Ponies, Perogies, Skateboarding and more

ICH Update for January 2013

In this month's edition of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Update for Newfoundland and Labrador: the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador is conducting a needs assessment survey to measure the type and amount of ICH related training needed in the province; work continues on the Foundation's documentation of the Heart's Content Registered Heritage District; intern Joelle Carey starts work on a project identifying living Newfoundland Ponies; new ICH intern Christina Robarts works with Memorial University Department of Folklore professor Dr. Mariya Lesiv on "Newfiki" - celebration of eastern-European cultures in Newfoundland; the Rooms announces a scrapbooking workshop; and Nicole Penney presents on a collection of skateboard videos which will become part of the province's inventory of intangible cultural heritage.

Contributors: Nicole Penney, Lisa Wilson, Joelle Carey, and Christina Robarts
Download the PDF

ICH Conference in Flanders

Recently, ICH Development Officer Dale Jarvis was invited to take part in an ICH conference in Mechelen, Flanders. The topic was participative methods for inventorying or documenting elements of ICH, and the conference included presentations from Joanne Orr - Museums Galleries Scotland (Scotland), Paulo Ferreira da Costa - Institute for Museums and Conservation (Portugal), Hans van der Linden - Agency for Arts and Heritage Flanders (Belgium), Jorijn Neyrinck & Ellen Janssens - tapis plein – Center of Expertise for heritage participation and intangible cultural heritage (Belgium), Eva Van Hoye & Kim Van Belleghem - Heritage units Mechelen & TERF (Belgium), and Marc Jacobs - FARO. Flemish interface for cultural heritage; VUB - Free University Brussels – Heritage Studies and Ethnology (Belgium).

Download Dale's presentation on ICH inventory work in PDF

Romanian Wooden Kissing Bobblehead Dolls

                                            Photo taken by Christina Robarts Jan. 16, 2013 (Front view)
 

On a recent interview, which is part of ICH’s project on Eastern Europeans from the former Soviet bloc, I happened to come across a pair of Romanian bobble head dolls. The dolls, consisting of a girl and a boy, were purchased by Teodora Koronka for her 3-4 year old daughter during a recent trip to Romania. Teodora stated that she had purchased them at a shop in a local village that is owned by an older woman who creates works of art or objects based on the traditional art style of Romania. The clothes of the dolls are reflective of traditional Romanian dress and are produced using  paint and wood burning techniques.

The basic model for traditional Romanian dress is a white chemise which is typically made out of hemp, wool, or some other form of woven material. For women, the chemise is generally long enough to reach the ankle, while for men it is shorter and worn with pants or leggings. Women will always wear an apron, made up of one or two pieces of fabric, tied with a cloth belt at the waist. For men the clothing is made up of a white shirt (cămasă), white trousers, hat, belt (wider than a woman’s), waistcoat and or overcoat.

Photo taken from Eliznik

 Local differences are marked by shirt length, type of embroidery, trouser cut, hat shape, or waistcoat decoration. The style depicted on these dolls is found in Maramures, located in the northern part of Romania. Aprons from this area are made of a rectangular piece of cloth often called Striped apron (‘Catrinţă or zadie’). They are usually worn in pairs, one in the front and one in the back and the wool is woven with horizontal red and black stripes. Straw hats in the maramures traditional style called clop, pl. clopuri, are very small, when compared to other areas.

        

 

Photo taken from Eliznik

These particular dolls have a interesting feature: when brought together, magnets located in the heads allow the dolls to “kiss.”

Photo taken by Christina Robarts Jan. 16, 2013 (Side view)

Source list:

Eliznik
Apron
Clop Hat

Screening: You Can Punch A Hurricane: a film about women making music.

On January 24, as part of Eastern Edge Gallery’s “Words in Edgewise,” a local documentary looking at the stories of several female musicians completing the RPM challenge in February 2012 will be shown. The women discuss the challenges of performing and recording in a male-dominated music world, as well as the unique opportunities of the RPM Challenge in St. John's. Mathais Kom, Megan Sutherland, and Joelle Carey are the three Memorial University graduate students behind the short film which has been chosen to be part of the gallery’s look at the RPM Challenge in St. John’s.

Every February, the RPM Challenge inspires hundreds of local musicians write and record an entire album in a month. To gear up for another musical month, Eastern Edge Gallery presents an evening of RPM: music, film, music, talk, music. With RPM stalwarts Mathias Kom, St. John's Ukulele Orchestra, Pet Legs, and Thomas Coombes. The event will begin at 8pm on Thursday, January 24 at Eastern Edge Gallery, 72 Harbour Drive. Refreshments will be provided by Fixed Coffee & Baking.

