Tipatshimuna 
Description:
Wooden shovel with narrow handle (32″ in length), flared at end with a relatively narrow scoop which has short sloping walls (approximately 1.5″ – 0.5″ high and 0.33″ thick), with a bevelled edge. Top of handle, edge of shovel and top of scoop section painted red.
References:
Lucien M. Turner. 1979[1894]. Indians and Eskimos in the Quebec-Labrador Peninsula. Quebec: Presses COMEDITEX. James W. VanStone. 1985. Material Culture of the Davis Inlet and Barren Ground Naskapi: the William Duncan Strong Collection. Chicago: Field Museum of Natural History. Fieldiana, Anthropology New Series No.7.
Innu Narrative:
“Is this makanipakan (shovel) a wooden shovel? My uncle Shushepish (Joseph Rich) made one like it when we didn’t have shovels. He is the only one I can remember making things.” Pinamen (Rich) Katshinak
“A shovel – makanipakan. A shovel is used to clear the snow where you put your trap, like the beaver. It is made from a birch tree. It is strong and it lasts.” Shimun Michel and Manian (Ashini) Michel
Other Info:
“Snow shovels are made of wood and are much used, for during the winter, when the snows are constantly accumulating around the camps, the occupants necessarily remove some to form a pathway from the door of their tent, and as snow forms an admirable protection, it is thrown or banked up around their tents to prevent the wind from blowing under. In the spring nearly all the aged people carry one of the wooden shovels to clear away a path or as a help to walk while the slushy snow is so treacherous…these are often painted with vermillion or indigo.” Turner (1979[1894]:155)
“The collection contains six birchwood snow shovels which were used primarily to clear away the snow before erecting a ridgepole lodge… Four specimens are between 125 cm and 140 cm in length with blades 25-36 cm long and 12-18 cm wide. The blades are shallow, slightly upturned, and flat across the ends; the handles are square or rectangular. One is painted with orange pigment at the proximal end of the handle, on the flattened area at the base of the handle, and at the end of the blade.” VanStone (1985:25)