2nd Annual Mummers Festival - Community Meeting

The Mummers Festival organizing committee will be holding a general meeting to discuss the ways in which community members can get involved in the 2nd Annual Mummers Festival and Mummers Parade.


Meeting Date: Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Meeting Time: 7:00pm—8:30pm
Place: Newman Wine Vaults (436 Water Street, St. John's, NL)

On the agenda for discussion:

• Festival overview
• Schedule of events (Hobby Horse Workshop, Rig Up, Mummers Parade)
• Volunteer roles
• Fundraising
• General discussion and feedback

We are especially interested in filling volunteer roles and there are many ways to get involved. Even the smallest efforts have big effect and we hope volunteers will find their time with us very rewarding. Some volunteer activities include: materials collection for workshops, postering, and fundraising. Anyone interested in getting involved with the Festival should attend this meeting or contact a Festival organizer. If you are planning a mummer-related event, we'd like to know. Finally, we would like to get feedback about last year's Festival as we plan for events this December.

The Mummers Parade is our crowning event and it’s the people who make it so memorable. We saw over 300 energetic mummers and 200 spectators last year. Our free workshops generated close to 30 hobby horses, adding much colour to the parade. We owe a lot to the participants whose creative and expressive presence made the Festival such a success. We hope to generate even more interest this year and will need you, the public, to lend a hand.

CONTACT INFORMATION:
Ryan Davis
Festival Coordinator
Phone: (w) 739-7870
(c) 697-8722
info@mummersfestival.ca

Dale Jarvis
Intangible Cultural Heritage Officer
Phone: (w) 739-1892 ext. 2
ich@heritagefoundation.ca

Mel Squarey
ICH Programs Assistant
Phone: (w) 739-1892 ext. 3
ichprograms@gmail.com

Fantastic Bonfire Photos from Porterville, Newfoundland

Some great early Bonfire Night photos from Porterville, Newfoundland, courtesy of Barry Porter. The Porterville fire was held earlier than usual this year, as the local weather forecast was predicting bad weather for Bonfire Night itself.

The boat being burned was an old speed boat was built by Barry's brother in 1978. It had been repaired once and was very rotten, so was flipped into the fire. Using Bonfire Night as a way of getting rid of unwanted materials in the community is an oft-mentioned part of the tradition.

Barry writes,

"I love Bonfires, I have many great memories as a young boy growing up in the small farming community of Porterville. After school we would cut boughs for weeks or months with a blunt axe for that big night. It was great fun.... Eventually I got away from Bonfire Night. Then when my kids came along I wanted them to experience the thrill of a Bonfire, so I started the tradition again.... I start my pile right after Old Christmas Day by taking my dead Xmas tree and putting it in place. This year , for the first time, my son missed it because he is attending University, but there is a new crop of young Porters, nephews, nieces, cousins and friends who took part in my annual Bonfire."

For a list of bonfires tonight in your region, check out the Bonfire List at:
http://www.festivalonfire.ca

Bonfire Night Tire Burning In Newfoundland and Labrador

Tomorrow is Bonfire Night in Newfoundland and Labrador, and one aspect of the tradition has been, in the past, the burning of tires. In researching the Festival On Fire, several people shared stories about burning tires, and how tires were particularly prized as bonfire materials.

I'll be doing a Radio Noon Crosstalk tomorrow on the topic of Bonfire Night. Today, host Ramona Deering forwarded on the following press release from OceanNet, on the topic of tire burning. Is it a tradition that deserves to flame out? Comments welcome below, or phone into Radio Noon on November 5th with your thoughts! I've included some links at the bottom to sites talking about eco-friendly Bonfire Night celebrations, as well!

Tire Burning In Newfoundland and Labrador

Ocean Net (www.oceannet.ca) is extremely concerned with the significant negative environmental and health repercussions arising from the burning of tires in the province. Our research indicates that this is an accepted practice in many communities in Newfoundland and Labrador on Guy Fawkes Night (“Bonfire Night”), and we have pictures of just such a fire which took place on Middle Amherst Cove Beach in 2004.

Tire burning in this province is banned under the “Environmental Protection Act – Air Pollution Control Regulations 2004, Schedule E” In fact, of the top 20 “Materials Prohibited from Burning in a Fire” listed in that Act, tire burning is in first place, and fines could reach $100,000. This is obviously not common knowledge throughout this province as is evidenced by the rash of “tire fires” which take place in our communities, especially on the annual “Bonfire Night”. This practice must stop!

A review of documentation on the web related to health and environmental threats associated with tire burning, shows that emissions have been found to contain dioxins and other emissions which cause cancer and severe respiratory problems in humans, and also affect the immune system. Immune systems are also compromised in wildlife including birds, fish, shellfish and mammals, resulting in gross deformities.

One of Ocean Net’s primary programs is the beach, shoreline and harbor site cleanup, and as of May, 2006, this organization has spearheaded 876 such cleanups with an estimated 10,000 volunteers throughout the province. One such cleanup, done several times in 2004, is “Middle Amherst Cove Beach”, which we recorded as being littered with debris from a fire built primarily from hundreds of tires on Bonfire Night 2004. An Ocean Net employee documented this event with photographs following an unsuccessful attempt to stop those involved from burning tires on that beach. It is our understanding that tire burning also happened in Elliston, and that issue has now been reported to the RCMP as directed by the Act.

Ocean Net is currently in the early stages of researching the subject of tire burning, especially as it relates to environmental and health issues, with additional research into government plans (or lack of them) for disposing of huge stockpiles of used tires in the province.

Our plan is to undertake further research, and to develop a public awareness campaign related to the health and environmental repercussions from tire burning.