Reflecting on Heart's Content: Heritage Districts Update

As part of my work with the town of Heart's Content, I am currently making audio clips of the unique and special stories that I've collected from community members. It is not easy picking out which stories to feature, as everyone I have spoken to has given me so many to work with. In the end, I hope to include a story from everyone that I speak to from Heart's Content. The little videos I'm creating will all be featured on a publicly accessible google map showing the location the story took place. The above is an example of a story that will be featured on the map. In the clip, you will hear Minnie Matthews describing her experience of watching the Anglican Church burning down in the late 1980s. The corresponding image is of a model of the church that is held in the community museum's collection.

The following clip is another that tells the story of a well-known building in Heart's Content being damaged. Here is Pat and Lloyd Smith discussing how Lloyd's family home was damaged in a very unusual way.

 Stay tuned for more clips from my interviews! Also, I'd love to have a photo of the actual church before it burned down, and/or as it was burning. If anyone has such images, please let me know by contacting me at the following address: lisa@heritagefoundation.ca.

-Lisa

Needs Assessment Survey

The Intangible Cultural Heritage Office will be conducting a province wide needs assessment survey in the coming weeks. This survey will provide the ICH Office with information required to ensure we are effectively responding to community needs when it comes to the preservation, documentation and celebration of Newfoundland and Labrador's intangible cultural heritage. We hope to speak with a range of cultural institutions across the province such as archives, museums, heritage/historical societies, churches and community groups. By surveying these groups we hope to  find out which intangible cultural heritage projects they wish to take on and how the ICH office can offer assistance. Another goal of the survey is to highlight those aspects of intangible cultural heritage that are at risk of being lost. In order to prevent this loss from occurring, the survey also asks respondents what kind of ICH training and workshops they would find effective in their communities.

The survey will be conducted mainly over the telephone and will reach up too 100 cultural institutions from across the province.

However, if you are interested in providing us with input, please feel free to complete the survey here.

Or contact:
Nicole Penney
Intangible Cultural Heritage Programs Assistant
Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador
(709) 739-1892 ex.6
toll free: 1-888-739-1892 ex.6
nicole@heritagefoundation.ca


Thank you!

A Christmas Treat!

Courtesy of The Rooms provincial Archives.
Circa 1948

In 1924 W.R.Goobie purchased what was Woods West End Candy Store located on 350-348 Water Street, and started Purity Factories Limited. Some of the first items Purity made were peppermint knobs, candy kisses and flavoured syrups. In the 1930s they began production of a line of hard bread, sweet bread, cookies and biscuits. From 1948 until the 1970s they even bottled Canada Dry Products. By the late 1960s Purity was the only company in the province producing hard bread. Now 88 years later Purity products are a Newfoundland tradition, especially during the holiday season.

Courtesy of Crystal Braye; via The Downhomer

Earlier this week I asked for some of your Purity memories. Here are some of the lovely stories I received:

Being raised by Newfoundlanders in Ontario gave Purity products an extra special place, especially around Christmastime. Purity Syrup was a Christmas staple, along with a variety of Purity candies and treats. One Christmas, when I was about nine or ten years old, we had some of our neighbours over for a visit - including eleven-year-old Patrick, who I had a huge crush on at the time. Wanting to share my special Newfoundland Christmas treats, I offered Patrick a "Newfie Kiss," [I don't remember exactly what they were, but my parents called them "Newfie Kisses"]. Unfortunately, Patrick didn't realize I was referring to a candy and got a look of disgust on his face when he thought I was going to kiss him. He refused a Newfie Kiss and kept his distance for the rest of the night.- Crystal Braye

Courtesy of Crystal Braye; via The Downhomer

I was a crew chief on the series Road To Avonlea and Wind At My Back, both Sullivan productions on CBC about 16 years ago. It was not part of my job but the set decorators used Purity products on the shelves in any shots of the stores in these series. They were used because of there dated labels. -Frank Noseworthy 

I remember going to my Nan's house and there were always some peppermint knobs, in a little glass dish, tucked away in the kitchen cupboard. I loved it when she took that dish down and gave me one. Little did I know, these peppermint knobs were often there quite a while and would get pretty soft. I actually didn't know until I was much older that peppermint knobs were a hard candy! I liked them better Nan's way anyway.-Nicole Penney

If you'd like to read more about Purity Factories Limited check out this great little piece from The Collegian, 1933 (pp.25-27) that describes a tour of the factory. 

