Living Heritage Ep177: Hiking and History on the Baccalieu Trail

Photo courtesy of Barb Parsons-Sooley.

We’re hitting the trails with Barb Parson Parsons-Sooley. Barb is a founding member of Hike Baccalieu, a trail maintenance association in the Baccalieu Trail region. She’s also a hiking tour guide for Roots Adventures. Barb grew up in Bay Roberts and lived away in Alberta working as a flight medic and firefighter for many years. When she returned to Newfoundland, she settled in Hearts Delight and began hiking. She started taking her garden clippers with her on trails that needed some trimming, and she’s been maintaining the trails ever since.

Barb Parsons-Sooley sits beside the outport village built by her father on the Western Point Trail.

This episode is part of a special series about the Baccalieu Trail region of Newfoundland and Labrador. Join us as we explore the hidden gems of the Baccalieu Trail- from stories of phantom ship sightings to local art and history.

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Living Heritage 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 HeritageNL and CHMR Radio.
Theme music is Rythme Gitan by Latché Swing.

A (very incomplete) history of the Mary March Museum, Grand Falls-Windsor.

I had a request for information on the history of the Mary March Museum, in light of the recent discussions over its name. Here is what I've found.

The Mary March Museum started in 1973 and was housed in the Penthouse room at the top of the Provincial building in GFW. It was run by a board of directors. In the early 1970s the board managed to get Federal funding to establish an Exhibition Centre which would become the current museum.

Sod was cut to start work on the museum June 14, 1976. More:

http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/compoundobject/collection/trident/id/637/rec/4 page 5

The Museum opened in 1977:

http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/compoundobject/collection/trident/id/610/rec/5 page 4

And closed in 1981 due to lack of funds (plus information on the locomotive in the photo) page 52

http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/compoundobject/collection/cns_decks/id/4312/rec/1

The Museum was taken over by the province in 1985:

https://www.assembly.nl.ca/houseBusiness/Hansard/ga40session1/May27-1985.pdf 

page R974

At some point in the 1980s there was a reconstruction of a Beothuk encampment associated with the museum. Do photos of this exist??

Archival photo of the building circa 1988:

http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/singleitem/collection/decksphotos/id/3283/rec/8

A petition was made in 2006 by local students to change the name:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/rename-museum-for-beothuk-s-sake-students-1.579197

And

https://briarpatchmagazine.com/articles/view/demasduits-museum-grade-two-students-petition-to-set-the-record-straight

The petition was presented to the House of Assembly by Anna Thistle, the member for Grand Falls-Windsor:

https://www.assembly.nl.ca/HouseBusiness/Hansard/ga45session3/06-11-20.htm#1470

Discussion resurfaced in 2020 with the town council seeming to be in favour of a name change:

https://www.saltwire.com/lifestyles/local-lifestyles/renewed-interest-in-changing-name-of-provincial-museum-in-grand-falls-windsor-460778/#.XufzBI4Mtws.twitter

And

http://ntv.ca/mary-march-museum-may-soon-be-changing-name/

One response to the proposed change suggested the museum needed to go further, and operate as more than a seasonal museum:

http://ntv.ca/qalipu-councillor-says-changing-name-of-mary-march-museum-would-be-good-first-step/ 

UPDATE: The first Curator of the Museum was Glen Stroud. The Beothuck village reconstruction was never part of the Museum, it was established by the EVTA, Exploits Valley Tourism Association and run seasonally by them. It was put in place with the help of Don Pelley, Lloyd Seaward and a few other people.

It's Just the Love of the Craft: Stained Glass With Michael Laduke. #MakerMonday

For #MakerMonday we'll be profiling some of the people practicing traditional skills on the Baccalieu Trail.
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Michael Laduke remembers seeing his first stained glass piece, a gift given to one of his friends, and the love of glass was instantaneous. Originally from Quebec, he and his wife have been operating the SeaGlass Bed and Breakfast in New Perlican for the past 6 years. After moving to Newfoundland and Labrador permanently last year, Michael brought with him all the glass he needed to continue making stained glass and selling it out of his studio.

Jellyfish stained glass sun catchers by Michael Laduke. Photo from Sea Glass BnB.

Influenced by nautical themes and the scenery of Newfoundland, Michael likes to play with colours and textures in glass to catch the light in different ways and bring dimension to his work. He uses his wife's photography as layouts to design unique Newfoundland inspired pieces.

Heritage Foundation NL · Michael Laduke On Stained Glass

I really like the way the light plays on the glass in different intensities. In the sunlight sometimes it looks completely different than if you're in the shade. So, that's kind of cool. I really like that aspect of it. I try my best to think about that. I mean, sometimes I finish a piece and hold it up to the light and go, "Oh my God, what was I thinking?" But probably most of the time, I hang it up anyway because, a piece that's completed, it'll sell right away. So, I have my tastes, but that's probably not the same as anybody else. I mean, everybody's taste is individual, so what I think doesn't go well together, somebody else might really love.

