Living Heritage Podcast Ep118 Victoria Park Lantern Festival with Elizabeth Tuck

Elizabeth Tuck is the Coordinator for the 2018 Victoria Park Lantern Festival. In this episode, Elizabeth talks about how the 2018 festival is the biggest yet, with even more fire and light performances, workshops, musicians, volunteer opportunities, and chances to make your own lanterns. The Lantern Festival is celebrated the last Saturday of July every summer, from 2- 8 p.m. at Victoria Park in St. John’s, and is a free event.

Download 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 history alive at the community level. The show is a partnership between HFNL and CHMR Radio. Past episodes are hosted on Libsyn, and you can subscribe via iTunes, or Stitcher. Theme music is Rythme Gitan by Latché Swing.

How do you cook your capelin?

It's capelin season! I was down at Middle Cove last Saturday watching everyone with their nets and buckets. What is the best way to prepare and cook capelin? And what do you do with leftover fish?

Salmon Fishing #FolklorePhoto

Photo courtesy Daphne March.

This week's #FolklorePhoto is of Jeff and his father, Arthur Hodder. This was the first fish he ever caught on a salmon fishing trip with his father. Jeff recalls:

"I remember it was a pretty exciting time. I remember it was in the evening, and the sun was just setting. Everything was perfect. It was calm. And the next thing you know, I had this fish on. Was I excited! I remember mom squealing and getting the camera ready for a picture. Dad was saying 'Keep your pole up! Keep your pole up!' I landed him, I didn’t need anybody’s help. He netted it for me. I just remembered everything he told me, and he was there coaching me. It was pretty exciting. Needless to say, I was pretty proud at the end of that day. I woke up the next morning, and I figured I was old enough now to shave. I put Dad’s lather on my face, took the razor out. You know those old razors with the blade you’d put in? I took the blade out and started shaving. There is a picture of me shaving somewhere. That was the next day, I figured if I was man enough to catch a salmon, I was man enough to shave!"

Memory Mug Up - Bell Island U-boat Attacks & Sinkings, July 20

The two German U-boat attacks in 1942 sank four ore ships off Bell Island and left 70 sailors dead. Do you have memories or family stories you can share of the attacks or the sinkings? Or of the care of the survivors or the funerals for the dead? If so, then we would like to invite you to a Memory Mug Up at the Bell Island Community Museum on Friday, July 20 at 7:00 p.m.

The Memory Mug Up is an informal story-sharing session, where people gather, have a cup of tea, and share memories. The goal of the program is to help participants (especially seniors) share and preserve their stories.

Join folklorist Dale Jarvis of the NL Heritage Foundation and members of the Bell Island Heritage Society for an evening of memories. This event is part of a larger project which the Bell Island Heritage Society is working on with the Shipwreck Preservation Society of Newfoundland & Labrador, to create a new website on the WWII sinkings and how they affected Bell Islanders.

To register for the Memory Mug Up, please call Teresita McCarthy at 709-488-2880 or email bellislandhs@nf.aibn.com

Facebook event listing

Living Heritage Podcast Ep117 Virtual Museums and Memory Mug Ups

Terra Barrett is a public folklorist with the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador. This week, Terra talks about a Virtual Museums Canada project in Grand Falls-Windsor, which will make oral histories and photographs from the town available online. Terra and Dale also talk about Memory Mug Ups, including a Mug Up in Grand Falls-Windsor and another on Bell Island, along with some tips and tricks for collecting stories. As part of her next project, Digital Storytelling, Terra will help community members tell stories by collecting and digitizing their photographs.

Download 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 history alive at the community level. The show is a partnership between HFNL and CHMR Radio. Past episodes are hosted on Libsyn, and you can subscribe via iTunes, or Stitcher. Theme music is Rythme Gitan by Latché Swing.

New Broadcast Intern joins the Living Heritage Podcast

Good morning, Newfoundland and Labrador! You might not hear my voice on the radio, but this summer I’ll be at the ICH office bringing you the latest on heritage and culture in our province. We’ll be talking to artisans, craftspeople, musicians, and more about festivals, food, farmers markets, and regattas (just to name a few!). Throughout the summer, I’ll be looking to chat with people who practice all kinds of culture, from crafts to music and more. If you or someone you know wants to be on the Living Heritage Podcast, email Natalie at livingheritagepodcast@gmail.com.

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. We talk about their work, their passions, and the day-to-day safeguarding of culture, history, and tradition.

