The heritage of craft and traditional art

In the April-May edition of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Update for Newfoundland and Labrador, we pay tribute to our traditional craftspeople, artisans, and trades workers. We give an introduction to our "Talking Shop: Metalworking" presentation organized in cooperation with The Rooms; Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador board member Doug Wells shares his father's memories of tanning nets in Muddy Hole; Amanda-Marie Hillyard brings us news on the Deer Lake Heritage Project and the work they are doing to collect local oral histories; Lisa Wilson interviews the 106-year-old carpenter Cecil Greenland in Spaniard's Bay, and Nicole Penney writes about the tradition of lumberwoods carving in Newfoundland.

Contributors: Dale Jarvis, Doug Wells, Amanda-Marie Hillyard, Lisa Wilson, and Nicole Penney.

You can download the newsletter in pdf format from:

https://archive.org/details/Ichupdate043 

(look for the PDF link on the left side of the page)

Photo: Mr. Cecil Greenland, by Lisa Wilson

Tuesday's Folklore Photo: English Picnic Baskets

A woven basket owned by Neal Wells of Grand Falls-Windsor

A woven basket owned by Patricia Mchuge of Grand Falls-Windsor

Last year the Intangible Cultural Heritage Office undertook a collection project focused on basket making in this province. We documented several basket styles, including what we believe to be two English picnic baskets. Beyond that we know very little about these baskets and would like to figure out exactly what they are woven from. We suspect the baskets to be made of willow, as this is a very common material used by English basket makers. Also, both these baskets seem to constructed using the randing weave, which is a common style of English willow weaving.

If you happen to have any idea what these baskets are made of  please get in touch with the Intangible Cultural Heritage Office, we'd love to hear from you! Contact Nicole at 1-888-739-1892 ex.6 or email at nicole@heritagefoundation.ca 

Harbour Breton tombstones, and moving graves in Argentia

I've a couple cemetery-related gems today. HFNL board member Doug Wells sent me a few snaps of historic tombstones from the oldest cemetery in Harbour Breton (Church of England). I've posted them below. One of the oldest markers is the slate gravestone of Sarah Chapman (1769-1831), the final photo posted here.

Also, new on Memorial's Digital Archives Initiative is this intriguing map of the new cemetery built to house remains exhumed as part of the construction of the United States Air Force Base at Argentia during World War II.  I don't know much about that story, but it sounds intriguing! If you know more about it, send me an email at ich@heritagefoundation.ca.  The list of names includes some fascinating entries, including "Young Man from the Plot of Richard Healy" and "Teresa Sampson (Mistaken for another person by relatives)" and "Michael Smith - Age 80 & Another Body out of same Plot under Big Rose Bush." I'd love to know the story of Teresa!

From cemeteries to Deadman's Cove - November's ICH Update

In this month's edition of the Intangible Cultural Heritage update for Newfoundland and Labrador: we announce a half-day workshop on the art, archaeology, history and heritage of cemeteries; Dan Rubin brings us a report from the Pouch Cove Heritage Day; Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador (HFNL) board member Doug Wells recounts the history of Deadman's Cove, Harbour Breton; and HFNL's Lisa Wilson updates us on her work in the proposed Heart's Content Heritage District.

Contributors: Dale Jarvis, Dan Rubin, Doug Wells, Lisa Wilson

Download the newsletter in pdf

Exploring a historic well hidden underneath a St. John's home.

I've been working with the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador (HFNL) since 1996, for much of it involved with HFNL's work preserving and promoting the built heritage of the province. In that time, I've poked around in more basements and attics of historic properties than I could attempt to count. But today I saw something new, even for me.

A while back, I posted on my personal twitter account (@dalejarvis) a link to a news item from Devon, UK, where a man found a 33 foot deep medieval well underneath the floor of his living room.

I thought this was pretty neat, and then got an note from local real estate agent Janet Kovich (@J_Ko__) saying she had handled the sale a property in St. John's that had a well under its floor. I, of course, wanted to see, so she arranged with the owner for me to go take a peek.

I don't want to give out the street address of the property without permission from the owner, but the house is relatively new, I'd guess having been built in the 1970s or 1980s. It is a curious house,  constructed in the Tudor Revival style, with a central stone-faced tower and spiral staircase. The house was built in a section of the city that would have been on the outskirts of town in the early twentieth century, in farming country.

