Preserves Making Workshop, Brigus, Sept 14th

Landfall Cottage in Brigus is running a preserves workshop! Space is limited if you want to participate!  Info below:

Digital Storytelling: The Shop with Mary Flynn

Mary Flynn and Dale Jarvis in Mary's home in Otterbury.

Digital storytelling is a short form of digital media production that allows everyday people to share aspects of their own family and community history. Many people have stories about family members and local places that often go untold. Digital storytelling helps interpret and make community history accessible.

Watch below as Mary Flynn, originally from Shearstown and currently living in Otterbury, Newfoundland, tells the story of her first job in the local shop:

Or click here to watch the video on YouTube.

If this video elicits memories for you, or if you'd like to arrange a digital storytelling workshop for your community, contact Dale Jarvis at dale@heritagenl.ca

Digital Storytelling: The Secret to Living 100 years with Mary Flynn

Mary's certificate from Pope Francis for her 100th birthday in 2018.

Digital storytelling is a short form of digital media production that allows everyday people to share aspects of their own family and community history. Many people have stories about family members and local places that often go untold. Digital storytelling helps interpret and make community history accessible.

Watch below as Mary Flynn, originally from Shearstown and currently living in Otterbury, Newfoundland, gives her advice on how to live for 100 years:

Or click here to watch the video on YouTube.

If this video elicits memories for you, or if you'd like to arrange a digital storytelling workshop for your community, contact Dale Jarvis at dale@heritagenl.ca

Tying knots in trees, and randying on coasters - notes from Heart's Delight - Islington

Heart's Delight 1955 aerial photograph by Lee Wulff, photo A 14-77.2 at The Rooms.

Happy Friday, ICH fans!

We had a really positive workshop last night in Heart's Delight - Islington. They have a new town Heritage Committee, and seem to be really keen on doing some work documenting and safeguarding living heritage.   We chatted about what makes up “Living Heritage” and introduced the five categories of Intangible Cultural Heritage as defined by UNESCO.  From there, community members came up with a long list of local traditions, skills, crafts, customs, and knowledge.  One of the best parts of my job is that I'm always learning new things (and new words) and last night was no exception. People talked about fishing skills and berth names, bean suppers, candy-making, tying knots in young tree branches and letting them grow to make things like gavels, and "randying the girls home" - which isn't as rude as you might think.  Locally, "randying" means sliding (sledding, or what a mainlander might call "tobogganing") down a hill, or pulling someone on a sled/cat/slide. "Randy" gets its own entry in the Dictionary of Newfoundland English.

Prioritizing our list of possible living heritage themes.

After MUCH discussion, there was a general consensus that the best place to start would be to do some further work documenting, recording, and promoting the knowledge and practice of the traditional Heart's Delight - Islington Christmas Carols. These are two very old traditional carols, which exist in modified versions in some of the nearby communities, but which are still widely sung in Heart's Delight - Islington. Traditionally, they were sung by men, who would travel to every house in the community. The custom continues with some changes over time, but more work is needed to safeguard this very special local tradition. There were other recommendations which you can peruse here.

Want a "Where is our Living Heritage?" workshop in your town? Drop me a line at dale@heritagenl.ca.

Mayor Clayton Branton, Dale Jarvis, and Wayne Ford. Photo by Allan Boyce

Digital Storytelling: 1968 Oxfam Walk with Palma Mercer

Digital storytelling is a short form of digital media production that allows everyday people to share aspects of their own family and community history. Many people have stories about family members and local places that often go untold. Digital storytelling helps interpret and make community history accessible.

Palma Mercer tells the story of the 1968 Oxfam Miles for Millions Walk.

Or click here to watch the video on YouTube.

