Fort Edmonton to York Factory, the odyssey of a modern day voyageur - Part 2

Last Updated on 12.02.11

Chris Petrie

History has always been an important subject in my life.  History may explain some cause to the adventures that I have participated in.  Could there be historic reasoning behind my sense of adventure? I have always believed that this sense of adventure was an inherited quality from both my parents’ families.

My mother’s heritage is predominately French, I have always believed that their history in Canada was short and was a result of fleeing Nazi occupied France in the early 1940s, but I was wrong. Pierre la Pointe and his wife immigrated from France to Québec in the 1880’s.  Like many French before them, they adapted well to the Canadian environment and as a result my great-great-great-uncle, Henri la Pointe, was born in rural northern Québec. He was delivered by a Native American woman on a reservation a few years later.  Like many French Canadiens before him, Henri la Pointe became and trapper and voyageur for the Hudson’s Bay Company, not a York Boat Man. Henry would eventually make his way up to Lake Winnipeg and followed the Saskatchewan system west where he ended up operating trap lines for HBC out of the Lac La Biche, Alberta area.

When I learned this incredible Canadian history, I felt such pride and excitement.  Who would not be stoked to have an early Canadian outdoorsman as a relative? The fact that I have some voyageur blood in me gives me such a proud Canadian feeling.  I may have camped where he did and I have certainly paddled and portaged where he did long ago.  Our paths have crossed, but separated by over a century.  I have held a strong belief that Henry guides me when I am out on expeditions, especially where he may once have ventured or explored…

Canoe manned by Voyageurs passing a waterfall (Canada), by Frances Anne Hopkins. Scene showing a large Hudson's Bay Company freight canoe passing a waterfall, presumably on the French River. The passengers in the canoe may be the artist and her husband, Edward Hopkins, secretary to the Governor of the Hudson’s Bay Company.

Tough and determined describes the Highlanders of my fathers lineage.  They hailed from the Ben Nevis region of Scotland (the highest of the highlands and the highest peak in the U.K.).  As a result, mountain hiking and mountain running were at my family’sconvenience and something Petrie’shave all exceled in.  My great-grandfather Jock Petrie was a strong man with mythological strength- and  the intelligence to match.  His stories are legends, and one can only be in some form of awe at hearing a few of them.  Jock sold himself as a man who could do twice the work of a regularman and therefore demanded it in pay.  He made a coal shovel twice the size of a regular shovel and demanded twice the pay for being able to do twice the output. He also beat an entire town in a tug of war by placing a fencing post down his trousers to render him immovable.  My grandfather Charlie has climbed many tall peaks including Mount Logan, Mount McKinley, Mount Robinson, Aconcagua, the Matterhorn, Kilimanjaro and not to forget the countless races and hikes up and down Ben Nevis.   Myfather and grandfather have participated in the longest, also described as toughest, pledge walk in North America(The Great Walk). My Grandfather was the oldest participant for the last four seasons, last season was cancelled due to lack of support. (Ω)

I feel that these elements make me the modern day Canadian voyageur that I have become.  The love and idea of exploration from my great-great-uncle Henry and the Petries’ endless push of pursuits in the outdoors has combined to form the voyageur who is telling you his story.  My ancestors knew how to push their limits. They also knew that limits were only a negative manifestation created by one’s self.

Part 3

Part 3