Tales from Afar: The Legend of St Nicolas. #FolkloreThursday

"Tales from Afar: Old Stories from New Residents" is a project to share traditional stories which have come from away, created by the St. John’s Local Immigration Partnership and the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador. This is one of the tales we’ve collected so far. You can learn more about the project at our Adapting Heritage Forum Oct 25th.

The Legend of St Nicolas

As told by Celine Schneider

They were three little children
Who were going to glean the fields

Arrived one night at a butcher’s,
Butcher, will give us shelter?
Come in, come in, little children
For sure you can have lodgings

They were three little children
Who were going to glean the fields

No sooner did they enter
They were slaughtered by the butcher
Who cut them up in small pieces,
Threw them in a salting tub, just as pork pieces.


They were three little children
Who were going to glean the fields

Seven long years had passed,
When St Nicolas visited here
Arrived at the butcher,
Butcher, will you give me supper?

They were three little children
Who were going to glean the fields

Some salt meat would be nice,
The one you prepared 7 years past.
When the butcher heard St Nicolas
By the door he flew to run afar

They were three little children
Who were going to glean the fields

By the side of the salting tub,
St Nicolas went to sit
Places three fingers above it
The three wee ones raised up

They were three little children
Who were going to glean the fields

The first said : I slept well
The second said: So did I
The third one concluded:
I thought I was in Paradise

They were three little children
Who were going to glean the fields

A story-song from Lorraine, a region in the northeast of France, as told by Celine Schneider, who learned it when she was three years old! Image: Saint Nicolas Heures d'Anne de Bretagne, Wikimedia.

How can I share a story?
Stories can be submitted in written form, or participants can sit down with a collector and record a spoken version of their story. To share a story, you can:

• Email ich@heritagefoundation.ca
• Call Dale Jarvis at 1-888-739-1892 extension 2, or 
• Fill in the online form here: https://goo.gl/forms/QWmJY9haiyItAeop2

#AdaptingHeritage Forum 2017 - Introducing Laurier Turgeon

A holder of a Canada Research Chair in Heritage, Laurier Turgeon is a full professor in the Department of History at Université Laval. From 1994 to 2000, he was director of CELAT (Interuniversity Center for Studies on Letters, Arts and Traditions).  Turgeon has gained international recognition through international publications on intangible cultural heritage, and has participated in numerous international symposia.  He strives to highlight the dynamic character of cultural heritage, tangible and intangible, and the challenges of ethnological research in the current context of globalization.

At the forum, Laurier will be participating in a panel discussion called Safeguarding Living Heritage Across Canada where he will share his experiences working in Quebec.

Forum on Adapting NL's Intangible Cultural Heritage will take place on October 25 and 26. The cost of registration is $75.00, and $18.75 for post-secondary students. For full program details click here. To register click here.

The Old Shops of Port Blandford Booklet Launch

Please join The Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador in partnership with the Port Blandford Heritage Society for the launch of Everything Was Wrapped in Brown Paper: The Old Shops of Port Blandford. 

When: Thursday, October 12th at 1:30pm

Where: Anglican Church Basement, Port Blandford

We hope to see you there!

#AdaptingHeritage Forum 2017 - Introducing Gabriel Newman

Gabriel Newman is a storyteller, actor, and educator based in Vernon, British Columbia. For the past fourteen years he has led the historic and paranormal walking tour, Ghost Tours of Vernon. He also created a community based storytelling food project called Social Potluck, which had him trading food for stories in order to create intimate mini community performance projects. His day job is as the Educational Coordinator at the Greater Vernon Museum and Archives where he creates and presents educational programming for students and adults.

At the forum, Gabriel will be introducing Session Four - Safeguarding Living Heritage Across Canada and he will also discuss his work in living heritage.

Forum on Adapting NL's Intangible Cultural Heritage will take place on October 25 and 26. The cost of registration is $75.00, and $18.75 for post-secondary students. For full program details click here. To register click here.