According to Michael, stained glass has one speed: slow. It is a solitary process, and you need to be comfortable to sit down for hours and do the work. He says that for self-isolation during this pandemic, it has been the perfect refuge.

Michael Laduke working on a piece. Photo from Sea Glass BnB.

Michael says that the way this tradition will continue is for other people to fall in love with the craft as he as. His best advice for new practitioners is patience. It will take time to learn how to put thin, smooth lines of solder on and to grind the glass to the appropriate shape. Even though he has been practicing this craft for over 40 years, he says he is still getting better at it and there are always new things to learn.

Puffin stained glass sun catcher by Michael Laduke. Photo from Sea Glass BnB

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Do you live on the Baccalieu Trail and practice a traditional skill or know someone who does? Fill out our survey!

A Window on History: the June Heritage Update for Heritage NL

In this edition of the Heritage Update: restoration of the Basilica windows; heritage staycations; the Baccalieu Trail Traditional Knowledge Inventory; and engaging seniors in heritage work. Download the pdf here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ps2krKSV5q6RXufbekjWy-Cu5KlYOwK4/view?usp=sharing

Living Heritage Ep176: Storytelling on the Baccalieu Trail with Clifford George

Photo courtesy of Jackie Evans.

Clifford George is an artist and storyteller living in Whiteway, Newfoundland and Labrador. While he’s primarily self-taught, Clifford also received a formal art education at the College of Trades and Technology in St. John’s. He has painted and studied with well-known Newfoundland artists like Gerald Squires, Frank LaPointe and Don Wright. Clifford also worked as a medical artist at the Health Sciences Centre at Memorial University.  You can find Clifford’s work at the Christina Parker Gallery in St. John’s.

In this episode, Clifford shares a few stories with Heritage NL researcher Katie Crane about Newfoundland faeries, his painting, and his advocacy work on behalf of Newfoundland ponies.

This episode is part of a special series about the Baccalieu Trail region of Newfoundland and Labrador. Join us as we explore the hidden gems of the Baccalieu Trail- from stories of phantom ship sightings to local art and history.

Learn more about Clifford's work and the Newfoundland Pony:

https://christinaparkergallery.com/artist/clifford-george/
http://nqonline.ca/article/q-and-a-with-clifford-george/
https://newfoundlandpony.com/
https://gem.cbc.ca/media/absolutely-canadian/season-15/episode-8/38e815a-00939422c38

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Living Heritage 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 HeritageNL and CHMR Radio.
Theme music is Rythme Gitan by Latché Swing.

Performance and Pandemic - an interview with Jordan Vincer

As part of our ongoing Covid-19 NL Oral History series, we sit down for a chat with Ryerson University student Jordan Vincer about his studies, performance during lockdown, and his thesis project reimagining the traditional Newfoundland Mummers' Play. 

Out of Necessity, I Suppose: Knife Making and Wood Carving with Edward Delaney. #MakerMonday

For #MakerMonday we'll be profiling some of the people practicing traditional skills on the Baccalieu Trail.
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Edward Delaney of Gull Island has been whittling and carving since he was a child. He describes himself as an outdoorsman, and carving has been a way for him to pass the time and entertain himself while hunting or working outside.

Heritage Foundation NL · Edward Delaney on Carving and Making His Own Knives

I could always kind of recognize the images and shapes of the things, right? Like I said, what it was, you look at a piece and you see something into it, like you see an animal, like a weasel, or a mink, or maybe a head of a horse. Something like that, right? And then you go from there. Of course, you'd start off with a pocket knife. And then as I got a little bit more advanced, then I had to make my own knives because, they were basically, well, you couldn't hardly buy them and they were too expensive to buy anyway, so you had to make your own knives. Something like that, right? It was a hobby and a pastime, and like I said, you create something that you like. Because I was always interested in it. I like horses, and I like animals, and I like wildlife, right? So, why not carve it?

Now, after years of practice, he can see animals and objects in the shape of the wood. He prefers to carve wildlife. He does several different types of carving including carving in the round and relief carving. He prefers carving in the round because it allows him to bring the animal to life from the wood. For people new to carving, his advice is to start small and visualize the end product. If you can't see what you're trying to bring out of the wood, it will be harder for you to figure out the steps to make it happen. He says no one gets it right on the first try, so keep practicing.

Horse carved by Edward Delaney. Photo by Linda Delaney.

Edward also makes his own knives for carving and hunting. He says that commercial carving knives were too expensive and had to be ordered from away when he started carving. Out of necessity, he started crafting his own knives out of already tempered steel. Making knives this way requires no specialized tools, and the knives are able to be resharpened and reused. Sustainability is an important factor for Edward, and knowing how to make knives is important to him so that he can continue the traditions of resourcefulness and independence of Newfoundlanders.

