Six String Nation
Six String Nation is public art and history project conceived by Jowi Taylor and centred around a steel-string acoustic guitar built from a variety of artifacts collected by Taylor representing diverse cultures, communities, characters and events from every province and territory of Canada. The building of the guitar was commissioned from Nova Scotia luthier George Rizsanyi.
History
The idea to build the guitar was conceived by Taylor in the months preceding the 1995 Quebec referendum on sovereignty after a chance encounter with Rizsanyi, who was then attempting to build guitars using wood from local sources rather than more conventional exotic woods. While the impending referendum focussed on the political relationship between the province of Quebec as a francophone minority and the Canadian federal government representing an anglophone majority, Taylor sought to represent additional stakeholders within the national debate including multicultural and indigenous communities as well as francophones living outside of Quebec.Over a period of eleven years, Taylor researched and gathered contributed materials for the guitar from every province and territory in Canada. A few materials were contributed directly by individuals to Rizsanyi. It was built by Rizsanyi in his workshop near Pinehurst, Nova Scotia, with assistance from Michael McConnell and fretboard inlay work by Sara Nasr. Work on the guitar was completed on June 15, 2006 and tested by musicians Dave MacIsaac of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia and Roger Howse of Newfoundland. Additional elements of metal, leather and fabric have subsequently been added to the case and strap.
The Six String Nation guitar made its debut on Canada Day 2006 on Parliament Hill in Ottawa at the invitation of the National Capital Commission. Following its official introduction, it was played by Stephen Fearing and subsequently during the show by Kyle Riabko, Michel Pagliaro, Colin James, Jean-Francois Breau and Amy Millan. Earlier in the day, it had been played on ancillary stages by Colin Linden, Tom Wilson, Popo Murigande, Joel Fafard and members of La Volee d'Castors. In subsequent years at the Canada Day main stage on Parliament Hill, the guitar was played by Jay Knudson, Ron Hynes, Shane Yellowbird, Wayne Lavallee and the guitarist accompanying Kardinal Offishall. Over the years it has been played by hundreds of musicians - including Feist, Bruce Cockburn, Stompin' Tom Connors, Gordon Lightfoot, Rob Baker, Catherine MacLellan, the African Guitar Summit, K'naan and many others - at public and private events across Canada. The instrumental "Voyageur" by Don Ross from his "Upright and Locked Position" album, was written for and composed on the Six String Nation guitar. And in 2019, Ontario singer-songwriter composed and recorded an EP of 6 songs drawn from the stories embedded in the guitar, entitled "The Songs of Voyageur". Taylor and the Six String Nation guitar have appeared at festivals, schools, community, conference and corporate events in every province and territory of Canada.
The guitar officially received the nickname Voyageur - as suggested by Lt. Col. Susan Beharriel - at a ceremony launching the 2008 Festival du Voyageur in Winnipeg-St. Boniface.
In 2009, the guitar was part of the Un Paese a Sei Corde international guitar festival in Orta San Giulio, Italy, where it was played by Pino Forastiere and Davide Sgorlon.
In honour of the guitar, a fifty-cent coin was created by the Royal Canadian Mint in 2009. It is in the triangular shape of a guitar pick and features a hologram of the Six String Nation logo on the reverse set into a depiction of Voyageur
On December 11, 2015, Taylor was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for his work on the project by Governor General David Johnston in a ceremony at Rideau Hall.
Books
The origins and process of the project as well as the encounters with people across Canada were chronicled in a book by Taylor in 2009, "Six String Nation: 64 Pieces. 6 Strings. 1 Canada. 1 Guitar." accompanied by photos by Doug Nicholson and Sandor Fizli, including photos of the materials and construction process mostly by Fizli and a selection from among the tens of thousands of portraits of people holding Voyageur taken at events in all provinces and territories of Canada by Nicholson - an ongoing project.Additionally, the project has been featured in a number of other published texts and workbooks including the grade 9 core French textbook "Tu Parles!" from R.K. Publishing and "Mathematics 10" for western Canada from McGraw-Hill Ryerson.