I arrived at the house, Janet meeting me there and bringing me down into the low, partially finished basement. We ducked our heads under beams, past the base of the central tower, and made our way to the corner of the basement. There, we found a large wooden cover about 8 feet square slightly raised from the level of the concrete floor. Workmen doing renovations on the house assisted by propping up the cover, giving us a clear look at the structure below.

Sure enough, it is a well, circular in shape, about 6 feet wide. The well is constructed with dry stone walls, several feet deep. It very clearly predates the house, and for some reason the original owner of the building had kept the well intact, instead of filling it in. At the bottom of the well is set what looks like a metal barrel or oil drum, filled with rubble or silt. I'm guessing that the drum had been placed inside the well at some point to keep the walls stable.

The well is filled close to the rim with water.  The workmen said the level of the water in the well had risen lately, as had the level of the water in the tiny brook that runs along the boundary line of the property.

I don't know much yet about the history of the property, but will post more later if I find out anything. I suspect there was an old house or barn near the site of the present house.

I'm always interested in hidden architectural gems and oddities like this. If you know of hidden wells or passages in or around St. John's, you can email me at ich@heritagefoundation.ca as I'm always up for an underground adventure! Have you seen something like this? Or have any theories on this one? Drop me a note!

Food industry guests at Food, Folklore and Tourism Workshop

Our "Food, Folklore and Tourism" workshop is taking place at the Cupids Legacy Centre, this coming Monday, August 15, 2011 from 1pm – 4:30 pm

This is a free workshop, but people must pre-register with Melissa at ichprograms@gmail.com or by calling 1-888-739-1892 ext 3.

Our food industry guests for the workshop are:

Todd Perrin
The Chef’s Inn
twitter.com/toddperrin
www.thechefsinn.ca

Chef Todd Perrin believes that the ingredients are the star – he is just the mechanic. Todd began his career in the early 1990’s, enrolling in The Culinary Institute of Canada at Holland College in PEI. Upon graduation, he worked at The Lodge at Kananaskis in Alberta and then at a private hotel near Zurich, Switzerland. Currently, he owns and operates The Chef’s Inn, a B&B in downtown St. John’s, Newfoundland that he runs with his family. With his own place, he sources the freshest local ingredients from his own backyard, neighbours’ farms and his root cellar, practicing farm-to-table whenever possible. His goal as a chef is to bring simple food to the next level.


Viola Wells
Skipper Ben’s Bed and Breakfast and Dining Room
http://www.skipperbens.ca/

Viola is the owner of Skipper Ben’s Bed and Breakfast and Dining Room, a heritage property (circa) 1890 situated in historic Cupids. Under Viola’s management Skipper Ben’s has become known as a quality casual fine dining experience on the Baccalieu Trail. Her expertise in food preparation and her hospitality are renowned and have made her much in demand for special events and weddings. The dining experience at Skipper Ben’s is second to none. With a selection of fresh produce and her own creative recipes, she serves meals with a unique style from health conscious menus that continue to satisfy her visitors.


Kelly Jones
Britannia Teas and Gifts
twitter.com/britanniateas
www.britanniateas.ca

Kelly Jones loves tea! From her earliest memories tea has played a part in her family life. This was especially true when visiting Nana Leawood, her grandmother, at her home in Britannia, Random Island, where tea was a five-times-a-day experience. Today, Britannia Teas is Newfoundland's first tea shop selling loose and bulk teas, tea-related merchandise and treats for the tea lover. Kelly loves passing on what she has learned to other people; she enjoys letting people know the proper way to brew different teas, discussing health benefits and talking about her current favourite tea.

Food, Folklore and Tourism Workshop August 15th - registration open

Food, Folklore and Tourism Workshop
Cupids Legacy Centre, Cupids
Monday, August 15, 2011
1pm – 4:30 pm

Food is at the heart of much of Newfoundland and Labrador culture. From the berries we pick, to Sunday dinner, to the rich heritage surrounding our fishery, food and food production is a deep part of our history and sense of place. When people visit, we are always waiting with a cup of tea, and something to eat.

But what are the challenges faced by tourism operators in terms of developing culinary tourism products? What do they need to meet industry standards? In this workshop local tourism operators and business owners, including Canada’s Top Chef participant Todd Perrin, along with visitor service people, and heritage representatives, will give their input what visitors and locals want, and what they need.