Knives by Edward Delaney. Photo by Linda Delaney.

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Do you live on the Baccalieu Trail and practice a traditional skill or know someone who does? Fill out our survey!

Living Heritage Podcast Ep175 Weaving with Renee Finlayson

This week, we chat with retired Newfoundland production weaver Renee Finlayson. We talk about her move from Quebec to rural Bonne Bay in the 1970s, her beginning and evolution as a weaver, the types of work she created, and her insights into weaving as a profession.

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Living Heritage 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 HeritageNL and CHMR Radio.
Theme music is Rythme Gitan by Latché Swing.

Bark Tanning

One of the projects I am working in this summer is researching the process of barking or bark tanning. The Dictionary of Newfoundland English describes this as "to immerse a fish-net, sail, etc, in the liquid formed by boiling the bark and buds of a conifer, as a preservative."

People would boil bark, twigs, and branches from local trees in a communal barking pot or barking kettle and use the resulting tea which was rich in tannin to preserve nets, sails, or other canvas goods. The area near where St. John's City Hall is today was once the location of a barking kettle.

It was also used to tan things like seal skin for making boots. There is evidence of the Dorset Paleoeskimo practicing bark tanning of seal skins in Port aux Port, indicating its long history of use in the province. This is a practice which is continued today by some residents on the Northern Peninsula.

Last week, the Craft Council tweeted about the website Handmade In Labrador, a collection of handmade crafts by the Labrador Artisans Co-operative which showcases the traditional craft methods of Southern Labrador. Many of their products use traditional bark tanning to transform cotton duck, a plain, heavy cotton fabric, from white to shades of brown and moss green.

Barked apron with right whale. Labrador Artisan Co-operative via Handmade in Labrador

They include a page with a history of barking in Southern Labrador, and also, wonderfully for my research, an interview with Kathleen O'Brien of West St. Modeste, Labrador on her process of barking cotton duck. Listen to the interview here!

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Below is a transcript of the interview.

Interviewer: I am here at Kathleen O’Brien’s, at her house, and she’s going to give me an outline for how to do bark for cotton duck. Go ahead, Kathleen.

Kathleen O'Brien: Go in the forest, first of all, and cut alder trees. You rind the alder, and you put the rind in a container or box for a few days until it turns brown. And the best season for getting your rind is summer or early fall before the sap leaves the rind and goes, you know, because trees go dormant in the fall.

Interviewer: So, would you gather this all one time for all your cossacks or just pick so much at a time?

Kathleen O'Brien: So much at a time because if you took too many the one time it would dry out too much before you get it used. Then, you fill up a large boiler with water, throw in about two gallons of rind from the alders, let it simmer, bring to a boil, boil the rind for about approximately two hours. Then you add two tablespoons of salt because salt helps the bark to go in the material. And then you let it simmer and after it’s boiling for about - simmering and boiling for about six hours, when you see the colour of the colour of the bark go in, you know, through the water, you add, well, two tablespoons of baking soda but do not add the full amount all at once, just gradually add it until it dissolve because, you know, baking soda fizzes up and water in the boiler would boil over, and of course you’d have a mess. Keep simmering and check your bark. If it’s not dark enough you could always add more soda, but keep stirring it around as it's boiling through. When your bark is completed you take it off your stove and strain it with cheesecloth or pantyhose or some kind of a cloth. All the dust into that then will be strained out because if you don’t strain it all the dust from the bark, from the trees, will get in your cotton duck and make a mess on it. So then, when that’s strained off you put it in a bucket or a tub, whatever you have, and add your cotton duck while your water is hot and keep turning, keep turning the cotton duck over so as the material won’t go spotty. So do that until the water starts cooling down, and then after so many hours, only leave it in so many hours. If you leave it in all night all the bark will lodge on the material in different spots and it’ll be darker in some spots and then lighter so to have it all the one thing you just keep stirring it over. And then you take it out and you can put it on your clothesline outdoors to dry or you can put it in the dryer. I found the best was to put it in the dryer. When it was drying it would all dry even. So then it’s ready for to make.

Interviewer: So that’s how you make it.

Kathleen O'Brien: That’s how to make it.

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I'd love to chat with anyone who has memories of barking sails, canvas, or skins. I'd especially love to hear from anyone who has barked something recently! You can reach out to me by email at research@heritagenl.ca.




Works Cited

Dictionary of Newfoundland English. https://www.heritage.nf.ca/dictionary/a-z-index.php#192

Renouf, M. A. P., and T. Bell. "Dorset Palaeoeskimo Skin Processing at Phillip's Garden, Port Au Choix, Northwestern Newfoundland." Arctic 61, no. 1 (2008): 35-47. Accessed May 27, 2020. www.jstor.org/stable/40513180.