Folklore Photo: Masonic Temple in Twillingate

This photo is of the Masonic Temple in Twillingate, built by Joshua Roberts in 1906. Dated 1908, this photo was found while cleaning up the Heritage Foundation's heritage structure designation files. Click here if you'd like more information about the Masonic Temple in Twillingate.  -Nicole

Root Cellars Rock The Rooms

Coffee and Culture: Root Cellars
March 14, 2:30pm
The Rooms Theatre

How do you keep vegetables fresh without electricity? In a root cellar of course! From use in years past to modern day, root cellars have become iconic in Newfoundland and Labrador. Folklorist Crystal Braye and Sarah Ferber from Root Cellars Rock will be at The Rooms to tell you all about them. Presented in collaboration with the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador.

 

Root cellar photos courtesy of Crystal Braye.

Lectures, launches, and living spaces

In the March 2013 edition of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Update for Newfoundland and Labrador: we announce the launch of "Living Spaces: The Architecture of the Family Fishery in Keels, Newfoundland,” a report based on the 2012 Keels Folklore Field School, edited by Dr. Gerald Pocius; researchers Lisa Wilson and Christina Robarts provide articles celebrating International Women’s Day; we announce a series of March events related to cultural landscapes and root cellars; and we gear up for “Newfiki – A celebration of Eastern-European cultures in Newfoundland” with stories, music, art, and a pierogi-making workshop with instruction by the Department of Folklore’s Dr. Mariya Lesiv.

Contributors: Dale Jarvis, Lisa Wilson, Christina Robarts, Crystal Braye. 

Download the pdf version of the newsletter

How to Make Your Own Sauerkraut

Fermenting your own sauerkraut is simple to do and takes very little preparation time--all you need is a head of cabbage (or more if you wish), salt, and a fermentation pot. I made some last week to help get excited for our Newfiki Festival. This Celebration of Eastern-European Cultures in Newfoundland takes place from March 20th-23rd. I myself am from an Eastern European family in Alberta and so had access to homemade sauerkraut throughout my childhood. When I was older, I realized that I would have to learn how to make it on my own in order to help keep our family tradition going. Mine is nowhere near as delicious as my grandmother's, but I am getting there. Here's a photo-guide of what I do:

Step 1: Clean and chop or shred cabbage (shredding is ideal but if you don't have a shredder, a sharp knife will do the trick).

Step 2: Mix chopped cabbage with salt until each piece of cabbage is lightly covered (I try to use the least amount possible, but too little will be detrimental).

Step 3: Put the cabbage into a fermentation (stoneware) pot, a large glass container will do nicely as well. A lid is not necessary.

Step 4: Pack the cabbage down as much as possible, until its natural juices leave the cabbage. I pour in a little bit of cabbage at a time, and punch it down in layers. I am using an official sauerkraut puncher here, but you can utilize any kind of blunt tool, as long as it has been cleaned in very hot water.

Step 5: Once punched down, place a large heavy weight (such as a plate with a heavy sterile stone on it), onto the cabbage. This helps push the cabbage under the salty juices which is very important to prevent rotting--it cannot be exposed to air. If you weren't able to extract natural juices, that is no problem, you can add salted water and keep it submerged under that. Cover the top with a clean kitchen towel to keep dirt and dust out, then store in a warm place

For fermentation to take place, there must be adequate salt and the pot must be stored in a warm place. In about 4-6 weeks the cabbage should be fully fermented and ready to eat. When it has started doing its job, it will take on a sour smell (which you will notice throughout your house), and it will also start bubbling. Be sure to check on it once a week to remove any 'scum' that might be forming on or around the plate. If there are signs of mold, simply remove before it takes over the whole pot. I once met a Bulgarian woman in St. John's who claimed that she could save any ailing sauerkraut, so if something goes wrong, there's always hope.

Good luck making your own sauerkraut and let us know how it goes.
 Contact: lisa@heritagefoundation.ca.

-Lisa

Tuesday's Folklore Photo: Family Photo

 

 



This photo was sent to me by Josie, one of the many people I have had the pleasure to interivew for the Newfiki project. The photo was taken in St. Stajn, Austria,  in 1969 during period of time when her and her family were waiting for their Canadian sponsor papers to be approved. Pictured in the photo is her father Jozef Springer, herself Jozica-Nevenka Springer and her mother Dragica Grandovec-Springer.

Can you Date these Photos?

Can you help the ICH Office date these photos? They were taken by Richard Stoker outside Christ Church in Quidi Vidi Village, St. John's.

L-R: Bob Phillips (Executive Director of Heritage Canada),
 Shannie Duff, Bev Miller and Shane O'Dea

Shane O'Dea and Bob Phillips

Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Program grant deadline April 15

The Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Program program supports initiatives that involve the safeguarding of traditions and culture.

There has long been awareness among Aboriginal groups of the increasingly urgent need to preserve their culture by passing along knowledge to the next generation. In some cases, this program may build on efforts already initiated by Aboriginal organizations. These initiatives include: language programs that build pride and establish identity; traditional music programs for children; and events that encourage the interaction of elders and children through storytelling, craft, and going out on the land.

This program aims to build capacity among Aboriginal groups in Newfoundland and Labrador in the areas of knowledge and skills development related to the safeguarding of ICH.

What types of projects can be funded?
· Documenting and recording cultural knowledge through research, collecting oral histories, and inventorying aspects of cultural heritage

· Passing on cultural knowledge through teaching, demonstrations, publications, and websites

· Educating and raising awareness of cultural traditions

· Recognizing tradition-bearers through awards and special events

· Celebrating with festivals and events, or incorporating cultural activities into existing events

· Identifying and supporting cultural enterprises that use aspects of traditional culture (for example, craft production; cultural tourism)

· Professional development for Aboriginal cultural workers, educators and knowledge holders

What is the program deadline?
The deadline for the receipt of applications is April 15, 2013. Projects must be completed by March 31, 2014.

