Tales from Afar - The Devil’s Tramping Ground. #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 Devil’s Tramping Ground

As told by Grace Dow

They say somewhere in the forests around these parts you might come across a strange clearing where the earth is completely bare, in the shape of a near perfect circle about forty or fifty feet across. This is the Devil’s Tramping Ground, the one place in this world where the Devil can truly be alone. Not even his demons dare to disturb him when he’s in this ring, for here he paces back and forth plotting mankind’s destruction, or he dances and twirls and stomps his feet—which is why the earth is so barren and packed down.

You will know it’s the Devil’s Tramping Ground because no plants can grow inside it, and no animals will dare to go near. Birds won’t even fly above it. If you leave something in the circle and come back the next day, you’ll find it somewhere in the woods nearby, as if it was flung out of the way with great force. It doesn’t matter how heavy it is. The Devil doesn’t like things getting in the way of his dancing. And whatever you do, don’t stand in the circle after nightfall, or you might just see a pair of glowing red eyes staring back at you from its center.


Grace writes, "I grew up in Monroe, North Carolina, in the suburbs about thirty minutes outside of Charlotte. The first story, about the Devil’s Tramping Ground (Bear Creek, NC), was one I heard frequently at slumber parties or told around campfires as a kid in the ‘90s. I’ve found out in recent years that it’s an actual place you can visit, about 50 miles outside of Greensboro in Chatham County. But growing up, I never knew that. When I heard the story, it always sounded like the sort of place you might come across by chance when walking alone in the woods." Image: The History of Witches and Wizards, 1720, 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 Jane Rutherford

Jane Rutherford is a graduate student in Ethnomusicology at Memorial University with a research focus on the sustainability of traditional NL set dancing. Jane is a keen set dancer and has been dancing, calling, and teaching for nearly 30 years. She is a collector of NL dances and has worked with several communities to revive dances that were nearly lost. She was the dance consultant for “Traditional Dances of Newfoundland and Labrador: A Guide for Teachers’, a resource used in the province’s schools. Jane has been on staff with Vinland Traditional Music Camp since 2005, and has helped coordinate the dance program at the Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival in recent years.

At the forum, Jane will be participating in a panel titled Close to the Floor - Dance Traditions in Newfoundland where she will focus on her expertise in set dancing.

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 Kristin Harris Walsh

Kristin Harris Walsh is a dancer and dance scholar based in St. John's. She holds a PhD in Folklore from Memorial University and a Master’s in Dance from York University and currently is working on a SSHRC funded research project on percussive dance in Newfoundland and Ireland. Kristin has been step dancing for 15 years and has trained and performed in Newfoundland and Ireland. She is Past President of DanceNL, the province’s sectoral dance association.

At the forum, Kristin will be participating in a panel discussion titled Close to the Floor - Dance Traditions in Newfoundland. If you would like to hear more about Kristin'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.

"Everything Was Wrapped in Brown Paper: The Old Shops of Port Blandford" Booklet Launch

The Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador (HFNL) and the Port Blandford Heritage Society present a booklet launch at the Anglican Church in Port Blandford on Thursday, October 12, from 1:30-3:30pm.

“Everything Was Wrapped in Brown Paper: The Old Shops of Port Blandford” is the third booklet in the Oral History Roadshow Series produced by the Heritage Foundation. This booklet focuses on the old shops of Port Blandford, and people’s memories associated with these places.

“The face-to-face relationship that you had with the clerks by going into the store was much more personal than it is today,” explains Reginald Penney,  one of several residents of Port Blandford interviewed as part of the oral history project.

“The store itself had a different atmosphere” says Penney. “There were no aisles as you would see in the supermarket type places we have today. Most groceries were in shelves built in the back or on the sides of the store, and in the back there might be some dry goods articles, nails, screws and things like that.”

“The Port Blandford Heritage Society contacted us to help document the old shops that once existed within the community,” says Katie Harvey, a researcher with the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador. “There are only a few shops remaining, so it is important to preserve these memories while it is still possible.”

This booklet is part of the Oral History Roadshow project, which aims to empower and encourage seniors to showcase their memories through a series of public oral history night celebrations.

The booklet launch is open to the public and will include light refreshments. There will be copies of the booklet available at the launch, and a downloadable PDF version will be placed online. For more information please go to www.collectivememories.ca or call Katie Harvey at 1-888-739-1892 ext. 6.