Water Street, St. John's, 1962 #Folklorephoto

Photograph of Water Street in downtown St. John's in 1962. Shows the Bank of Montreal, VOCM, Ayres, Royal Bank of Canada, and a St. John's Transportation System bus. This image is part of the Allen and Pearl Squires Fonds at the Portugal Cove-St. Philip's Archives.  

#AdaptingHeritage Forum 2017 - Introducing Beth Hanna

Beth Hanna is Chief Executive Officer of the Ontario Heritage Trust.  She has a wealth of experience in the design and delivery of inclusive, multi-faceted public programs and the creation of integrated approaches to the conservation and stewardship of heritage – cultural and natural, tangible and intangible. Beth works in collaboration with government ministries and agencies, First Nations and Métis communities, conservation organizations and community groups, educators, funders and donors.  Beth is passionate about conserving the province’s heritage and giving voice to the diversity of experiences, traditions, and histories of its peoples and communities.

At the forum, Beth will be participating in a panel discussion called Safeguarding Living Heritage Across Canada where she will share her experiences working with the Ontario Heritage Trust.

Forum on Adapting NL's Intangible Cultural Heritage will take place on October 25 and 26. The cost of registration is $75.00, and $18.75 for post-secondary students. For full program details click here. To register click here.

#FoodwaysFriday - Gumdrop Cake

Photo by Terra Barrett. 2017.

As a child, gumdrop cake was only served in my house around Christmas time. I remember the annual trip to bulk barn to purchase a container of gumdrops. I remember snacking on them as my mother baked the cake. Gumdrop cake was one of my favourite treats when I was growing up. I always carefully selected the piece of cake that had the most gumdrops, oftentimes disposing of the remnants of a piece of cake that had been picked clean of gumdrops.

Gumdrop cake is simply vanilla pound cake with gumdrops baked within. I have since seen this cake served at potlucks, funerals, and various other special events. In my experience, it is almost always store-bought. 

Did you have a different name for gumdrop cake? At what occasion would you eat it?

If you would like to try baking gumdrop cake yourself, click here for the recipe.

-Katie Harvey

Tales from Afar - The Legend of Snail Island. #FolkloreThursday

"Tales from Afar: Old Stories from New Residents" is a project to share traditional stories which have come from away, created by the St. John’s Local Immigration Partnership and the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador. This is one of the tales we’ve collected so far. You can learn more about the project at our Adapting Heritage Forum Oct 25th.

The Legend of Snail Island

as told by Tanyan Ye

It is said that about two thousand years ago, there was a poor single young farmer who lived alone in Fuzhou (at that time it was called Houguan侯官). He was a nice hard-working young man, but he was so poor that he could not afford to marry a woman. One day, when he went to the farmland to work, he suddenly found a huge snail appearing from nowhere. He picked up the snail, and brought it back home. He didn’t want to cook the snail, as other poor farmers might have done, but kept it in a water vat.

From that day on, every day when he came back home from work, he would find hot food on the table ready for him. He was very confused, because as mentioned above he lived alone and so there should have been no one to cook for him. He asked all his neighbors, but none of them admitted that the food was from them.

After a few days, the young man decided to find out the truth. One day in the morning, he pretended to go to work, but secretly hid at home, watching the kitchen. When it was about lunchtime, he saw the snail crawled out of the water vat, onto the ground, and a most beautiful young woman appeared from the snail shell. She started to cook lunch deftly. The young man creeped into the kitchen, grabbed the snail shell and hid it, and then asked the woman, “Who are you? I really appreciate what you’ve done for me.”

The young woman panicked at first. She tried to fade into the snail shell, but couldn’t find it. At last, shyly she answered, “I am a fairy from the heavenly river (that is the name Chinese people give to the Milky Way). Since you are an honest man, I came down to earth to help you.”

They got married, and lived happily ever after. Since the woman appeared from the snail, she was called the Snail Girl. A few years later, the couple had a few lovely kids. With the help of the Snail Girl, the family gradually became rich. At the same time, the kindhearted Snail Girl helped their neighbors to overcome all sorts of difficulties and earn a better live as well.

