Definition of a Toboggan

The classic toboggan is a flat sled without runners, often recognized by the characteristic backward curve of their thin boards at the front of the toboggan. Nowadays tobogganing is a fun winter pastime or sport that can use toboggans of different designs than the original one, which was developed to serve essential survival functions.

  1. Origins

    • Unsurprisingly, toboggans originated in the snowy land of Canada. Wooden toboggans were used by indigenous tribes to transport heavy loads over long distances in a land covered in snow four months of the year. Toboggans were the first snow sled, according to Sleds.com.

    Name

    • The word "toboggan" may derive from the language of the Mimac tribe of eastern Canada or from the Anshinabe word "nobugidaban." The Anshinabe word combines "nobug," or "flat," with "daban," meaning "drag." "Toboggan" is a French mispronunciation of the word, according to NativeWeb.org. According to an alternative account, "toboggan" comes from the Micmac word "taba'gan."

    Construction

    • The original toboggans were made from two or three thin hardwood boards. The signature curve at the front end was achieved using heat, steam or hot water. Wooden cleats or crossboards held the boards together, and the toboggan was left to dry for two days. Afterward a cord or rope was attached to the front end for pulling, and the toboggan was pulled with its load by people or a dog team.

    Function

    • The original toboggans were probably slender, hand-pulled sleds that could fit into snowshoe trails and were dragged along to carry loads. With the advent of the fur trade, larger, more durable toboggans pulled by dogs came into use. The new toboggans could accommodate people, provisions, fur and trapping tools. In northern Canada, toboggans are still used by hunters and trappers, pulled by snowmobiles instead of dog teams.

    Other Uses

    • The mountaineer method of tobogganing was developed by natives in the interior of Canada to enable the tribe to travel as a community. Expeditions were led by adult males, who would spell each other as leader. Birch toboggans were loaded with supplies and infants. Smaller toboggans were fashioned for children to pull. The snowshoe and toboggan tracks of the leaders smoothed the way for the following women and children.

    Toboggan Racing

    • In Canada, the winter pastime of downhill tobogganing evolved into competitive racing with the introduction of the bobsled. "Tobogganing" can refer to downhill sled racing that does not use traditional toboggans. Modern designs may include metal runners, as with the toboggans used for skeleton tobogganing. In skeleton tobogganing, the rider races down the track in a prone position, headfirst and face down. Luge, where one or two racers lie back in a sitting a sitting position while going down the run, and cresta, where the rider lies on her chest, are two other forms of toboggan racing.