ to extremes….well maybe even past extreme….check out this YouTube video at your discretion (please be advised that the humour attempted….or even the rap music played…. may not be everyone’s taste….personally I found the idea of the TV ad for a flying canoe ‘for only 27 payments of $19.95′ amusing at least….but I think these guys need to take paddling instruction so they don’t have to keep switching sides just to keep from ‘popping a donut’ LOL LOL):
Paddles up until later then….even if you’re up flying in the air….just watch out for the Devil….