Hillview School Memories Mug Up

Hillview Memory Mug Up.

On Tuesday, July 3rd Dale and I headed out to Hillview and their 50+ Club Centre to a community Memory Mug Up on school memories. We were invited by the Southwest Arm Historical Society to facilitate the event.

Twenty seven community members attended the Mug Up and shared stories from their school days as both students and teachers. Several people had memories of attending or teaching in one room schools with outhouses, while others attended larger schools in St. John's or Grand Bank that were fancy enough to have indoor plumbing! One person told a story of how in his mother's time if they wanted a day off school they would simply clog the chimney and the students would be free for the day. Another woman remembered walking to school and passing the piano rock which her and her sisters would "play" each day. Several people discussed children's games including tidley (or pidley), and marbles.

Do you have a memory that stands out from your time in school? Let us know in the comments below!

Hillview Memory Mug Up.

Tuesday's #FolklorePhoto: Textiles in St. Lunaire-Griquet

Louise Bussey poses with her patchwork leaf quilt, St. Lunaire-Griqeut. Photo by Lisa Wilson. 2010.

Today's Folklore Photos come from St. Lunaire-Griquet collection on Memorial University's Digital Archives Initiative. St. Lunaire-Griquet is scenic community located about twenty minutes north of St. Anthony on Newfoundland's Great Northern Peninsula. It is a community of approximately 1000 residents, spread across a region that was once two distinct communities. During the 1950s, sudden development in the area precipitated the conjoining of St. Lunaire and Griquet into one incorporated town-site. Unlike the vast majority of GNP communities, St.-Lunaire-Griquet has always seen a continual rise in population rather than a decline, with exception to the cod moratorium years, which invariable saw many people leave their homes to pursue work elsewhere. It is often said that the local post office marks the spot where the two communities come together.

The French began visiting this region as early as the 16th century, in order to exploit the renowned cod fishery. Despite the early arrival of these seasonal fishermen, the vicinity was not officially mapped until 1784, when the infamous French sailor Liberge de Granchain pursued the undertaking. He is still remembered for his work in the area, by an island near St. Lunaire Bay that bears his name. Granchain Island still holds evidence of the French presence, by the archaeological remains of French bread ovens that can be observed on the site.

The St. Lunaire-Griquet inventory is part of a founding collection for the Great Northern Peninsula Textiles Archive and Learning Center. This project, based in Conche, NL, is an on-going initiative to document and preserve the textile-based crafts that are being created on Newfoundland's Northern Peninsula. The items in this collection were gathered between May and July of 2010 and include photographs of textile craft objects such as embroidered and pieced quilts, knitted items, and Grenfell-style coats. This inventory also includes audio clips of craftspeople discussing their particular textile-based skills and practices.

If you want to learn more about this collection click here and if you want to listen to an interview with Louise Bussey about textile projects including quilts and parkas click here.

An embroidered Grenfell coat made by Louise Bussey, St. Lunaire-Griquet. Photo by Lisa Wilson. 2010

Close-up of a patchwork Canada goose quilt made by Louise Bussey, St. Lunaire-Griquet. Photo by Lisa Wilson. 2010

Heritage Update Summer 2018 - Documenting Traditional Places and Skills

In this summer edition of the Heritage Update newsletter, we are focusing on traditional skills and knowledge around our historic places. Jerry Dick writes about an oral history project to document the knowledge of traditional artisans and carpenters; Terra Barrett writes on “Remembering the Merchants of Main Street" -- a Windsor-based project which is part of the Virtual Museum of Canada’s Community Stories investment program; and summer intern Keith Burgess writes on the designated St. James Anglican Church in Battle Harbour Labrador.

Download the pdf here

Mother M. Bernard Clune #FolklorePhoto

Photo courtesy The Sisters of Mercy. 

This week's #FolklorePhoto is of Mother M. Bernard Clune. She was the nun who purchased Sir Little's property that eventually became Littledale in 1883-1884.

Living Heritage Podcast Ep116 Pigeons, podcasts, and public history

Today on Living Heritage, we’re talking pigeons, podcasts, and public history with the staff of the Admiralty House Communications Museum in Mount Pearl. Our guests are Sarah Wade, and Lauren Lambe. Sarah Wade is museum manager and holds a BA in History/Archaeology, and an Honours in Applied Museum Studies from Algonquin College. Lauren Lambe is the museum’s collection assistant and is currently completing her Masters in Public History from University of Western Ontario. Together, they have created "Pigeon Post" -- a podcast produced by staff at Admiralty House. Through storytelling as well as oral history interviews, this podcast aims to keep the history of Admiralty House alive, while also focusing on elements of the community of Mount Pearl.