Photos and audio courtesy of Palma Mercer. Photos collected as part of the Digital Storytelling workshop held Tuesday, October 16th, 2018 in Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s. If this video elicits memories for you, or if you'd like to arrange a digital storytelling workshop for your community, contact Dale Jarvis at dale@heritagenl.ca

Digital Storytelling: My Grandparents' House with Ruth Bugden

Digital storytelling is a short form of digital media production that allows everyday people to share aspects of their own family and community history. Many people have stories about family members and local places that often go untold. Digital storytelling helps interpret and make community history accessible.

Ruth Bugden tells the story of her grandparents' house.

Or click here to watch the video on YouTube.

Photos and audio courtesy of Ruth Bugden. Photos collected as part of the Digital Storytelling workshop held Tuesday, October 16th, 2018 in Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s. If this video elicits memories for you, or if you'd like to arrange a digital storytelling workshop for your community, contact Dale Jarvis at dale@heritagenl.ca

Invite to Harbour Grace Heritage Opportunities & Priorities Session Nov 28

Invite to Harbour Grace Heritage Follow-up Session

Wednesday, November 28, 2018
1:30 p.m.
Firemen's Social Building,
Bannerman Street, Harbour Grace

A “People, Places & Culture “Workshop was facilitated by Heritage NL in Harbour Grace 10 November 2018. The workshop comprised two parts: I) a cultural mapping activity that considered the community’s tangible and intangible cultural assets; and II) a session to explore opportunities for protecting, safeguarding and developing these assets. The latter activity involved identifying themes and clusters of cultural assets that emerged from the mapping session. This meeting involved local heritage enthusiasts, residents, town staff, and representatives from the Town of Harbour Grace, Conception Bay Museum, and the Heritage and Redevelopment Committee.

15 themes emerged from the discussion, written notes, and mapping exercise. The next step will be to prioritize these and set some actionable items with some recommendations from Heritage NL.

You can view the preliminary report and the list of themes and sub topics here.


The follow-up session is set for Wednesday, November 28, 2018, at 1:30 p.m. in the Firemen's Social Building, Bannerman Street, Harbour Grace, and is open to everyone. If you're interested in heritage and development, come along! We'll be going over the preliminary report, and setting some priorities for future heritage work in Harbour Grace.

You can register for the workshop online.


For more information contact:
Matthew Gerard McCarthy
Economic Development Officer
Town of Harbour Grace

T: (709) 596-3042
C: (709) 222-9320
F: (709) 596-1991

P.O. Box 310
112 Water Street
Harbour Grace, NL
A0A 2M0

www.hrgrace.ca
matthewmccarthy@hrgrace.ca

Building Heritage Together: Heart’s Content to Hant’s Harbour Heritage Area

Public event in Winterton.

On Saturday, November 3rd, 2018 Dale, Jerry, and I traveled to Winterton to host a workshop on regional corporation.  We also had several students from Memorial University's Folklore Department who came out and took notes for the session. There were over 40 people in attendance from various museums, heritage committees, town councilor, and residents from Heart's Content, New Perlican, Winterton, and Hant's Harbour. The communities are interested in working together to promote their heritage.

Folklorist Dale Jarvis listening to the conversation at one of the tables.

We discussed the success factors which come from working together and listed some of the resources the differing groups would be able to share. The different groups also listed some of the heritage assets in their communities which ranged from museums to fishing stages, from cemeteries to trails. It also included traditional skills such as rug hooking, dancing, knitting, blacksmithing, fishing, sawmilling, etc. The towns decided to form a regional committee and will meet before Christmas. Stay tuned for a report from the meeting. 

Katie presents her table's thoughts on how the communities should move forward.

If you are interested to in setting up a heritage workshop in your community reach out to Dale Jarvis at dale@heritagenl.ca or call 1-888-739-1892 ex. 2.

Digital Storytelling: Grandfather's House by Palma Mercer

Digital storytelling is a short form of digital media production that allows everyday people to share aspects of their own family and community history. Many people have stories about family members and local places that often go untold. Digital storytelling helps interpret and make community history accessible.

Palma Mercer tells the story of her grandfather's house.

Or click here to watch the video on YouTube.