However, one day, the Jade Emperor, the highest ruler of the heaven, found out that the fairy of heavenly river secretly descended to earth. This was against the rules in the heaven. He was very angry, so he sent a god to capture her. The god, accompanied by hundreds of thousands of soldiers from the heavenly court, went to where she was to take her back to heaven. The Snail Girl didn’t want to be separated from her husband and children, but she was not able to resist. At last, out of desperation, she jumped into the Minjiang River, and turned into an island. To commemorate her, people named the island the Snail Island.


Tanyan writes, "My hometown is in Fuzhou area of Fujian Province, which is in the southeast of China. I heard about a few legends about the names of places when I was a child. One of them, which I can still remember, is about an island in Minjiang River（闽江）, the longest river in Fujian Province. The island is called Luozhou Island (螺洲岛), meaning Snail Island literally. The island is named this not because there are many snails there, but because of the woman in the story."

How can I share a story?
Stories can be submitted in written form, or participants can sit down with a collector and record a spoken version of their story. To share a story, you can:

• Email ich@heritagefoundation.ca
• Call Dale Jarvis at 1-888-739-1892 extension 2, or 
• Fill in the online form here: https://goo.gl/forms/QWmJY9haiyItAeop2

#AdaptingHeritage Forum 2017 - Introducing Ingrid Cazakoff

Ingrid Cazakoff has served as the CEO for Heritage Saskatchewan since 2010, a non-profit organization established to promote heritage throughout the province. Ingrid has been an active participant in the cultural community of Saskatchewan for over three decades. Throughout this time she has demonstrated her commitment to community development through collaborative partnerships which continues to inform her leadership style at Heritage Saskatchewan. Developing relationships with individuals and organizations that share her passion for community; promoting the multiple connections between Living Heritage and quality of life issues, Ingrid leads a team of dedicated individuals who are pursuing new approaches; thinking about heritage as a dynamic aspect of daily life, linking the past to the present and creating a valuable legacy for future generations.

At the forum, Ingril will be participating in a panel discussion titled Safeguarding Living Heritage Across Canada where she will share her experiences working with Heritage Saskatchewan.

Forum on Adapting NL's Intangible Cultural Heritage will take place on October 25 and 26. The cost of registration is $75.00, and $18.75 for post-secondary students. For full program details click here. To register click here.

#AdaptingHeritage Forum 2017 - Introducing Eileen Matthews

Born and raised in Heart’s Content, Eileen Balsom Matthews moved to St. John’s in 1973 and began a long career with BMO, holding many positions and eventually retiring as Branch Manager in Bay Roberts. She has been the Chairperson of Heritage New Perlican since the group started in 2007. She has just been appointed to the Board of Baccalieu Trail Heritage Corporation and is a member of the Mizzen Heritage Society, Heart’s Content. She is a very active volunteer in the Town of New Perlican including Secretary of the New Perlican Senior's Gym, operates a Weigh in Group, member of the Come Home Year 2018 Committee, Anglican Church Women's group, Matthews Walker Golf Committee (which has have raised almost 20,000 for Bursaries for Grade 12 students of New Perlican over 8 years), and the Annual Cod Derby fishing event. Since retiring she has become an Artist and has a company called NERRL Hand Painted Designs.

At the forum, Eileen will be participating in a panel discussion called Stories From Here where she will focus on the goats of New Perlican.

Forum on Adapting NL's Intangible Cultural Heritage will take place on October 25 and 26. The cost of registration is $75.00, and $18.75 for post-secondary students. For full program details click here. To register click here.

#AdaptingHeritage Forum 2017 - Introducing Sarah Ferber of Food First NL

Sarah Ferber works for Food First NL. Food First NL is a provincial non-profit working to promote comprehensive, community-based solutions to ensure access to adequate and healthy food for all people in Newfoundland and Labrador. Since 2011, Food First NL has been partnering with seniors' groups across the province to preserve, share and celebrate traditional foodways. Food security is a complex issue in the province, and one of our greatest assets for addressing it is the traditional food skills and knowledge that older generations have to pass on. 