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 history alive at the community level. The show is a partnership between HFNL and CHMR Radio. Past episodes are hosted on Libsyn, and you can subscribe via iTunes, or Stitcher. Theme music is Rythme Gitan by Latché Swing.

Tuesday's #FolklorePhoto: Seal Skin Slippers

Doreen Noseworthy poses with a pair of sealskin boots that she made, Green Island Brook. Photo by Lisa Wilson. 2010.

Today's Folklore Photos come from The Straits collection on Memorial University's Digital Archives Initiative. The Strait of Belle Isle is a geographic region on the northwest coast of Newfoundland's Great Northern Peninsula. Colloquially know as 'The Straits,' this coastal strip runs from the community of Plum Point in the south, to Eddies Cove East at the northernmost tip. 

Between these two locales, several small communities dot the coast. Families first arrived at The Strait of Belle Isle in the 1880s, to exploit the salmon fishery and perhaps set up a base for the fur trade. Early inhabitants were there seasonally, but by 1884, permanent settlers arrived and began fishing for cod, herring, and began sealing practices as well. Although resources may have shifted in value, abundance and importance, over the years, the local drive to work the land and sea has remained consistent. While the cod fishery ultimately saw its demise in the 1990s, forms of this industry continue to fuel the local economy today. In Anchor Point, for instance, many of the residents continue to work as fish harvesters, or alternately in the shrimp plant, which employs upwards of 150 people each season.

The Straits inventory is part of a founding collection for the Great Northern Peninsula Textiles Archive and Learning Center. This project, based in Conche, NL, is an on-going initiative to document and preserve the textile-based crafts that are being created on Newfoundland's Northern Peninsula. The items in this collection were gathered between May and July of 2010 and include photographs of textile craft objects such as sealskin boots, Newfoundland Quilts, knitted socks, and embroidered cloth. This inventory also includes audio clips of craftspeople discussing their particular textile-based skills and practices. Straits communities present in this collection include Green Island Brook, Pines Cove, Bird Cove, Black Duck Cove, Eddies Cove East, Anchor Point, Sandy Cove, and Flower's Cove. Flower's Cove, due to its comparably large population, has been given its own community inventory on the DAI.

If you want to learn more about this collection click here and if you want to listen to an interview with Doreen Noseworthy about the process of making seal skin boots, slippers, and mittens click here.

Doreen Noseworthy demonstrates how to make sealskin boot pleats, Green Island Brook. Photo by Lisa Wilson. 2010.

Doreen Noseworthy demonstrates how to make pleats in sealskin, Green Island Brook. Photo by Lisa Wilson. 2010.

Memory Mug Up at the Senior’s Club in Hillview, July 3rd

Students with teacher Marcie Drodge, circa 1942-43.

School is finishing and we are seeing lots of graduation pictures – from Kindergarten to High School. Does this make you nostalgic about the “old days” of attending school in Southwest Arm? If it does, we have an event for you – a Memory Mug Up at the Senior’s Club in Hillview on Tuesday, July 3 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m

The Memory Mug Up is an informal story sharing session for seniors, where people gather, have a cup of tea, and share memories. The goal of the program is to help participants share and preserve their stories.

Join Folklorist Dale Jarvis of the NL Heritage Foundation and members of the Southwest Arm Historical Committee for an afternoon of memories. Come and share your memories of attending school in Southwest Arm.

To register, call Elaine Spurrell at 435-2013 or email info@swahsociety.com

Facebook event here.

Living Heritage Podcast Ep115 Mentor & Metalsmith - the metal art of Wesley Harris and Arthur Brecken,

Wesley Harris began silversmithing under his high school Art teacher, Arthur Brecken. Both this gentleman and his subsequent instructor at Cranbrook Academy of Art allowed Wesley to learn by trial and error. The underlying inspiration in Wesley’s work is Nature. He lives in ruggedly beautiful western Newfoundland and his studio overlooks the ocean where he creates high-end hollowware and jewellery. In 2015 Wesley was inducted into the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (RCA), and we are delighted to feature him on this episode of Living Heritage.