Media
A proposed television special and series about the building of the guitar and its subsequent travels was aborted by CBC Television Arts and Entertainment part way through the development process just months before construction on the guitar began on April 30, 2006. At that point, CBC Newsworld producer Deborah Smith stepped in to propose a more modest project called "A Canadian Guitar", which played several times on the now defunct network.Accompanying Jowi and the Six String Nation team on the journey to Haida Gwaii in February 2006 to obtain the wood from the Golden Spruce was Geoff Siskind, acting in the dual capacity of videographer and audio recordist, the latter for a documentary by renowned CBC radio documentarist . Wadhams' experimental audio documentary based on these and other recordings, along with interviews with Jowi and music commissioned from Don Ross, aired in 2007.
An interview on Shaw TV Vancouver's "Urban Rush" show on September 29, 2009 included performances by Barney Bentall.
The project was spoofed on the December 4, 2104 episode of CBC Radio's This Is That in a segment about the creation of a Canadian "unity shovel".
Taylor has appeared in dozens of local and national radio and television interviews about the project, most notably in two full length interviews on TVOntario's The Agenda with Steve Paikin on January 2, 2013 and November 8, 2016.
He was the guest on episode 70 of the Trailer Park Boys podcast, published on SwearNet.com on December 2, 2016. During the episode, Mike Smith, as the character "Bubbles", played the song "Liquor and Whores" on Voyageur.
Materials
The guitar is made from 64 pieces of wood, bone, metal, stone and horn, representing a variety of cultures, communities, characters and events from every province and territory of Canada.The guitar case was custom made for Six String Nation by Al Williams of Calton Cases Canada in Calgary, Alberta. The strap was made by Levy's Leathers of Winnipeg Manitoba. Additional pieces of significant material adorn both the case and the strap.
| Province | Community | Description | Location in Guitar Construction | |
| Alberta | Brooks, Dinosaur Provincial Park | Wood from interior of John Ware's cabin. | Pick guard. Upper element of leaf motif. | |
| Alberta | Edmonton | Top of hockey stick from Wayne Gretzky. | Pick guard. Stem. 4 of 4, L-R. Bridge pin. | |
| Alberta | Hand Hills Lake | Community Dance Hall floor board from Hand Hills Lake Stampede. | Top. Interior. Bridge plate. | |
| Alberta | Kainah First Nation, Standoff | Ammolite carved in the shape of Blood Tribe Buffalo Skull symbol. | Back. Interior. Ornament. | |
| British Columbia | near Dease Lake | Nephrite Jade from Jade West. | Headstock. Inlay. | |
| British Columbia | near Port Clements, Haida Gwaii | Part of only material extracted from Kiidk'yaas, "The Golden Spruce". | Top. | |
| British Columbia | Richmond | Red Cedar from Jack Uppal's Goldwood timber mill. | Back Int. Kerfing strips on either side of end block. | |
| British Columbia | Rossland | Competition ski from Olympic medalist Nancy Greene-Raine. | Back. Interior. Reinforcing strip #2 from top. | |
| British Columbia | Sidney | Moulding from original era DeHavilland DHC-2 Beaver | Rosette. Elements #3 and #11, clockwise. | |
| British Columbia | Victoria | Wood from original gateway to Canada's first Chinatown, Fan Tan Alley. | Top. Int. Kerfing, left shoulder. | |
| Manitoba | Gardenton | Wood from St. Michael's Orthodox Ukrainian Church. | Neck laminate. Rosette element #8, clockwise. | |
| Manitoba | Gimli | Icelandic "Lucky Stone", Lake Winnipeg. | Fretboard inlay Fret #7. | |
| Manitoba | St. Boniface | Beam from St. Boniface Museum, once schoolhouse to Louis Riel. | Back. Sides. Binding. Rosette, elements #5/13 | |
| New Brunswick | Atholville | Salvage from the Seven Years' War French Frigate, Machault. | Top. Bridge. | |
| New Brunswick | Hartland | Wood from world's longest covered bridge. | Back Int. Reinforcing strip #4. | |