At the forum, Food First NL will be showing one of their videos called All Around the Table. They will also provide morning refreshments of freshly baked bread and homemade jam. If you would like to know about Sarah's work, you can listen to our Living Heritage podcast episode with her by clicking here.

Forum on Adapting NL's Intangible Cultural Heritage will take place on October 25 and 26. The cost of registration is $75.00, and $18.75 for post-secondary students. For full program details click here. To register click here.

Entrance to Mine on Bell Island, 1954. #Folklorephoto

One of the Bell Island Mine entrances taken in 1954. This photograph is part of the Allen and Pearl Squires Fonds from the Portugal Cove-St. Philip's Archives. To see other photographs from this collection visit MUN's Digital Archives.

#AdaptingHeritage Forum 2017 - Introducing Audrey Burke

A native of Port-de -Grave, Audrey Burke moved to Grand Falls-Windsor to teach in 1973. Audrey has had a lifelong interest in heritage, genealogy  and folklore. As a student at Memorial University, she gathered a collection of folksongs and another of folk remedies of the Port-de-Grave area. Since retiring, she has completed the MANL Certificate in Museum Studies and  now volunteer at the Grand Falls-Windsor Heritage Society. There she manages their extensive collection of artifacts, photographs and other archival materials.

At the forum, Audrey will be participating in the panel discussion called Stories From Here where she will discuss memories of Windsor.

Forum on Adapting NL's Intangible Cultural Heritage will take place on October 25 and 26. The cost of registration is $75.00, and $18.75 for post-secondary students. For full program details click here. To register click here.

Living Heritage Podcast Ep088 Grand Falls Memory Mug Up Part Two

Shawn Feener,  owner/operator of Classic Theatre, describes how he would sneak in to the theatre as a child. 

Part Two of our Grand Falls Memory Mug Up, recorded in front of a live studio audience at The Classic Theatre on July 14, 2017. The mug up was was part of the town's Salmon Festival activities and was organized by the Grand Falls-Windsor Heritage Society and was a staged interview with six local community members. In part two we hear stories from Shawn Feener, Mary Kelly, and Cliff Thomas.

You can learn more about the project at our Adapting Heritage Forum Oct 25th.

Download the mp3

#AdaptingHeritage Forum 2017 - Introducing Eemaan Thind

Eemaan Thind was born and raised in Punjab, India. Her family moved to Ontario during her last year of secondary school; she started her BSc. at McMaster University and then transferred to Physics at Memorial University in 2013, when her family moved to Newfoundland. A self-taught artist from a young age, Eemaan picked up the medium of henna body art in the summer of 2013 while participating in the Youth Ventures program, and received the provincial Youth Ventures award for Excellence in Product Design during the same summer. In April of 2017, she travelled to volunteer with the Gurmat Bhawan NGO in Punjab, where she worked with school children, held workshops on child sexual abuse, menstrual health and sex education, and provided free henna workshops for local women. She is pleased to offer a chance of experiencing this ancient art form right here on the Rock.

At the forum, Eemaan will be conducting a henna demonstration. If you would like to know more about Eemaan's work, you can listen to the Living Heritage podcast episode with her by clicking here.

Forum on Adapting NL's Intangible Cultural Heritage will take place on October 25 and 26. The cost of registration is $75.00, and $18.75 for post-secondary students. For full program details click here. To register click here.

#FoodwaysFriday - When Historic Places Meet Food: Yellowbelly Brewery and Public House

Exterior of Yellowbelly. Photo by Katie Harvey. 2017.

Yellowbelly Brewery and Public House is located on the corner of Water Street and George Street in downtown St. John's. It is a three-and-a-half storey brick and masonry building with a mid-pitch gable roof.

Constructed circa 1847, just after the fire of 1846, this is one of the few buildings that survived the Great Fire of 1892. Known as Yellow Belly Corner, this building has much historical significance in the area. It was traditionally a commercial premises, with the main floor being used as a business, and the second floor as a residence.

Main floor of restaurant. Photo by Katie Harvey. 2017.