This episode is part of a series of programs in partnership with the Craft Council of NL, to document craft traditions in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Image: Mustache comb by Wesley Harris, 2002. 

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 history alive at the community level. The show is a partnership between HFNL and CHMR Radio. Past episodes are hosted on Libsyn, and you can subscribe via iTunes, or Stitcher. Theme music is Rythme Gitan by Latché Swing.

Online resources for understanding tombstone symbols

Grave marker at the United Church Cemetery, Lower Island Cove.

People often ask "what does this particular symbol mean on this tombstone" but there is not always a clear answer. It isn't always possible to know why a particular symbol was chosen for a grave marker or memorial. Sometimes people picked symbols from a catalogue, or went with a motif seen on another family member's stone.

Symbolism is the practice or art of using an object or a word to represent an abstract idea. Tombstone carvers used (and continue to use) symbolism to hint at ideas or refer to larger stories, without having to explain those stories or ideas in detail.

Meanings of symbols shift and change over time, and motifs on gravestones often reflect the culture which created the work, and can have multiple meaning. Similar symbols may be regarded differently by ethnic groups or religions.

Having said that, if you want some general ideas about what tombstone designs might mean, here are a few websites to get you started:

http://www.graveaddiction.com/symbol.html

https://stoneletters.com/blog/gravestone-symbols

http://www.thecemeteryclub.com/symbols.html

http://www.gmct.com.au/media/720756/gmct-information-sheet-_cemetery-symbols_lr.pdf

Behind the Counter at Pelley's #FolklorePhoto

Photo courtesy Joyce Clouter. 

This week's #FolklorePhoto is of Viola Greening behind the counter at Pelley’s in Port Blandford c. 1960. Daniel Pelley, the owner of Pelley's, established his first store in Southwest in 1920. In 1936, he moved locations. This building is still standing in Port Blandford but is not currently in use.

Grave of Phillip Louis, The Mount, Lower Island Cove

On a cold and wet Friday, June 15, 2018, I visited Lower Island Cove, Conception Bay North, with Judy Rogers as my guide. While there, Judy took me to one of the oldest burying places in Lower Island Cove, a section of the community on a hill close to the water, which is locally called The Mount.

The cemetery sits in a windswept, barren spot, overlooking the community, and wild grasses have largely obscured the majority of the rough-stone grave markers. There is only one visible carved tombstone, marking the grave of Judy's fourth-great-grandfather, Phillip Louis. The inscription reads:

--- 

IN

MEMORY OF

PHILLIP LOUIS

A NATIVE

OF THE ISLAND OF JERSEY

WHO AFTER A RESIDENCE

OF MORE THAN FIFTY YEARS

IN THIS PLACE

DIED ON THE 19TH NOVEMBER 1821

IN THE 78TH YEAR OF HIS AGE

RESPECTED AND ESTEEMED

FOR HIS HONESTY

AND

INTEGRITY

He came to his Grave in a Full age

like as a Shock of Corn cometh in

in his season

_____________

Be not Slothful,

but Followers of them who through Faith

and Patience inherit the Promises

---

The stone, reset in a more modern concrete base, also features a well-carved hourglass and scythe motif, surmounting a crossed arrow and trumpet. The scythe can be seen to represent the reaping of life and the hourglass representing that earthly time has run out. The hourglass has also been interpreted as a memento mori, reminding we visitors that we are one hour closer to our own deaths. More cheerfully, the ivy (or vines, botanists feel free to weigh in on this) on either side of the stone could be interpreted to represent memory, immortality, friendship, fidelity, faithfulness, undying affection, or eternal life.

Workshop: tips and tricks for a quality audio recording.

Audio Equipment and Tips WorkshopTuesday, June 26th, 2018
7pm-9pm
1 Springdale Street, Newman Building Boardroom, 1st floor

Registration $20
So, you are ready to do an oral history or folklore interview. You have a digital recorder, but maybe you don’t know that much about how it works, or about how to adjust settings. We have the workshop for you! Professional audio engineer Lee Tizzard will guide you through your audio equipment, and provide you with the tips and tricks you need to make a quality recording.

The workshop will cover:

- Voice recorders versus hand held high def recorders.
- Odbfs and the db scale, and what is it?
- What is the optimum level ( gain setting ) for recording?
- What is a bass rolloff?
- Mic power/ powered mics
- Stereo versus mono recording.
- Compression /limiting, what does it mean?
- SD card file storage and USB data transfer.
- Bit rates / sampling frequencies what does it mean?
- Using external microphones, why use clip on lav mics?
- Recording apps for smartphones, tablets etc.
- Various audio formats
- The recording environment
- The law, as it applies to recording people in Canada.

