Historic Woods in Traditional Boats: The Cristina Canoe and Traditional Naval Carpentry in Babitonga Bay, Brazil

In Babitonga Bay, an estuarine complex on the northern coast of Santa Catarina, artisanal fishermen recall a time when solid wood canoes were commonplace. Among these traditional vessels was the Cristina canoe, widely used in artisanal fishing. Master carpenter Aristóte de Souza, an artisanal fisherman from Balneário Barra do Sul, carved the Cristina canoe using traditional techniques passed down from generation to generation. Carved over 70 years ago, the Cristina canoe sailed for decades in the waters of Barra do Sul, playing a vital role in the subsistence and continuity of local artisanal fishing practices. Today, the vessel is recognized as biocultural heritage, preserving the memory of both the forests used in its construction and the fishing communities that depended on it. For its incorporation into the permanent exhibition, an extensive process of acquisition, restoration, and preparation for the museumization of the canoe was carried out, made possible through partnerships with representatives of local artisanal fishing, especially Alves Barcos, responsible for the restoration of the vessel and its adaptation to the conditions necessary for permanent exhibition. This permanent exhibition is part of Chapter 1 of the Master's dissertation entitled “Traditional fishing communities and the use of forest resources in an estuary in southern Brazil”, currently in preparation at the Universidade da Região de Joinville (Univille).Legend: 1. Original State: The canoe in its initial condition, prior to intervention. 2 & 3. Diagnosis: Technical damage mapping, identifying structural cracks and areas of wood rot. 4 & 5. Restoration: Replacement of degraded parts, filling of fissures, sanding, painting, and protective varnishing. 6. Installation: Hoisting of the canoe and mounting of the exhibition panels on-site. 7. Final Result: The canoe fully restored and mounted in its permanent location.