Track 6 Research notes
written by Jack Loewen, sung by Marvin Loewen and performed by The Loewen Orchestra (Jack Loewen, Mrs. Martha Loewen, Marvin Loewen, Mrs. Anne Loewen, Shirley Davidson and George Davidson)
- today the oldest festival in Manitoba and one of the oldest in Canada.
- began in 1915 – group of oldtimers wanted to get together to discuss problems of the Fur Exchange, and decided to organize a convention around competitive dog sled races – basically a fur trader convention
- The Pas Dog Derby – began in 1916
- festival continued until 1931 –except 1917-1918, b/c of economic conditions
- revived in 1948
- (good pic of first Dog Derby on website)
- King Trapper: Pole Climbing, Pulp Cutting, Wood Sawing and Splitting, Log Throwing, Canoe Packing, Rat Skinning, Trap Setting, Pack Race, Tea Boiling, Bannock Baking, Ice Fishing, Moose Calling, Goose Calling, Leg Wrestling, Marathon Snowshoe Race, Flour Packing, Wild Fur Competition, Fish Filleting, Axe Throwing, Buckskin Parade and Portage.
- Queen Trapper: Log Sawing, Trap Setting, Nail Driving and the Portage, Moose and Goose Calling competitions, Bannock Baking, Tea Boiling, Fish Frying and Fish Filleting, Log Throwing, Leg Wrestling, 3-Mile Snowshoe Race
- held in February, when cabin fever is at its height
Links:
- describing festival, history: http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/mb_history/15/trappersfestival.shtml
- The Pas and area: http://www.thepasarea.com/
- The Northern Trappers’ Festival Website: http://www.trappersfestival.com/