Eco Friendly Bonfire Night Links

http://helloecoliving.com/2010/11/top-tips-for-an-eco-friendly-bonfire-night/

http://www.nigelsecostore.com/acatalog/Eco_Bonfire_night.html

CBC Radio On Fire! Two Radio Events for Festival On Fire

We've got two events this week with CBC Radio One in St. John's.

November 5th
Radio Noon Cross-Talk with Dale Jarvis (12:30p.m.-1:30p.m.)

Tune into CBC Radio Noon Cross-talk with Ramona Dearing as she is joined by her special guest Dale Jarvis who is speaking about Festival On Fire and Bonfire Night in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Join provincial folklorist Dale Jarvis to share your Bonfire Night memories. What nights did you light bonfires in your community? What did you burn? Who was involved? And how has the tradition changed? Phone in with your memories and stories of bonfire nights past and present.

722-7111 (St. John's Area)
1-800-563-8255 (Toll Free)
November 6th
CBC Radio On Fire

Tune into CBC's Weekend Arts Magazine to hear some smokin' tunes that celebrate the Heritage Foundations Festival on Fire! As part of the Heritage Foundation's second annual Folklife Festival, the Festival on Fire, CBC Radio's Weekend Arts Magazine is looking for your fire-related song requests. From a burning ring of fire, to burning down the house, we want to know the songs that raise your temperature.

Heat up the WAM request line at 722-7111, or text your request to 22222. Or you can send your request to your smoking hot Weekend Arts Magazine host, Angela Antle, on Facebook.

Tune into "CBC Radio on Fire" on WAM Saturday morning, November 6th to hear your requests. Your ears will be burning!

New Event! The Festival On Fire Fusilade! November 4th, Signal Hill

On October 26, 1605 an anonymous letter to the William Parker, 4th Baron of Monteagle warned that on the opening of Parliament the following month, a "terrible blow" would be delivered to King James I and his court.

Investigation revealed 13 conspirators and 36 kegs of gunpowder planted beneath the Parliament's undercroft. Thus, the "Gunpowder Plot" and the conspiracy to assassinate the King and government by Guy Fawkes and others was thwarted... The annual commemoration of the saving of King and Country - "Bonfire Night" as it is known in Canada - is a tradition nearly 400 years old and still widely celebrated throughout the Commonwealth.

Kick off Bonfire night with Military Animation Specialist, Robin Martin, as he fires 12-round rifle salutes at 12pm, 3pm and 7:30pm totalling 36-rounds - one for each gunpowder keg discovered under the Parliament. Each fusilade will take place at different locations around Signal Hill NHSC.

Call for information:

Paula Morgan (709) 772-5367
paula.morgan@pc.gc.ca

Hey families! Tin Can Lantern Making Workshop, 7pm. Free!

Tin Lantern Workshop from 7p.m.-9p.m.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Victoria Park Poolhouse

Join the Friends of Victoria Park and learn how to make your very own tin can lanterns for Festival On Fire. This event will be located in Victoria Park at the Pool House. Parking can be found just off of Sudbury Street (Near the Ball Field). Please bring a Hammer and a possible design idea. If you have some extra time perhaps have the design drawn out on paper before you come down to save some time.

All are welcome and this event is absolutely FREE!

For other Festival On Fire events, visit www.festivalonfire.ca

38 Newfoundland and Labrador communities to participate in Festival On Fire

The Festival On Fire, Newfoundland and Labrador's second annual Folklife Festival, starts this week. To date, 38 communities from all across the province are participating in the festival, with bonfire night celebrations from Channel-Port aux Basques to Rigolet to Pouch Cove!

I'm delighted to see so many communities listing their bonfires, and I'm hoping that a lot of families get out there to support the work being done by town councils and volunteer fire departments to keep this tradition alive.

The events kick off tonight, November 1st, in Labrador City, with most community bonfires happening on November 5th.

To see the full list of communities participating, see:
http://www.festivalonfire.ca

If your community bonfire isn't listed, send an email to ichprograms@gmail.com

Photographers: Get Ready For Bonfire Night!

There is only one week left till Bonfire Night! Photographers, get your cameras ready! We are encouraging people to go out, and take as many pictures of this year's Bonfire Night celebrations in Newfoundland and Labrador as possible, and then to share them online.

To help with that, we've started a "Bonfire Night Newfoundland" Group on Flickr. Post your photos on Flickr (free for a basic account), join the Bonfire Night Group, and tag away!

There is already a growing collection of photos from previous years. Here is one of my favourites, shot by Andrew Draskoy:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/adraskoy/290862798/

Where can I find a bonfire to shoot?

We've compiled a full list of official town bonfires from every corner of Newfoundland and Labrador as part of our Festival on Fire. You can find the full list at http://www.festivalonfire.ca

How can I take good fire photos?

There is an ongoing discussion on Flickr itself about taking photos of fire at night:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/olympusesystem/discuss/72157623161622530/

You can also check out these sites:
http://www.digital-photography-school.com/playing-with-fire-how-to-photograph-fire
and
http://www.learnmyshot.com/How+to+Photograph+Fire

Bonfire Night folklore collection on Memorial's Digital Archive Initiative

As part of this year's Festival on Fire, the ICH crew has been working on digitizing and preparing a special topic collection related to Bonfire Night traditions in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The collection is a work in progress, but you can browse the collection on Memorial's Digital Archive Initiative to see what has been added so far at:

http://collections.mun.ca/cdm4/description.php?phpReturn=browse.php&cisoroot=ich_bonfire

One of the exciting pieces digitized is Catherine Schwoeffermann's 1981 short documentary on Bonfire Night in Brigus. You can see the full video (including footage of flaming tires being rolled down the hill into the ocean!) at:

http://collections.mun.ca/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/ich_bonfire&CISOPTR=6&CISOBOX=1&REC=1