#AdaptingHeritage Forum 2017 - Introducing Colleen Quigley

Colleen Quigley is the Manuscripts Librarian for the Performing Arts Collection and Head of Archives and Special Collections at MUN’s Queen Elizabeth II Library. Colleen holds a Masters of Information from the University of Toronto; a BFA in Dance from York University and an English major from Memorial. She has worked as a performer, dance instructor and choreographer in North America as well as in the Netherlands. Colleen has participated in Canadian think tanks, International panels, exhibitions, and conferences on the preservation and promotion of dance and other aspects of the performing arts. She is an active member of various professional associations.

At the forum, Colleen will be moderating a panel discussion titled Close to the Floor - Dance Traditions in Newfoundland. If you would like to hear more about Colleen'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.

Queen Victoria's Grave #FolklorePhoto

Photo by Kelly Drover.

Today's folklore photo comes from the General Protestant Cemetery which is located between Waterford Bridge Road and Old Topsail Road in St. John's. A couple of months back I interviewed Roberta Bugden about growing up in St. John's. Along with her own stories she told several stories from her mother Queen Victoria (Ross) Young. If you want to learn more about Queen Victoria's memories of the great fire click here for a previous blog post.

When Queen Victoria Ross was born in 1885 the reigning Queen offered a bounty for multiple births above twins. While she didn't qualify for the bounty as a single birth where she was the eighth girl in the family it was suggested that she was named after the Queen. Pictured above is Queen Victoria's grave in St. John's.

~Terra Barrett

A Townie Childhood: Growing Up in Yesterday's St. John's - Oct 13

A Townie Childhood: Growing Up in Yesterday's St. John's 

Friday, Oct 13th

2pm

Marjorie Mews Public Library

A runaway bull on Water Street, a foiled hold-up, skating across the frozen harbour, and an aunt stuffing her niece’s pockets with cheese to keep the fairies away: these are some of the stories told at our last Marjorie Mews Memory Mug up with local seniors. Hearing those tales left us hungry for more, so we are back another storytelling session at the library, with the theme, "A Townie Childhood: Growing Up in Yesterday's St. John's."

We want to hear your memories of growing up. You bring the stories, we’ll supply the tea and biscuits, and we will all have a chat! Following the sessions, those who are interested can set up a time to have their stories recorded and archived by one of our story collectors. This is a free event, brought to you by the St. John’s Storytelling Festival, the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Marjorie Mews Public Library.

Space is limited please call or stop by to pre-register. 709-737-3020.
Facebook event listing here.

Living Heritage Podcast Ep089 Victorian Architecture of Dunedin

Jeremy Moyle studied archaeology at University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand. He is currently a masters student in the Department of Folklore at Memorial University, doing his MA on the Victorian and Edwardian vernacular architecture of Dunedin.

In this podcast, we chat about his work in New Zealand, the historical and geographical context of his research, the history of Dunedin and its architecture, typical design and ornamental features of Victorian architecture in Dunedin, cast iron work and “modern” industries, the use of newspapers and historical photographs in vernacular architecture research, and how issues around class and status are reflected in the architecture of the time.

Download the mp3

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The Living Heritage Podcast is about people who are engaged in the heritage and culture sector, from museum professionals and archivists, to tradition bearers and craftspeople - all those who keep heritage alive at the community level. The show is a partnership between HFNL and CHMR Radio. Past episodes hosted on Libsyn, and you can subscribe via iTunes, or Stitcher. Theme music is Rythme Gitan by Latché Swing.

#AdaptingHeritage Forum 2017 - Introducing Alex Howse

Alex Howse was born in Gaultois, Hermitage Bay, an out port community on Long Island, located on the South Coast of Newfoundland. Being on an island where his only means of travel was by water, a boat became a very important part of his life for many reasons. He had his first boat (a motor dory) when he was 12 years old. His second boat was a 24’fishing boat, converted to, what you would call today, a small cabin cruiser. The last boat was a small fibreglass cruiser which was birthed in Cupids where he has a summer place next to the ocean. After graduating Victoria High School in Gaultois, he taught elementary school for a year and later moved to St. John’s to study finance at the College of Trades and Technology (College of the North Atlantic)followed by studies with the Registered Industrial Accountants Assoc and The Purchasing Management Assoc. of Canada. The majority of his work life was in Finance, and Materials Management, all within the healthcare sector. While he's built a few boats through the years, now retired in Mount Pearl, his current passion is building large scale model boats, each with a story behind them and built in the traditional method of construction.

