Native war canoe races In Okanagan today may replace Chinese dragon boat racing tomorrow

Native war canoe races In Okanagan today may replace Chinese dragon boat racing tomorrow 

Aug 8, 2016

People got their chance to paddle old, renovated war canoes Sunday morning.

Hoodoo Adventures teamed up with the Penticton Museum and Archives to get people paddling canoes which the museum’s manager and curator Dennis Oomen said were likely from the 1930s or earlier.

“We were able to completely refurbish two of them, and those are the ones we have here today,” Oomen said.

He added the event is a reminder of days on the lake from the turn of the 20th Century.

“It’s something we like to do to interpret Penticton’s old regatta days,” he said. “It used to be a big, big deal, especially at the beginning of the century.”

He said people were showing a lot of interest in the canoes as they passed by.

Hoodoo Adventures owner Lyndie Hill said the event was well received from people who participated.

“We had quite a few teams come out and try out the boats,” she said.

“And only one tip in, so that’s good.”