My name is Stewart Nahanee of the Squamish Nation in North Vancouver. I was born and raised on the north shore of Vancouver. With knowledge of my culture and language I started a business in the area of drum making. Since 2000 I make the frames for the drums. I have done many workshops teaching people the art of making drums. I have traveled up the coast, through out the Squamish Valley, and Fraser Valley doing these workshops. These workshops have been done at conferences, schools and gatherings. I also do workshops at my home where people from Germany, Mexico, Quebec, and Japan come to learn First Nations culture. Other workshops have been done at the University of British Columbia, Coho festivals and Health Organization Conferences. The youngest to build a drum was 3 years old and the eldest so far has been in her early 70’s.

In December 2000, I started a company called Cedars Us. Today this company has been thriving by doing drum workshops, cedar bark workshops, attending craft fairs, and business conferences. There have also been public presentations and demonstrations.  Cedars Us also carries a line of styrofoam hat forms which are used for the weaving of cedar hats. These have been sold through out BC and Washington State. A new shop was built for the production of drum frames and paddles which are used for canoe journey’s. We also build wooden boxes. Each spring I go to the forest to collect bark from the trees for the making of hats and regalia.

  April 15, 2008. I travelled to England to paddle with a group in a 50 foot canoe down the Thames River. Myself and my younger brother Wesley Nahanee shared our culture and songs with those that traveled with us and the people of Great Britain.

  In December 2005, the purchase of an Epilog Legend Laser engraver was made with the help of funding from the Squamish Nation and BC Hydro. After some renovations and installation of computer equipment, venting, office equipment, I managed to start work on a new vision which was started in 2001. With this machine I have done over 100,000 small regalia paddles.  The paddles can be made plain or with laser work. These are mostly used for namings, memorials, canoe journeys, and associations such as Cops for Cancer. From this new start, Cedars Us has been growing. I have done TV work for the New Canoe and the Outdoor Living Network and have 1 of my drums on an Olympic Commercial and many related posters of the Four Host Nations.

  I have done over 200 5 1/2 foot paddles which were given to dignitaries in the United Kingdom on a journey with Chris Cooper Canoe Adventures. I have visited China twice to view some of the factories and meet with many of the workers and owners. In 2008 I was presented with the “Power of Education” award from the “Aboriginal Tourism Association of British Columbia”. During the Winter Olympic Games of 2010 I was involved in the building of 138 Drums for the ISU World Speed Skating try outs and a further 175 drums during the 2 weeks of the Olympics.

 From once working under my back porch to having an office and workshop on my property Cedars Us has come a long way and will keep up the travels to a growing future.