| Newfoundland & Labrador | Cape Race | Wood from Cape Race Lighthouse motor cabinet. | Back Int. Heel brace. | |
| Newfoundland & Labrador | Conception Bay | Red Ochre in tribute to Beothuk people. | Pick guard stain on side leaf element. | |
| Newfoundland & Labrador | Nain | Labradorite feldspar. | Fretboard inlay on frets #3 and #9 | |
| Newfoundland & Labrador | Twillingate | Wood from Christmas Seal floating clinic. | Back Int. Kerfing at L and R waist. | |
| Nova Scotia | Halifax | Rafter from Pier 21 historic site. | Top. Interior. X brace. | |
| Nova Scotia | Lunenburg | Decking from Bluenose II. | Neck laminate. Rosette. Interior top block and end block. | |
| Nova Scotia | Lunenburg | Salvaged pew from St. John's Anglican Church. | Back Int. Back brace #4, reinforcing strip #5. Top int. B-L kerning. | |
| Nova Scotia | Sydney, Cape Breton | Rail sample from Sydney Steel. | Fretboard inlay on fret #17. | |
| Nova Scotia | Westphal | Wood from the Nova Scotia Home for Coloured Children African Canadian Orphanage. | Top Int. fingerboard brace. Back int reinforcing strip #3. | |
| Nunavut | Cambridge Bay ' | Muskox horn. | Rosette. Elements #4/12, clockwise. | |
| Nunavut | Iqaluit | Whale baleen. | Rosette. Elements #2/10, clockwise. | |
| Nunavut | Rankin Inlet ' | Walrus tusk. | Bridge pins. | |
| North West Territories | Fort Smith | Mammoth ivory from Dene carver Sonny MacDonald. | Headstock inlay - White element of 6SN logo execution, nut. | |
| North West Territories | Great Bear Lake | Acasta Gneiss, world's oldest rock. | Fretboard inlay on fret #1, rightmost element. | |
| North West Territories | Yellowknife | Wall piece from Wildcat Cafe. | Pickguard. Stem. 2 of 4, L-R. | |
| Ontario | Almonte | Kitchen rafter from James Naismith house. | Pick guard. Side leaf element surround. | |
| Ontario | Cobalt | Silver from Beaver Mine. | Fretboard inlay on fret #1. Centre element. | |
| Ontario | Niagara Falls | Wooden nickel made from Maid of the Mist II salvage. | Pick guard. Side leaf element inset. | |
| Ontario | Ottawa | Copper from the roof of the Library of Parliament. | Fretboard inlay on fret #3. Rosette, double ring. | |
| Ontario | Ottawa | Oak door frame from Parliament Centre Block. | Back. Spine laminate elements #1/5 | |
| Ontario | Ottawa | Wood from sideboard of Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald, Parliament Hill. | Top Int. Finger braces #1/2/3/4 | |
| Ontario | Pic River First Nation | Moose antler. | Fretboard inlay frame around Labradorite on 9th fret. | |
| Ontario | Pic River First Nation | Pipe stone. | Headstock inlay Red element of 6SN logo execution. | |
| Ontario | Sudbury | Nickel ingots from Inco. | Fretboard inlay on frets #12 and #15. | |
| Ontario | Thunder Bay | Soup paddle from Finnish cooperative restaurant, The Hoito. | Side Int. Struts below waist, L/R. | |
| Ontario | Toronto | Window frame from Lawren Harris' Group of Seven "Studio Building". | Top Int. Kerfing on R shoulder. Back int. Back brace #1 | |
| Ontario | Toronto | Paul Henderson's hockey stick from Game 8, 1972 Summit Series. | Pick guard. Stem. 1 of 4, L-R. Bridge pin | |
| Ontario | Toronto | Seat 69, Gallery section, Massey Hall. | Headstock + Rosette, elements #1/9, clockwise. | |
| Prince Edward Island | Cavendish | Wood from the property where "Green Gables" author Lucy Maud Montgomery was raised by her grandparents. | Back. Interior. Reinforcing strip #1 from top. | |
| Prince Edward Island | Charlottetown | Wood from office of J.R.'s Bar music venue founder Johnnie Reid. | Fretboard. | |
| Prince Edward Island | Lennox Island First Nation | Handle of Mi'kmaq oyster shucking champion Joe Labobe's prized shucking knife. | Side. Seat for bottom strap post. | |
| Prince Edward Island | Pinette | Wood from mallet belonging to "Canada Tree" sculptor Tyler Aspin. | Rosette. Elements #6/14, clockwise. | |
| Prince Edward Island | Rustico | Wood from interior of Doucet House, PEI's oldest family dwelling, Acadian origin. | Back Int. Back brace #2. Top Int. Kerfing at waist. | |