According to local folklore and oral history, Yellow Belly Corner was named for the "Yellowbellies", who famously tied strips of yellow cloth around their waists. The "Yellowbellies" were one of the various Irish factions, including the "Wheybellies" from County Waterford, the "Clear-Airs" from County Tipperary, the "Doones" from County Kilkenny, and the "Dadyeens" from County Cork, who would meet and fight on this site. Following their victory, King George III cried, "Well done Yellowbellies."

Yellowbelly is a place that I frequent often. A group of friends and I went for happy hour last Friday. The place was bustling, as summer fades and people attempt to drink in those final few days of sunshine. On this particular visit, we ate chicken wings, wood fire pizza, burgers, fries, and of course, beers.

Yellowbelly is unique in that it is one of the few craft breweries that exist in St. John's. They have a variety of beers that they are well-known for including: Wexford Wheat, St. John's Stout,  Fighting Irish Red, and Yellowbelly Pale Ale. They also typically brew a seasonal beer that is available for a limited time.

Yellowbelly is a lovely place to visit when exploring the heritage district of downtown St. John's. It's great to be able to sit in a building that has such a rich history, while eating some tasty food and sipping locally brewed beer.  

-Katie Harvey

#AdaptingHeritage Forum 2017 - Introducing Jillian Gould

Jillian Gould is an associate professor in the Department of Folklore at Memorial University.  Her interests include public folklore, ethnography and fieldwork, Jewish culture, biography, foodways, and the culture of aging. In the public sector she was Education Coordinator at the Eldridge Street Project (now Museum at Eldridge Street) in New York City, and also has completed projects for the Canadian Museum of Civilization (now Canadian Museum of History), and the Ontario Jewish Archives.

At the forum, Jillian will be participating in the panel titled Stories From Here where she will discuss the recent Folklore Department's Bay Roberts Fieldschool. If you would like to hear more about Jillian's work, you can listen to our Living Heritage podcast episode with her by clicking here.

Forum on Adapting NL's Intangible Cultural Heritage will take place on October 25 and 26. The cost of registration is $75.00, and $18.75 for post-secondary students. For full program details click here. To register click here.

Tales from Afar - The Frogs in the Bucket. #FolkloreThursday

"Tales from Afar: Old Stories from New Residents" is a project to share traditional stories which have come from away, created by the St. John’s Local Immigration Partnership and the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador. This is one of the tales we’ve collected so far. You can learn more about the project at our Adapting Heritage Forum Oct 25th.

The Frogs in the Bucket

As told by Antje Springmann

I’m going to tell you about a couple of frogs. Now these frogs—it was about three hundred years ago, and these frogs found themselves in the larder of the pasture. And there was a bucket of milk, and they fell into the bucket of milk. And they couldn’t get out, because there was nothing for them to catch their feet on. They couldn’t touch the bottom, so they couldn’t jump back out.

So both of them were swimming and swimming and trying to stay above the surface of the milk. And it was very, very hard work. And one of them said, “What’s the point? We’re going to drown anyway.” So he gave one last gasp, and sank beneath the surface of the milk.

But the other frog would not give up. And he kicked, and he pushed, and no matter how much he was ready to lose hope, he kept kicking and pushing, all night long.

And then in the morning, when the sun started to rise, and it just was creeping over the edge of the pail of milk, he suddenly felt something under his feet. And he realized that from all this kicking, he had churned the milk into butter. And there was a big lump of butter at the bottom, and that’s what he used to push himself out of the bucket. So the moral of the story is that you don’t give up, and that all of your hard work will come to something in the end.

Antje Springmann was born in Peine, Germany. At age two, she moved to Vöhrum, Germany and then emigrated to Canada at age twelve. Her mother was lured by a German book titled “Canada: The Land of Unlimited Possibility." The family first lived in Toronto, moved to Calgary, and ended up in Newfoundland. Image from Inspirational Stories.