Photos and audio courtesy of Palma Mercer. Photos collected as part of the Digital Storytelling workshop held Tuesday, October 16th, 2018 in Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s. If this video elicits memories for you, or if you'd like to arrange a digital storytelling workshop for your community, contact Dale Jarvis at dale@heritagenl.ca

Origin of the word "Bee" (the work party, not the insect)

DID YOU KNOW?

Origin of the word “Bee”

“Because the word describes people working together in a social group, a common false etymology is that the term derives from the insect of the same name and similar social behavior. According to etymological research recorded in dictionaries, the word probably comes from dialectal been or bean (meaning "help given by neighbors"), which came from Middle English bene (meaning "prayer", "boon" and "extra service by a tenant to his lord")”

Source: Wikipedia


We're organizing a work party of our own, part bee, part workshop, on how to transcribe tombstone inscriptions. You can read all about that right here.

Photo: Digby County, Nova Scotia quilting bee

Traditional Czech Gingerbread Decorating Workshop

Jindra's Valentine's Day gingerbread. Photo courtesy Jindra Maskova.

Gingerbread plays a major role in Czech tradition and culture. It is a skill that is difficult to master, and so it is held in high regard. For Valentine's Day, beautifully-decorated gingerbread hearts are sold at markets all over the Czech Republic. In honour of Valentine’s Day, on Sunday, February 11 from 2:00-4:00 p.m., the Heritage Foundation will be hosting a gingerbread-making workshop at Easter Seals Kitchen (206 Mount Scio Rd).

At this workshop Jindra Maskova, owner of Gingerly by Jindra, will demonstrate how to make traditional Czech gingerbread while also discussing the history of gingerbread in the Czech Republic and its significance there. Participants will get hands-on experience decorating gingerbread cookies, and they will each go home with the cookies they've decorated.

The cost of the workshop is $35.00 per person. Space is limited. You can register by clicking here, or by emailing katherine@heritagefoundation.ca or calling 1-709-739-1892 ext. 6.

Cross Stitching Workshop

Katie teaching at The Heritage Tomorrow conference. Photo by Jeremy Harnum.

Have you ever wanted to learn how to cross stitch but had no idea where to start? Well now is your chance! The Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador will be hosting a hands-on cross stitching workshop on Thursday, January 18 from 7:00-8:30 p.m in the Newman Building (1 Springdale Street).

Katie Harvey, owner of Queen Stitch NL, will teach you all the basics of cross stitching, while marrying the stitching lesson with the history of one of HFNL’s Registered Heritage Structures. You will leave this workshop with all the materials needed to finish your cross stitch.

The workshop is $30 and space is limited. You can reserve your space by clicking here, or contact Katie Harvey by emailing katherine@heritagefoundation.ca or call 709.739.1892 ext. 6.

Basic Folklore and Oral History Interviewing Course starts Jan!

Frances Densmore with Blackfoot chief, Mountain Chief, during a 1916 phonograph recording session for the Bureau of American Ethnology.

Wednesday Nights
7pm-9pm
January 10th - January 31st, 2018

Calling all budding folklorists and armchair historians! This workshop is open to anyone with an interest in local history, culture and folklore, and who wishes to learn more about safeguarding our cultural heritage through the medium of oral histories.

The course will give a background on conducting research interviews in the field. It will provide an overview of the methodology and explore the practical matters of creating, designing, and executing effective oral history research projects, project planning, interview questions, ethical issues, and recording equipment.

Over the four week course, participants will conduct an interview, prepare archival metadata, and work collaboratively to create a finished oral history project.

The workshop will be taught by folklorist Dale Jarvis, the Intangible Cultural Heritage Development Officer for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. He has been working for the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador since 1996, and holds a BSc in Anthropology/Archaeology from Trent University, and a MA in Folklore from Memorial University.

Participants will need to bring their own laptop/tablet, all other materials provided. If you have your own digital recording device (tablet, iPhone, mp3 recorder, etc) you are encouraged to bring it, but it is not required.

