Pirogue dugout canoe. Photo by Hans Hillewaert / Flickr (noncommercial use permitted with attribution/no derivative works).
Official State Artifact of Illinois
Illinois designated the pirogue as the official state artifact in 2016 (a canoe created by hollowing-out a tree trunk). The pirogue was promoted by eighth-grade students at St. Joseph School in Wilmette as a tribute to the Native Americans who were the first inhabitants of Illinois. All Cultural Heritage Symbols
The bill was sponsored by state Representative Laura Fine, who said; "The pirogue reflects the importance of Illinois waterways to our history and development, while also recognizing the state's namesake Native American tribe" (the Illini tribe, who used pirogues to navigate the rivers and lakes of what is now the state of Illinois).