Participants should bring any recorders that they have, including earbuds.

Pre-registration required:

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/audio-equipment-and-tips-workshop-tickets-47067254425

Presented by Heritage Foundation of NL

Living Heritage Podcast Ep114 Setting Newfoundland Language in Stone

Erin Callahan St. John is a full-time professional artist working in clay. She initially learned her craft from Isabella St. John of Blue Moon Pottery – her aunt, and potter of 45 years. Later, Erin attended the Textiles Studies program at The College of the North Atlantic as well as the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University, where she majored in Ceramics with a minor in Art History.

During the 15 years she has been working with clay, Erin has apprenticed, graduated and received funding to create one of a kind pieces and developed production lines. Today she is an active member in the local art and craft community, and from her studio in the Quidi Vidi Village Plantation, makes work based on the wildlife and folklore of Newfoundland.

In this podcast, Erin talks with Wyatt Shibley about how she came to be a potter, the history of studio pottery in Newfoundland, and the process of setting Newfoundland language in stone.

This episode is part of a series of programs in partnership with the Memorial University graduate course Folk 6740 - Public Folklore, and the Craft Council of NL, to document craft traditions in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

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 history alive at the community level. The show is a partnership between HFNL and CHMR Radio. Past episodes are hosted on Libsyn, and you can subscribe via iTunes, or Stitcher. Theme music is Rythme Gitan by Latché Swing.

Tuesday's #FolklorePhoto: Knitting in Bird Cove

Annette Myers poses with her knitting, Bird Cove. Photo by Lisa Wilson. 2010.

Today's Folklore Photos come from The Straits collection on Memorial University's Digital Archives Initiative. The Strait of Belle Isle is a geographic region on the northwest coast of Newfoundland's Great Northern Peninsula. Colloquially know as 'The Straits,' this coastal strip runs from the community of Plum Point in the south, to Eddies Cove East at the northernmost tip. 

Between these two locales, several small communities dot the coast. Families first arrived at The Strait of Belle Isle in the 1880s, to exploit the salmon fishery and perhaps set up a base for the fur trade. Early inhabitants were there seasonally, but by 1884, permanent settlers arrived and began fishing for cod, herring, and began sealing practices as well. Although resources may have shifted in value, abundance and importance, over the years, the local drive to work the land and sea has remained consistent. While the cod fishery ultimately saw its demise in the 1990s, forms of this industry continue to fuel the local economy today. In Anchor Point, for instance, many of the residents continue to work as fish harvesters, or alternately in the shrimp plant, which employs upwards of 150 people each season.

The Straits inventory is part of a founding collection for the Great Northern Peninsula Textiles Archive and Learning Center. This project, based in Conche, NL, is an on-going initiative to document and preserve the textile-based crafts that are being created on Newfoundland's Northern Peninsula. The items in this collection were gathered between May and July of 2010 and include photographs of textile craft objects such as sealskin boots, Newfoundland Quilts, knitted socks, and embroidered cloth. This inventory also includes audio clips of craftspeople discussing their particular textile-based skills and practices. Straits communities present in this collection include Green Island Brook, Pines Cove, Bird Cove, Black Duck Cove, Eddies Cove East, Anchor Point, Sandy Cove, and Flower's Cove. Flower's Cove, due to its comparably large population, has been given its own community inventory on the DAI.

If you want to learn more about this collection click here and if you want to listen to an interview with Annette Myers about life in Bird Cove, knitting, crocheting, and selling textiles click here.

A sweater Annette Myers made for her husband, Bird Cove. Photo by Lisa Wilson. 2010.

Dark pink winter hat made by Annette Myers, Bird Cove. Photo by Lisa Wilson. 2010.

Living Heritage Podcast Ep113 Piece by Piece - The Mosaic Art of Terry Nicholls

Terry Nicholls is a mosaic artist living in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. In this episode, he chats with Alina Sergachov about his personal background and how it brought him into the field of the mosaic art, the process of making a mosaic, materials, and describes how the experience of working in marine and freshwater environments influences his interpretation of the natural world through mosaics. Terry talks about translating an idea into an object and being inspired, and the time it takes to create his art.