How can I share a story?
Stories can be submitted in written form, or participants can sit down with a collector and record a spoken version of their story. To share a story, you can:

• Email ich@heritagefoundation.ca
• Call Dale Jarvis at 1-888-739-1892 extension 2, or 
• Fill in the online form here: https://goo.gl/forms/QWmJY9haiyItAeop2

#AdaptingHeritage Forum 2017 - Introducing Kathi Stacey

Kathi Stacey is the Executive Director for the tourism Destination Management Organization for rural Eastern NL, operating as Legendary Coasts of Eastern Newfoundland. Kathi’s work profile includes 20 years’ combined experience in post-secondary education, tourism product development, community/economic development, as well as, organizational and event planning.  She is currently serving her 6th year as a member of the Board of Directors of The Rooms Corporation where she held positions as Chair of both the marketing and strategic planning committees. After completing two years in cultural/heritage development and event planning with the highly successful Cupids 400 2010 Celebrations, Kathi began work with the Eastern DMO in January 2011.

At the forum, Kathi will be moderating a panel called Stories From Here.

Forum on Adapting NL's Intangible Cultural Heritage will take place on October 25 and 26. The cost of registration is $75.00, and $18.75 for post-secondary students. For full program details click here. To register click here.

"Folklore Lives Here" - Memories of Growing Up in Bay Roberts

Mix of Bay Roberts locals and folklore graduate students gathered at SUF Hall. Photo by Katie Harvey. 2017.

Last Thursday, The Heritage Foundation, in partnership with Memorial University's new folklore graduate class, hosted a memory mug up at the Society of United Fishermen Hall in Bay Roberts.

The evening was filled with stories of berry picking, Christmas concerts, bonfire night and childhood games. The event was focused on memories of growing up in Bay Roberts and places of significance in the lives of locals. We drank tea and snacked on various cakes, cheeses and fruits while discussing community memories.

The event served as a means of introducing the new folklore students to some of the community members. The class will be continuing their work in Bay Roberts for the next two weeks; interviewing locals, and living in the area while attending classes and conducting fieldwork.

Having a snack. Photo by Katie Harvey. 2017.

At the end of their fieldschool, on September 28 at 7:00pm, at the Society of United Fishermen Hall in Bay Roberts, the folklore students will be hosting a presentation on their work in the community. The event is open to the public and will be free of charge. 

If you have memories to share of growing up in Bay Roberts, feels free to contact ich@heritagefoundation.ca or call 1-888-739-1891 ext. 2.

-Katie Harvey

Fishing Stage in Freshwater. Conception Bay, 1995

Fishing stages in Freshwater, Conception Bay. This photograph was taken in 1995 and is part of the slide collection of the Baccalieu Trail Heritage Corporation.

Call for Informants - The Newman Building

I'm conducting some research on The Newman Building located on 1 Springdale Street, St. John's. If you have any memories of the building, or know someone who does, please contact katherine@heritagefoundation.ca or call 709-739-1892 ext. 6.

#AdaptingHeritage Forum 2017 - Introducing Lori McCarthy

Lori McCarthy grew up in the small fishing community of Bauline, of about 200 people, on the east coast of Newfoundland and Labrador. The traditional foods of her childhood feed her passion to tell the stories of her province through its people, culture and food. Out of this passion she started Project NL Food, a province-wide endeavour to visit various communities and speak with generations of people that hold their culture close to their heart.  Lori also owns and operates Cod Sounds, a company which is devoted to celebrating the province’s unique foods with travellers and locals alike through hands on experiences like beach boil-ups, mussel picking and berry picking.

At the forum, Lori will be participating in the panel called Heritage in the Landwash – Safeguarding Coastal Traditions where she will discuss her work with Cod Sounds. If you would like to hear more about Lori's work, you can listen to our Living Heritage podcast episode with her by clicking here.

Forum on Adapting NL's Intangible Cultural Heritage will take place on October 25 and 26. The cost of registration is $75.00, and $18.75 for post-secondary students. For full program details click here. To register click here.

#FoodwaysFriday - When Historic Places Meet Food: Mallard Cottage

Front facade. Photo by Katie Harvey.