Workshop fee: $100 (preregistration required, limited to 8 participants)

Location: Newman Building, 1 Springdale Street, St. John’s

Register online at:
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/basic-folklore-and-oral-history-interviewing-course-tickets-41107537752

For more information, contact Dale Jarvis at 709-739-1892 x2, or email ich@heritagefoundation.ca

#FoodwaysFriday - What is your favourite type of baked bread?

Bread making workshop. French bread before going in the outdoor oven, Conche, Newfoundland.
Photo by Lisa Wilson. 2010.

When we discuss foodways of Newfoundland and Labrador the first food that often comes to mind is the codfish. Cod has played a major role in everything from the province’s economy to its culture. It is featured in many traditional dishes however it is not the only food tradition in the province. Seafood and fish, caribou, seal, sea birds, berries, root vegetables, and imported products such as molasses and tin milk all play a part in the province’s food traditions. In celebration of the diverse foods harvested, grown, cooked, and eaten in Newfoundland and Labrador we will be doing a #FoodwaysFriday feature on the ICH Blog.

This week we are featuring a series of photos from a bread making workshop in Conche from 2010. The French Shore Historical Society has an outdoor oven where they bake French style bread. The loaves are served hot, right from the fire, a traditional way of baking bread that very few people practice today. In the spring, 2010, the FSHS held a bread baking workshop for members of the community. From mixing and kneading dough, to monitoring the fire's temperature, every part of the process was explained and demonstrated.

If you want to learn more about French bread baked in Conche, NL click here to view the photos from the workshop!

Share your stories and knowledge of food with the hashtag #FoodwaysFriday.

Nora Hunt making bread. 1970. Conche, NL.
A Pictorial from the Northeast Coast of Newfoundland.
Virtual Museum of Canada.

~Terra Barrett

St. John's Memories with Melanie Tucker

(01 02 004) Water Street, St. John's. View looking east with Ayre and Sons to the right.
Photo courtesy of Geography Collection of Historical Photographs of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Last week Dale and I presented at The Rooms' Research Workshop on Collecting Community History. In the morning there were presentations from The Rooms' staff on how to use their collections for researching community history. The participants also got a tour of the archives.

Dale Jarvis interviewing Melanie Tucker.

In the afternoon session Dale gave an overview of how to do an oral history project including planning in advance, focusing the project, and support and funding that is available. He also did a mock interview, and explained the process of memory mapping or the People, Places, and Culture workshops we run at the Heritage Foundation. I also gave a brief presentation on what to do with the material once you have completed the oral interviews and how to present the material back to the community. If you want more information on how to complete oral history projects please visit our Oral History Project Guide.

Participants of The Rooms' Research Workshop on Collecting Community History.

Melanie Tucker, an archivist with The Rooms, was interviewed by Dale about her memories of growing up in St. John's, going to school, working with the Provincial Archives, and in particular her memories of Water Street, St. John's. If you want to hear more about buying seal flippers, riding the bus, Woolworth's Department Store and the taste of their donuts, buying shoes at the Arcade, or the sights and sounds of the Mount Cashel Christmas raffle listen to the short interview below!



After the mock interview Dale explained the benefits of having community members think about and map out the important people, places, and traditions found in the community. He explained how you can print large community maps at the Provincial Government's Land Management Division Office. Dale brought a large map of St. John's and gave each of the workshop participants a couple of recipe/index cards to fill out with memories. Once everyone had a chance to fill out a memory they were placed on the map. The participants glued their cards to their map and taped a ribbon to the corresponding building in which the memories took place.. If you want to start an oral history project or run a people, place, and culture workshop give us a call at 739-1892 ex. 5 or email ich@heritagefoundation.ca
If you want to know more about People, Places, and Culture Workshops click here!

A recipe card with  Water Street memory.

Recipe card with Water Street memory.

~Terra Barrett

Abir Zain's Baklava for #FoodwaysFriday

Finished product!

Abir Zain leading the baklava workshop.