This episode is part of a series of programs in partnership with the Memorial University graduate course Folk 6740 - Public Folklore, and the Craft Council of NL, to document craft traditions in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

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 history alive at the community level. The show is a partnership between HFNL and CHMR Radio. Past episodes are hosted on Libsyn, and you can subscribe via iTunes, or Stitcher. Theme music is Rythme Gitan by Latché Swing.

Have folklore, will travel: Notes from Glenwood!

I'm on the heritage trail this week, holding some heritage planning and oral history meetings in central Newfoundland. Last night I had a very positive meeting with the newly-formed Glenwood Heritage Society (above), whose mandate is "To protect and promote the heritage of Glenwood and surrounding area" (yes, Appleton, that means you are invited). 

We had a good discussion about how community heritage groups can get involved to help safeguard living heritage in their areas, and the kinds of programs and activities other heritage groups across the province are running. 

The group is on facebook, and their first event is the Glenwood Heritage Society Annual Trout Derby -- coming soon! Below, a photo of the Glenwood railway station in its heyday, and a very very sweet Ford Thibault vintage fire engine the town currently has on display. 

Tuesday's #FolklorePhoto: Simms House

Today's Folklore Photos are of the Simms House which is a two-and-a-half storey, mansard roofed residential structure built in the late 19th century. It is situated on Pleasant Street in the west-end area of St. John’s, NL, once known as Lazy Bank. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Tyler Stapleton and Dale Jarvis.

Tyler Stapleton, a 24 year old Nautical Science Graduate from the Marine Institute, is actively restoring the 1882 Registered Heritage Structure in Downtown St. John’s. In March 2018, Tyler gave Dale and Terra with the Heritage Foundation a tour of his property and described the ongoing restoration and the background research on the history of the house. 

The home was built in 1882 for draper George Taylor and sold to cooper Henry V. Simms in 1902. Simms ran a successful trade out of a shop once located behind the home and, by the time he died in 1947, owned several properties in the area. Henry’s son William Simms inherited Simms House in 1947 and also worked as a cooper. Simms House has aesthetic value as an excellent example of an early middle-class home in urban St. John’s.

Henry V. Simms played an active in his community, serving as Vice President of the Master Coopers’ Association and an organizer of the local prohibition movement. His interest in prohibition may have been influenced by his neighbourhood, Lazy Bank, which generated reports of public intoxication and unsanitary conditions around the turn of the century. 

A bottle of Labbatt's Blue and a pack of Man-Tex condoms found during the restoration of the home. An interesting find given Simms' interest in the prohibition movement. 

If you would like to learn more about the Simms House have a listen to the Living Heritage Podcast episode number 104. In this episode, which can be found here, Dale and Tyler discuss on the history of the building, his process of research and restoration, and some of the secrets of the Simms House.

Living Heritage Podcast Ep112 Felted Folklore and Paper Maché

Janet Peter has been working with the Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador for approximately 20 years. She possesses a great interest in creating paper maché mummers and figurines of local traditions and folklore, and these themes recur in much of her work. She has been making marks on paper since she was old enough to hold a pencil and it motivated her to embark on a journey to a career in the arts.

After high school, Janet briefly studied animation. Shortly after graduating with a Visual Arts diploma, she began a line of paper maché mummer figurines. She earned a Masters’ in Political Science; worked as a workers’ advocate; then moved across the country to St. John’s to start her career afresh. Currently, she is working on a series of needle felted sculptures depicting pre-Victorian yuletide folklore and practices for an upcoming solo exhibit.

Janet Peter is one of those who have been constantly working to keep the craft tradition of Newfoundland alive. In this episode, Janet talks with Nadia Sarwar about her upcoming solo exhibition, her notable creations, the activities of the Craft Council, and the future of craft in Newfoundland. This episode is part of a series of programs in partnership with the Memorial University graduate course Folk 6740 - Public Folklore, and the Craft Council of NL, to document craft traditions in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

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 history alive at the community level. The show is a partnership between HFNL and CHMR Radio. Past episodes are hosted on Libsyn, and you can subscribe via iTunes, or Stitcher. Theme music is Rythme Gitan by Latché Swing.

Saving Our Stories workshop - An Introduction to Community Oral History

Presented by the Heritage Foundation of NL in partnership with Admiralty House Communications Museum

Friday, June 8th, 2018
12:30pm-4:30pm
Admiralty House Communications Museum
365 Old Placentia Road, Mount Pearl

Oral history is the collection and study of historical information about individuals, communities, and everyday life using recordings and transcriptions of planned interviews. We have important stories to share in Newfoundland and Labrador, and properly planned oral history projects can be a valuable tool for museums, towns, historical societies and heritage organizations.