At the forum, Alex will be conducting a demonstration on how to cast a net. 

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 1845 Whitechapel bell at St. George's Anglican Church, Petty Harbour

C & G Mears Founders London bell at Petty Harbour - cast circa 1845

We paid a visit to St. George’s Anglican Church in Petty Harbour this morning, to have an initial meeting about compiling an architectural and oral history of the building. While there, we explored the belfry, and took a few photos of the building’s historic bell.

The church is the third Anglican church on the site. The first, St. David’s, was built in 1829. It was replaced by St. Andrew’s in 1845. Fire destroyed the second church in 1934. The new cornerstone was laid May 31, 1937, and the church opened for services in 1939.

The bell appears to be the original bell for the second church, St. Andrew’s. According to Sheila MacKenzie Brown’s 1981 Folklore MA thesis “The Church Bell Tradition in Newfoundland: A Reflection of Culture Change,” the St. George’s bell was cast (or purchased) in 1845.

The bell is cast with the foundry’s mark “C & G Mears Founders London.” The name C & G Mears was one of many names used by the company now operating as 'Whitechapel Bell Foundry Ltd.” The Whitechapel Bell Foundry is Britain's oldest manufacturing company, having been established in 1570 (during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I) and being in continuous business since that date. The Petty Harbour St. Andrew’s bell has some historic counterparts, as the foundry produced such notable bells as Big Ben and the Liberty Bell.

The bell is one of seven Newfoundland Whitechapel bells noted in Brown’s 1981 thesis. At that time, the remaining six identified were: a 1846 bell cast for an unnamed Anglican church in St. John’s; the 1852 bell for the Anglican church in Hermitage; the 1931 bell for the United Church in Twillingate; a 1932 bell for the Anglican Cathedral in St. John’s; the 1952 bell for the Anglican Church in Seldom-Come-By, Fogo; and the 1962 bell for the Anglican Church in Daniel’s Harbour.

View of the bell from underneath

Following the 1934 fire, the bell was re-used in the current church. The bell is still rung each Sunday to announce the start of service at St. George’s. Service starts at 11:15 (to allow time for the officiating priest to finish their service at St. Paul’s Anglican in the Goulds).

View of the wheel mechanism that aids in the ringing of the bell. 

View of St. George's Anglican Church from the hill behind the church, showing the belfry. The four-sided spire and corner finials are tin; note the original decorative railing between the finials, 3/4 of which is now missing.  The bell is housed in the tower behind the louvered opening.

Oral History Roadshow - Salmon Cove Memories

Dorothy Smith fonds Salmon Cove, Conception Bay Fonds MG 179, Item VA 22-53 [summer 1943]
Courtesy of The Rooms

Oral History Roadshow - Salmon Cove Memories

Did you grow up in Salmon Cove? Do you remember bucking barrels for bonfire night? Do you recall sliding in the winter or playing on the beach in the summer? Do you have old photos of Salmon Cove? The Heritage Foundation NL, in partnership with community members in Salmon Cove, wants to know!

We’ll be hosting a Salmon Cove Oral History Event at the Salmon Cove Community Centre (SCPC Fire Department) on Main Road on Wednesday, October 11th, 2017 at 10am.

“We are looking for anyone connected to Salmon Cove with stories of growing up in the community,” says Heritage Foundation folklorist Dale Jarvis. “If you have memories or photographs of the community of Salmon Cove, we would love to hear from you.”

The Salmon Cove Memories Oral History Event is part of the Foundation’s Oral History Roadshow. This project is an initiative of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Office of the HFNL made possible with assistance from the New Horizons for Seniors program. The Oral History Night Roadshow will see researchers travel from community to community, hosting a series of Oral History Nights, open-mic storytelling sessions led and inspired by seniors in that community.

Come for a cup of tea, a bite to eat, and share a memory or two about growing up in Salmon Cove. If you have old photos, bring them along!

For more information please contact Terra Barrett with the Heritage Foundation toll free at 1-888-739-1892 ext. 5 or email terra@heritagefoundation.ca

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.