Mallard Cottage is located in Quidi Vidi, a historic and quaint fishing village just outside of St. John's. Mallard Cottage is an eighteenth-century Irish style cottage with a low-hipped roof and centrally located chimney. It is one of the oldest wooden buildings in North America, and has been recognized as such by National Historic Sites of Canada.

The building was a private residence and home to the Mallard family from the late 1700s until the 1980s. After the Mallards left, Peg Magnone took ownership of the property and operated an antique shop from the premises. In 2011, Mallard Cottage was purchased by Todd Perrin, his wife, Kim Doyle and Stephen Lee, and has since been transformed into a restaurant. They modernized the cottage as per necessity; adding plumbing and electricity, but they were careful to remain true to the historic nature of the property. 

Main dining room. Photo by Katie Harvey.

Head chef and owner, Todd Perrin, prides himself on cooking with locally sourced meats and produce. He cooks traditional Newfoundland dishes by using local ingredients. They have a garden where they grow produce for the restaurant, and they do a lot of in-house butchery. Todd explains: 

"I’m a lover of Newfoundland, I’m a lover of Newfoundland food, I’m a lover of old buildings, and wood, fireplaces, all that stuff. So, basically, Mallard is a representation of all the things that I like . . . I wanted people to feel like they weren’t going to a restaurant. I wanted people to feel like they were coming to my house for dinner. So that idea of comfort . . . everything is just where it is because the guy who owned it, that’s where he wanted to put it, and that’s what this place is." 

The ploughman lunch. Photo by Katie Harvey.

I've eaten at Mallard Cottage on various occasions for both brunch and supper. One of my most recent visits, I had the ploughman lunch (pictured above) which consisted of ham, devilled eggs, homemade bread, coleslaw, cheese, mustard and turkey vegetable soup. We ate sitting by the fire, drinking coffee from locally made pottery mugs, feeling as though we were visiting an old friend. A trip to Mallard Cottage is worth it for the architecture alone, and the delicious food is the icing on the cake. Speaking of cake, be sure to check out their cake table when you visit. 

Cake table. Photo by Todd Perrin.

-Katie Harvey

#AdaptingHeritage Forum 2017 - Introducing Jeremy Harnum

Jeremy started working with the Wooden Boat Museum of Newfoundland and Labrador (WBMNL) in 2008 while still in high school and was inspired to shape his career path for work in the heritage sector. Over the years, Jeremy has played many roles with WBMNL including Tour Guide, Programming Assistant, Assistant Curator, and Museum Manager. Since completing his Bachelor of Arts in Folklore at Memorial University, Jeremy has joined WBMNL Documentation Program and is presently working on new exhibit materials to be added to the Museum for summer 2018. In addition to heritage work, Jeremy is passionate about photography, visual art and music. 

For the forum, Jeremy will be participating in the panel discussion called Heritage in the Landwash – Safeguarding Coastal Traditions where he will discuss his work with the Wooden Boat Museum of Newfoundland and Labrador. 

Forum on Adapting NL's Intangible Cultural Heritage will take place on October 25 and 26. The cost of registration is $75.00, and $18.75 for post-secondary students. For full program details click here. To register click here.

Living Heritage Podcast Ep087 Grand Falls Memory Mug Up Part One

Yvonne Courtney remembering her childhood in Grand Falls-Windsor.

Part One of our Grand Falls Memory Mug Up, recorded in front of a live studio audience at The Classic Theatre on July 14, 2017. We heard stories of horses and goats, sneaking in to the movie theatre with flattened nickels or fake tickets, stories of memorable local characters, the influence of strong woman, and memories about growing up in the community. The mug up was was part of the town's Salmon Festival activities and was organized by the Grand Falls-Windsor Heritage Society and was a staged interview with six local community members. In part one we hear stories from Andy Barker, Yvonne Courtney and John Edwards.

Download the MP3

#AdaptingHeritage Forum 2017 - Introducing Crystal Braye

Crystal Braye is a folklorist with the Wooden Boat Museum of Newfoundland and Labrador. She holds a bachelor of arts in cultural anthropology from Wilfrid Laurier University and a masters in public folklore from MUN. Since 2012, she has travelled around the province learning from boat builders and fishermen to enhance the museum's collections and exhibits. Audio and video recordings, photographs, and boat design and construction details are archived and exhibited online and at various locations across the province - including the Wooden Boat Museum headquarters in Winterton.