This introductory, half-day workshop is open to anyone with an interest in local history, culture, and folklore. It is intended to give a background on how to conduct research interviews, and will give people a chance to try their hand at creating interview questions and to explore the world of oral history! We will talk about the practical matters of creating, designing, and executing effective oral history and folklore research projects, project planning, ethical issues, and recording equipment.

This workshop will be beneficial to people who are contemplating folklore and oral history projects of all sorts, ranging from short-term projects involving a single researcher to complex, long-term projects involving many researchers.


The workshop will be taught by folklorist Dale Jarvis of the Intangible Cultural Heritage office, Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Workshop limited to 10 participants. Tuition: $50. Pre-registration mandatory.

Register online at Eventbrite

Transformation and Talking Tigers: Tales from Afar at The Rooms

This Wednesday at The Rooms, join folklorist Dale Jarvis as he chats with storytellers Zoe Wu (Taiwan), Tanyan Ye (China) and Jae Hong Jin (Korea), about dangerous dried persimmons, fiendish tiger grandmothers, mysterious snail maidens, and the folklore and stories of their respective childhoods.

Tales From Afar: Old Stories from New Residents is a collection of world folktales, myths, and legends, collected by the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador in partnership with the St. John's Local Immigration Partnership.

Time: 7:00pm
Date: Wednesday, May 30
Where: The Rooms Theatre
Cost: Included with the cost of admission to The Rooms

Living Heritage Podcast Ep111 Yellow Rose: An interview with natural dye artist Anna Murphy

Anna Murphy is a natural dye artist from St. John’s, Newfoundland. Inspired by her travels and many adventures, she has recently opened her own dye studio and shop in Bonavista, Newfoundland. She serves on the board of directors for the craft council of NL and the Irish Heritage Organization, Rose of Tralee. She is deeply committed to learning new techniques and plans to expand her gallery work in the future. In this episode, Anna sits down with Ellen McCutcheon to discuss her techniques, processes, and the influence of her family and heritage on her work.

This episode is part of a series of programs in partnership with the Memorial University graduate course Folk 6740 - Public Folklore, and the Craft Council of NL, to document craft traditions in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

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 history 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.

Living Heritage Podcast Ep110 Inspiration in Clay

Wendy Shirran is an accomplished ceramic artist and certified art teacher from Bonavista, Newfoundland. Upon completing her BA in English Drama and History at Memorial University of Newfoundland, Wendy Shirran moved to Halifax Nova Scotia to attend NSCADU where she discovered her connection with clay. Since graduating with a BEd Art Specialist degree in 2003, Wendy has spent most of her time teaching the fundamentals of ceramics and creating one-of-a-kind pieces for exhibition both nationally and internationally. Drawing on the influence of her travels to India, China, Japan, and the Mediterranean, her forms and shapes reflect the lines and fluidity found in ancient architecture, art, and folklore. She is also the Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Clay Studio Coordinator, after spending several years with the Nova Scotia Designer Crafts Council.

In this podcast episode, Wendy talks with Qian Huang about her ceramic work, how and why she became a ceramic artist, and how travelling gives her inspiration.This episode is part of a series of programs in partnership with the Memorial University graduate course Folk 6740 - Public Folklore, and the Craft Council of NL, to document craft traditions in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

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 history 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.

Wanted: Portuguese Arraiolos tapestry makers in Newfoundland!

Today, I got an interesting question from the lovely Sarah Nivea, originally from Brazil and now living here in St. John's, who was one of our participants in the Tales From Afar folktales project.

Sarah is working on a tapestry utilizing Newfoundland motifs in the Portuguese Arraiolos tapestry style.

Portuguese Needlework Rugs, also called Arraiolos Carpets (Tapetes de Arraiolos) or Arraiolos rugs, are a type of embroidered wool rug which were made traditionally in the small town of Arraiolos, Portugal, since the Middle Ages, and which are said to be inspired by Persian carpets.

Sarah is interested in meeting anyone in the province familiar with the techniques. She also writes, "I’d like to know where I can buy the materials because I want to make a tapestry special to NL."

Anyone with knowledge, expertise, or ideas for Sarah can send your contact info to dale@heritagenl.ca