| Quebec | Kuujjuaq, Nunavik | Caribou antler ulu carved by Charlene Watt. | Fretboard inlay on fret #5 | |
| Quebec | Montebello | Baseboard moulding from Manoir Papineau. | Neck laminate, centre strip. | |
| Quebec | Montreal | Fairmount Bagel bakery shibba. | Back. Spine laminate elements #2/4 | |
| Quebec | Montreal | Gold from Maurice "Rocket" Richard's 1955-56 Stanley Cup ring. | Fretboard inlay on fret #9 | |
| Quebec | Montreal | Wood from Seat 10 Row G Section 321 of the old Montreal Forum. | Pick guard. Stem. 3 of 4, L-R. | |
| Quebec | Montreal | Canoe paddle belonging to 15th and 17th Prime Minister, Pierre Elliot Trudeau. | Top Int. Neck and fingerboard brace. Truss rod access. | |
| Quebec | Quebec City | Drapery pin from Walter S. Painter designed Theatre Capitole. | Side Int. Struts between upper bouts and waist, L/R. | |
| Quebec | St. Armand | Slate from purported chapel roof built by slaves owned by American loyalist Philip Luke. | Bridge Pins Slate ground into powder color for pin detail. | |
| Saskatchewan | One Arrow First Nation, Duck Lake | Stone from monument to Almighty Voice aka. "Kisse-Manitou-Wayo" / "Shu-Kwe-weetam" | Fretboard inlay on fret #1, leftmost element. | |
| Saskatchewan | Patuanak | Moose shin contributed by Don Reed and participants in his community music program. | Fretboard inlay on fret #3, frame. | |
| Saskatchewan | Veregin | Wood from grain elevator built by Doukhobor exiles from Russia led by Peter Verigin. | Back. Spine. Centre strip. Rosette element #8. | |
| Yukon | Dawson City | Flooring from cabin of author Jack London. | Back Int. Kerfing at lower bout L/R. | |
| Yukon | Dawson City/Pelly Crossing | Marten hide stretcher used by trapper/photo- documentarist J.J. Van Bibber. | Top Int. Tone bars #1/2. Kerfing at lower bout L | |
| Yukon | Dawson City, various | Wood from Yukon Rose river boat. | Back Int. Kerfing on shoulders L/R | |
| Yukon | Placer Gold Claim | Mastodon ivory. | Saddle. | |
| Yukon | Qikiqtaruk | Wood from whaling station community house, the oldest wood-frame building in the Yukon. | Back Int. Back brace #3 Top Int. Kerfing at bottom R. |
| Province | Community | Description | Location in Guitar Construction | |
| Alberta | Edmonton | Shoulder tile and cap badge donated by the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry - a regiment founded in 1914 on a grant from Andrew Gault. | Affixed at front shoulder level, top elements. | |
| British Columbia | Vancouver | Material taken from a jersey of the Vancouver Asahi, a Japanese-Canadian baseball team also founded in 1914 and lasting until the 1941 internment. | Affixed on front closer to strap-lock device. | |
| Newfoundland | St. John's | Shoulder tile and cap badge donated by the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, founded in 1795 and awarded the Royal designation in December 1949. | Affixed at front shoulder level, middle and lower elements. | |
| Nova Scotia | Dartmouth | Materials gifted from the wardrobes of each of the main three characters of the Trailer Park Boys and woven together using the unique Atlantic rug hooking technique of the Grenfell Missions by artist Holly Boileau. | Affixed on front closest to strap-lock. | |
| Ontario | Chatham | Wool from a cap belonging to Myles Neuts, a student who died in February 1998, six days after an attack by bullies at his school. | Affixed at the back side, mid-way. | |
| Ontario | Toronto | Cowboy boot of singer-songwriter Taylor Mitchell, who died as the result of a coyote attack at Cape Breton Highlands National Park on October 27, 2009, at the age of 19. | Affixed at back of strap over adjustment ribs. | |
| Ontario | Toronto | Materials from Gord Downie's farewell "Man Machine Poem" tour wardrobe, consisting of pieces from each of seven suits designed by Izzy Camilleri, feather and felt from milliner Karyn Ruiz and heel and sole shoe leather by cobbler Jeff Churchill. | Feather and felt on front above Asahi jersey. Shoe leathers on back above Taylor Mitchell boot. |