At the forum, Crystal will be moderating a panel called Heritage in the Landwash – Safeguarding Coastal Traditions. If you would like to hear more about Crystal's work, you can listen to our Living Heritage podcast episode with her by clicking here.

Forum on Adapting NL's Intangible Cultural Heritage will take place on October 25 and 26. The cost of registration is $75.00, and $18.75 for post-secondary students. For full program details click here. To register click here.

Do you know this building in Heart's Content? #Folklorephoto

Do you recognize this building in Heart's Content? This photograph was taken in 1994 and is part of the Baccalieu Trail Heritage Corporation slide collection.

#AdaptingHeritage Forum 2017 - Introducing Dan Rubin

Since arriving in Newfoundland fifteen years ago, Dan Rubin has been deeply involved in local history and heritage, as the founding chair of the Pouch Cove Heritage Society. He was lead author and editor of the book Pouch Cove: Our Home by the Sea which received the Manning award for community history in 2016. But Dan is also a groundbreaking gardener and seedsman.

At the forum, Dan will be discussing his earth sheltered greenhouse project which combines the traditional root cellar with a greenhouse that is built with modern materials. If you would like to know more about Dan's work, you can listen to our Living Heritage podcast episode with him by clicking here.

Forum on Adapting NL's Intangible Cultural Heritage will take place on October 25 and 26. The cost of registration is $75.00, and $18.75 for post-secondary students. For full program details click here. To register click here.

#CollectiveMemories Monday - Chip Bags and Memories

Photos of the framed chip bags and tickets. 

Photo courtesy of Kelly Jones.

On our trip out to Grand Falls-Windsor for the Memory Mug Up event back in July we were told the story behind the framed chip bags that hang in the Classic Theatre on High Street. Listen to the clip below to hear Shawn Feener, the owner/operator of the Classic Theatre, explain the story behind the tickets and chip bags.

What was the first movie you saw in theatres?
Or where was your first date?

~Terra Barrett

#FoodwaysFriday - When Historic Places Meet Food: Sea Salt and Thyme

Sea Salt and Thyme. Photo by Katie Harvey. 

Sea Salt and Thyme is located on Convent Road in the historic and picturesque community of Brigus, Conception Bay North. Formerly St. Joseph's Convent, this building was constructed circa 1860. On September 11, 1861, four Sisters of Mercy, their reverend mother, and her assistant set out from Portugal Cove aboard the steamship Ellen Gisborn for Brigus. This was to be the first foundation of Mercy to be established outside of St. John's. Upon their arrival, the sisters immediately started their work; visiting the sick and teaching music, art and various other subjects. The convent was closed in 1991 and has since changed ownership several times.

In 2017, the building was converted into a restaurant and B&B by Rod Delaney. On the main floor, you can visit the pub or dine in one of  their multiple dining rooms. The nun's old living quarters on the second floor have been transformed into rooms for guests. Rod explains:

"There's a confession booth still up there and intact. There's a clear outline of crosses on the walls. And some of the details within the rooms are definitely loaning themselves to that time and particular type of history."

Spicy blueberry chicken wings. Photo by Katie Harvey.

This past labour day weekend, on a pleasant Sunday afternoon drive around the bay, we decided to stop in and check out this newly opened restaurant. We sampled a variety of items from the menu including: spicy blueberry chicken wings, pickled onion rings, orange ginger stir fry with seared tuna, a lentil burger and beat salad with croutons and balsamic reduction. For dessert, we ate deep fried oreos with a salted caramel sauce.

Orange ginger stir fry with seared tuna. Photo by Katie Harvey.

Although we weren't able to see the upstairs portion of this building, it was easy to imagine the life this building had previously lived. The well preserved architectural details paid tribute to the fact that this was once a religious building where nuns lived and taught. It is wonderful to see old buildings that are dying adapting with time to remain functional.

-Katie Harvey