Making Birch Syrup

A set of 102 photos of Mary Eninew showing the making of birch syrup. In the spring when the sap begins to rise it is time to make birch syrup. Winter cabins are small and cramped and families often move out to a spring camp. The men and older boys would go hunting for fresh meat around the shore in a canoe, bringing back ducks, grouse, and small animals. The women and children would enjoy the freedom of being outside as they gathered birch sap and made syrup. The syrup will be a delicious treat on hot bannock! -p01 to -p02: The ice recedes and ducks come back to the open water. -p03: The spring camp is set up. -p04 to -p05: The bush warms up. -p06: Mary first needs to make lots of birch bark baskets to catch the sap. -p07 to -p08: She finds suitable birch trees and carefully makes vertical incisions through the outer bark. -p09 to -p13: She peels away large sheets. -p14 to -p15: Her small daughter Rose helps. -p16 to -p18: Mary takes the bark back to camp. Taking the outer bark does not kill the trees. We can see some old scars that have healed. -p19: Rolls of bark back at camp. -p20: Mary has gathered some willow saplings to hold the baskets together. -p21 to -p28: She folds the bark and fastens the ends with a willow peg tied with willow bark. -p29: One of the finished baskets. -p30 to -p32: Mary warms thicker pieces of bark to make them pliable. -p33 to -p37: The pile of baskets grows, as Rose watches and learns. -p38 to -p39: The tea pail is on the fire. -p40 to -p42: Mary's friend Margaret Beament makes a toy for Rose. -p43: It's a perfect little birch bark boat! -p44 to -p47: Rose plays with her new little boat. -p48: Mary will now "tap" the trees by cutting through the wood of the bark. -p49 to -p50: She takes her axe and makes a cut in the tree trunk. -p51: A V-shaped tab of bark is then pulled out. -p52 to -p55: She splits a little stick and fits it over the point of the flap. -p56: The sap runs down the stick and drips into the water-proof basket. -p57 to -p58: Mary continues this process for each of her baskets. -p59 to -p61: Baskets are set out under the taps to collect the dripping sap. -p62: Rose helps by bringing more baskets. -p63 to -p66: Rose and her mother continue through the birch grove. -p67 to -p71: Spring progresses and the tiny ground plants break through. -p72: The ice has gone from the bay and the first thunderstorm brings a rainbow. -p73 to -p74: The next morning the sap is dripping into the baskets. -p75 to -p77: It was cold overnight and the sap froze. -p78 to -p81: Mary pours the sap from the baskets into a pail. -p82 to -p84: Mary now makes pot-hangers from willow. -p85 to -p86: The hangers are tied onto poles over the fire. -p87: Margaret hangs a pail of sap over a slow fire. -p88 to -p91: The sap slowly boils and concentrates the sugar. -p92 to -p93: As the syrup boils, meat and fish are also smoking over the fire for supper. -p94: Mary dips out the syrup using a dipper made from a can and a willow branch. -p95 to -p96: She pours the last bit from the pail into the jars. -p97 to -p98: The lids go on the sealers. -p99: Now the fire is put out. -p100 to -p101: And the tent comes down and is folded. -p102: Mary and Margaret pack up their camp and carry the gear back out to the road.

Historical note:

Photos of Mary Eninew of Sucker River, north of La Ronge, taken in 1975 by Lois Dalby of the Academic Education Branch of the Department of Northern Saskatchewan.