Today on the blog we feature Abir Zain's baklava recipe and share the results of last month's baklava workshop. This workshop, which sold out overnight, was led recent immigrant Abir Zain, who is new to province and has recently started making baklava. Abir explained that when she lived in Syria she never learned how to make baklava as she was easily able to purchase the sweet pastry in many local shops. Since her move to Newfoundland Abir has been unable to find the dessert and has created her own recipe based on family recipes from her mother and mother-in-law. Abir's baklava uses homemade cream cheese in addition to chopped pistachios and syrup.

Heritage Foundation Executive Director, Jerry Dick, measures and cuts the phyllo pastry for baklava.

In early March the Heritage Foundation worked with Abir to offer a baklava workshop to showcase this traditional pastry which is being baked and shared in the province today. Twelve participants came out to learn how to make their own baklava and were joined by a video crew from CBC.

Phyllo pastry with homemade cream cheese - ready to be folded!

Abir started the workshop by explaining how to prepare the phyllo pastry with melted ghee and how to properly cut the squares necessary to create the traditional triangle shaped dessert. Abir then went through the process of making homemade cream cheese and whipped up a batch to cool in the freezer. While the cream cheese was cooling Abir demonstrated how to make the syrup which is spread over the pastries as a finishing touch. The participants then placed a dollop of cream cheese in their pasties and shaped the baklava into triangles.

Abir showing two participants how to shape the pastry.

Michael Philpott and Dale Jarvis of the Heritage Foundation trying to lit the propane oven.

While there were a couple of technical difficulties lighting the propane oven once these were taken care of the baklava was placed in the oven at 350' F for 20 minutes. During this time folklorist Dale Jarvis sat down with Abir to discuss traditional Syrian food, what food she remembers from her childhood, and the types of food she cooks and bakes for her family of seven.

Abir Zain talking food with folklorist, Dale Jarvis.

Once the baklava had baked for 20 minutes it was broiled for a short time to colour the top of the pastry. Then the syrup was spread over the pastries and crushed pistachios were sprinkled on top! The finished product looks beautiful and tastes amazing! Abir has been taking orders for her baklava and is hoping to soon sell the pastry at the local St. John's Farmer's Market.

Abir Zain with several baklava workshop participants.

If you would like to see the full recipe please click here to download the recipe!

Or if you want to see CBC's video clip from the event and watch Abir in action see below!

Be sure to let us know in the comments what other traditional workshops you would like to see in the future.

A huge thank you goes out to CBC for coming out to the workshop and filming this video of Abir! ~Terra Barrett

Research Workshop: Collecting Community History - April 4th

Research Workshop: Collecting Community History

4 April 2017
9:30–16:00
The Rooms, St. John's

All of our communities have fascinating stories to tell. Are you interested in community research but not sure where to begin? This workshop will provide you with general tips and suggestions for sources available at the archives that may be of interest to your research.

Become inspired as you hear about what other communities around the Province are doing and how you can get your community involved. During the afternoon, your friendly neighbourhood folklorist Dale Jarvis will offer tips on how to document oral history, how to conduct interviews, and how to use the materials collected.

Cost is $85 per person, 10% discount for Rooms members.

Pre-registration required. All materials are included. Call 709-757-8090 to register or email information@therooms.ca.

Facebook event listing

Workshop organized by The Rooms in partnership with the Heritage Foundation of NL.

Living Heritage Podcast Ep069 Building Boats and Building Community

Jim Dempsey is the President of the Wooden Boat Museum of Newfoundland and Labrador. Jim has been around boats and the ocean all of his life. As a boy, he spent his summers on the beach where he always had a boat to row. After studying marine biology and oceanography at university, he was fortunate to be employed in his field for over forty years. He has worked along the entire British Columbia coast, in the Canadian Arctic, and from Sable Island to Hudson's Bay on the east coast. For Jim, the Wooden Boat Museum has provided a chance to realize a dream to build wooden boats. This experience has been enhanced by the people he has met, the places he has visited, and the stories he has heard. In this interview we talk all about the wooden boat museum, their past conferences, the work of conserving boatbuilding skills, and their current educational and outreach programs.