This workshop is part of the Heritage Foundation of NL’s Seeds to Supper Festival. For full details and speaker’s bios visit www.seedstosupper.ca. This workshop is sponsored in part by the Cupids Legacy Centre and the Town of Bay Roberts.

REGISTRATION
This is a free workshop, but people must pre-register with Melissa at ichprograms@gmail.com or by calling 1-888-739-1892 ext 3.


Food Industry Guests

Todd Perrin, The Chef’s Inn www.thechefsinn.ca

Viola Wells, Skipper Ben’s B&B and Dining Room www.skipperbens.ca

Kelly Jones, Britannia Teas and Gifts www.britanniateas.ca

Speakers and Moderators

Kathi Stacey, Eastern Destination Management Organization; Ella Heneghan, Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation; Bonavista Institute for Cultural Tourism; Dale Jarvis, Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador.

The Annotated Jack: A tale of two characters, from Newfoundland, named Jack.

A romp through a tale of two "Jacks": one the hero of traditional folktales; the other a retired fisherman passing the time in his fishing stage spinning tales of his youth.

You'll find them both in Newfoundland -- like Ireland a big island anchored off a bigger continent -- populated with the descendents of Irish and English fishermen. Populated too with the stories and folktales that those settlers brought with them centuries ago, and handed down by word of mouth through the generations. In particular, you'll find folktales which usually begin like this:

"Once there were 3 brothers: Tom, Bill, and Jack. Now Tom and Bill, they were handy, they were actually able to do something. But Jack, well, all Jack could do was sit by the fire, and.."

.and we're off on a fantastical tale of derring-do starring Jack, the ne'er-do-well youngest brother. In the traditional tales, he slays giants, outwits witches, befriends every creature he meets, carries out magical feats by applying simple common sense and an innate naiveté, finds his Fortune and marries The Princess. This is Jack, the poor youngest son who unlocks the secrets of living and embraces magic as his kingdom, the unlikely big-hearted hero who undertakes impossible tasks and survives incredible adventures to ultimately live happily ever after.

The other Jack in this documentary is not mythical at all, but a very real retired fisherman living by the harbour in St. John's city: Jack Wells. This Jack and his friends spend each day together sharing memories and telling stories in his twinestore - a fisherman's shed crammed with stored nets, rope, and fishing gear. Telling stories "makes the time go quicker" they say, remembering their own impossible tasks and incredible adventures.

The stories told in Jack's twinestore are tales of fish, of falling overboard, of coiling more rope or splitting more fish than anyone, of days when the wind came up suddenly, of when the motor froze or the cod were scarce, tales of doing battle with the giants of weather and outwitting the witches of officialdom, and always in the end winning the Princess of Fish in the Kingdom of Memory. Adventures no more or less unlikely than those of the other told-about Jack who eventually finds his fortune, too.

This documentary weaves together the real and the mythical Jack, and considers the role that stories play in accompanying us through life and into retirement. In the end, as the story goes: "if they don't live happily ever after, then may all of ye"
Produced by Chris Brookes at Battery Radio in Newfoundland for RTE Radio 1's, Documentary on One.
(Photo left to right) Charlie Riall, Jack Wells, Mike Walsh

First broadcast Oct 31st 2009.
http://www.rte.ie/radio1/doconone/jack.html
Download the podcast at:
http://www.rte.ie/podcasts/2009/pc/pod-v-310109-39m07s-annotated-doconone.mp3

Culture Corner - The Folklore of Harbour Breton

Mr Doug Wells, of Harbour Breton, is a board member of the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador. Following our board meeting last week, he sent me a series of articles on local culture.

Wells writes, "I had my students to write on local cultural and historical events, etc. With a folklore background, I also encouraged students to write articles on folklore related practices. The attached articles are folklore/folklife related and represent Harbour Breton and some nearby resettled communities. Over the years of teaching Cultural Heritage 1200, students wrote approximately 150 stories. The stories were worth so much towards the student's course evaluation. They were also submitted to our local paper as well, the Coaster. Our class's section of the paper was called Culture Corner and was quite popular with locals, especially with seniors."

With his permission, I've placed the scans of the original articles online.

From curing warts to local legends, the articles give a wonderful introduction to the local folklore of Harbour Breton and area.