The Daily News, Jan.1, 1956

Thank you so much to everyone who sent me their Purity memories and ephemera.

Merry Christmas and have a happy and prosperous New Year! 

It wouldn't be Christmas without Purity

A few days ago I set my mind to writing a Christmas blog entry and it was suggested that I write about Purity Factories products. I thought this a fantastic idea! Purity products like syrup, peppermint knobs and Jam Jams are a big part of the Christmas tradition in Newfoundland and Labrador. If you doubt the importance of Purity at Christmas time all you need to do is think back to the Christmas of 2010, when the factory was on strike. People nearly went frantic at the thought of not having their hard tack for Christmas Eve fish and brews. And what would the poor ol' mummers drink? Why it's a well known fact that Purity syrup is the preferred refreshment of mummers province wide. And a Christmas without peppermint knobs? I shudder to think of it!

 The Daily News. Dec.11, 1948

I went to work looking for some old Purity archival images or old Purity ephemera, such as ads, posters, or even old product packages. I surprisingly found very little besides old newspaper ads. Considering Purity was first started in 1924, I figured I'd have no trouble finding some things. But alas! I found very little and feared my blog entry would be near impossible to write.

Burke's popular songs. St. John's: Long Brothers, 1929.

The Evening Telegram, 1936.

But then, just as my hopes were fading I thought to myself, "this is the season for giving after all!"
So I'm asking for your help with this one. If you have any old Purity stuff tucked away take it out, dust it off, snap a few pictures and send them my way. Help make Christmas come early at the ICH office!

The Daily News.  Dec.11, 1948

I would also love to hear your memories of Purity products at Christmas time. What Purity items make Christmas for you?

You can reach Nicole with your Purity pictures and memories at:
nicole@heritagefoundaiton.ca
or call: 1-888-739-1892 ex.6

Mummers Parade Saturday in St. John's, Sunday in Clarenville

Well, the Mummers Festival is banging to a crescendo this weekend!

On Saturday, Dec 15th, we have the Rig Up, the Parade itself, the Mummers Jam, and new this year, Mummeroke!

Remember, we want you to be IN the parade! This is a participatory event, and anyone can dress up and join in.

Also new this year, the Clarenville Mummers Parade and Jam, happening Sunday, Dec 16th.

If you are curious, you can look at the St. John's parade route on Google Maps, or listen to the CBC Radio Noon Crosstalk on mummering.

www.mummersfestival.ca

Call for papers - Practicing Folklore

Practicing Folklore

The theme of practice suggests an underlying impulse within our sometimes disparate folklore and ethnographic projects. The theme acknowledges culture as enacted and admits the idea of rehearsal as a significant aspect to signifying actions and texts. Practice also informs the pragmatic element of our discipline, highlighting researchers, writers and teachers as workers and labourers. Finally, the theme suggests an open-ended view of culture, texts and research that underpins some of our best scholarship.

We encourage paper submissions that work within the conference theme or address the ongoing UNESCO 2003 convention on Intangible Cultural Heritage. As usual, proposals dealing with other topics are welcomed. Applications for panels and workshops are strongly encouraged. The Folklore Studies Association of Canada welcomes scholars and practitioners from all disciplines with projects of interest to folklorists and ethnologists to apply.

Corner Brook, NL June 17-19, 2013


PLEASE NOTE, IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED:
• All applicants must email their abstracts to John Bodner (jbodner@grenfell.mun.ca). Please indicate any AV needs. Be sure to include your title and your strict maximum 100-word abstract for your formal presentation (in English and French if possible, or simply in your first language) along with your name, department, institutional affiliation, and contact information by February 28, 2013. Abstracts longer than 100 words will be returned for review.

• Hard copy/surface mail submissions of abstracts will not be accepted.

• Only members paid up for the calendar year 2013 and preregistered for the conference may have their submission considered (http://www.acef-fsac.ulaval.ca/en/joining-fsac/). Students and unwaged: $30 membership plus $75 conference registration; regular members: $60 plus $150 conference registration. Membership fees can be sent through PayPal on the ACEF/FSAC website. Cheques for conference registration are to be made out to ACEF/FSAC and sent to:

Richard MacKinnon
P.O.Box 5300, 1250 Grand Lake Road,
Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada
B1P 6L2