Listen on the Digital Archive:

http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/singleitem/collection/ich_oral/id/706/rec/1

From Syria to St. John’s: Newfoundland Foodways Workshops. #NLheritage

From Syria to St. John’s: Newfoundland Foodways Workshops

When most people think about the food culture of Newfoundland and Labrador they think about Jiggs Dinner, toutons, and tea buns but rarely do they think about  shawarma, falafel, and baklava.  Immigrant culture is an important part of our community that often goes unnoticed. Here in Newfoundland there is a strong international community, which is slowly growing.

This year, the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador (HFNL) wants to celebrate Newfoundland foodways traditions with a series of baking workshops in St. John’s.  The first two workshops will share some of the food being baked in the city.  The first will be a workshop on traditional Newfoundland tea buns, and the second on Syrian baklava.

"Through this project we hope to celebrate the variety of traditions and cultures in  Newfoundland and Labrador today," says Dale Jarvis, folklorist with the foundation.  "These are important traditions which are a part of the changing culture of St. John’s.  The food we eat is an important part of the culture of any place and is often an expression of identity.”

Tea buns are a staple in the province with many mothers and grandmothers handing down recipes to their children and grandchildren.  Baker Alanna Wicks of The Rolling Pin Bakery, who learned her great-grandmother’s recipe from her father, will teach students the basics of tea bun baking including her family’s secret ingredient.

Abir Zin, a recent immigrant to the province, has perfected her rosewater cream cheese filled baklava recipe since her move to St. John’s.  Abir will teach participants how to make baklava, a sweet Turkish pastry, popular in the Middle East.  This recipe has been perfected by Abir since her family’s move, and is adapted from her mother and mother-in-law’s recipes.  

Registration for each workshop is $20, which includes detailed instruction, a copy of the recipe, and all supplies.  While we wait for the buns and baklava to bake we will also have a chat about the food traditions of Newfoundland and Syria.  

Newfoundland Tea Bun Workshop
Wednesday, March 1, 7:00pm
Canon Wood Hall, St. Thomas’ Church, 8 Military Road

Register for the Newfoundland Tea Bun workshop here.

Syrian Baklava Workshop
Wednesday, March 8, 6:00pm

Canon Wood Hall, St. Thomas’ Church, 8 Military Road

Register for the Syrian Baklava Workshop here.

Pre-registration is required, and there are limited tickets per event. You may register online, or contact Terra Barrett at the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador at 739-1892 ex.5 or terra@heritagefoundation.ca

NEW: One day oral history workshop with Dale Jarvis in Carbonear

Collecting Oral Histories around Anniversaries and Milestone Events

Date: Wednesday, January 25th, 2016. 9:00 am to 4:30 pm.
Location: CARBONEAR, NL. College of the North Atlantic (Room 145), 4 Pike's Lane.

Collecting the oral history of an artifact is an important part of collections management. When people assemble at anniversaries and millstone event exhibitions opportunities to collect information on collections are created, and museums should be prepared to use these interactions with the public to collect and enhance collections records. The stories of veterans and people associated with artifacts should be properly recorded.

This workshop will provide information on the proper recording methods for oral history in museum settings. These histories will enable participants to enhance artifact records by recording stories on digital media. Participants will learn proper methods for digitizing audio and video recordings including the use of electronic devices, recording best practices and proper methods of digital storage. These recordings may be used to enhance the display of artifacts.

Instructor: Dale Jarvis, Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador
Enrolment Limits: Maximum of 10
Registration fees: $85 for MANL members, $110 for non-members

This workshop is an elective course for the Museum Studies Certificate Program. For more information about this program, please contact Sarah Wade, Professional Development Coordinator via email at swade@nf.aibn.com or at (709) 722 9034.