For more information and application forms, contact:

Lucy Alway, Heritage Program Officer
Tel: 709-729-1409
Email: lucyalway@gov.nl.ca

Dale Jarvis, Intangible Cultural Heritage Development Officer
Tel: 1-888-739-1892
Email: ich@heritagefoundation.ca

(photo: canoe under construction, Conne River)

In Requiem: Alice Lannon, Storyteller and Tradition Bearer

It is with great sadness that I have to report the passing of one of Newfoundland and Labrador's treasures, Mrs Alice Lannon. Alice passed away this morning at the Palliative Care Unit of the Miller Centre here in St. John's.

Pat, Alice's daughter, emailed me today with the news. Pat writes, "She had been diagnosed with cancer in the fall. In the past few months all the medical people who have treated her were exposed to a few stories along the way. A week ago today she was admitted to the Miller Centre with her health deteriorating rapidly. She amazed everyone on Friday and Saturday and was obviously delighted to tell stories to everyone."

Alice was one of the last great tellers of traditional Newfoundland fairytales in the province, who learned many of her stories orally from her grandmother. In 2010, when Newfoundland hosted the Storytellers of Canada/Conteurs du Canada national conference, Alice was one of the gems of storytelling we chose to highlight. She was a regular performer at the St. John's Storytelling Festival, and someone we all loved. We were fortunate enough to have recorded her session at the SC-CC conference, and the stories she told that day are part of the permanent collection on Memorial University's Digital Archives Initiative.

To better understand her important place in the oral traditions of the province, listen to her introduction by the Department of Folklore's Dr. Martin Lovelace.

Or, better yet, stop what you are doing for the next 17 minutes, and listen to Alice tell one of my favourite Newfoundland folktales, "Open, Open, Green House."

We've lost a treasure today. I'll miss you Alice, very much.

Alice will be waked on Fri. Sat. and Sun. at Maher's Funeral Home in Placentia with her funeral on Monday morning @ 11:00 am from the Our Lady of Angels Roman Catholic Church in Placentia.

Condolences can be sent through their website:
www.mahersfuneralhome.ca/obituaries

Getting Closer to Designation, Heart's Content

 

On the evening of February 27th, 2013, the Heritage Foundation held a public meeting in Heart's Content to discuss the upcoming heritage district designation. This designation, scheduled for July of this year, aims to commemorate the unique history and architecture that resulted from the long-term presence of the telegraph cable industry in this community. Our meeting took place in the beautifully restored SUF Hall, a historic building in central Heart's Content.We had excellent turn-out with over 25 residents showing up to ask questions and learn more about what this kind of commemoration will mean to the community. This meeting was important for the HFNL because it gave us an opportunity to find out what issues are important to the people who live here and how heritage-related projects might help address some of these. It was inspiring to have so many people show up and take interest in what is going on here, despite the blustery cold weather we had. Thanks to everyone for coming out, and for all of the great input. I look forward to a continued relationship with the town of Heart's Content, as well as the official plaque ceremony that we will be holding this summer.

-Lisa

Dale Jarvis addresses community members and discusses the impending heritage designation.

HFNL's George Chalker (in blue) standing with John, Bob, and Claude of the Mizzen Heritage Society.

Tuesday's Folklore Photo: Orangemen Marching Band

This photograph was provided by the Mizzen Heritage Society's archives in Heart's Content. It shows the Orangemen Brass Marching Band. At one time there were two marching bands in Heart's Content, and they played at all the different events in town. This photo is undated but is likely from the 1940s or 50s.

To learn more about the Orange Order of Canada, please click here.

-Lisa

Cupids Legacy Centre noticed by National Geographic

Cupids and the Cupids Legacy Centre have been named one of the 100 Places that Can Change Your Child’s Life. That’s according to a new book by the same name from National Geographic that lists 100 places around the world that author Keith Bellows considers must-see destinations for you and your child. 

In a section called “Continent’s Easterly Edge,” Bellows puts a spotlight on John Guy’s colony, the archaeological dig site, and the Cupids Legacy Centre in his short list of attractions on the Avalon Peninsula.

“Here in the region, we know the significance of our roots and the role Cupids played in the settlement of Newfoundland and Canada,” said Roy Dawe, Chair of Cupids Legacy Inc. when he learned of Cupids’ inclusion. “But to receive an endorsement such as this from such a world-class organization is a real honour—and gives a tremendous boost to our profile outside the province.”

Dawe also congratulated the other attractions on the Avalon recognized in the book, which include the Johnson GEO Centre, the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve and nearby boat tours, and Signal Hill.

For more information about the Cupids Legacy Centre and how you can visit, see www.cupidslegacycentre.ca.

Move over, Dildo - The new best placename in Newfoundland

This gem of a placename comes to us from a friend who is obviously spending too much of his worktime exploring Google Earth. But we all benefit from him slacking off.

I'd love to know if there are residents of St. Shott's who can explain the origins of the name of "Lumpycock Pond," located at 46.638ºN by 53.586ºW.

There must be a story to this place name! Drop me a line at ich@heritagefoundation.ca if you know one!

Report on Heritage Day 2013

Shown here are Minister Terry French, Victoria Fitzgerald, HaeNa Luther, and Ashley Synyard at the Heritage Day poster contest presentation which took place yesterday at The Plantation in Quidi Vidi.  Over 1000 students from 50 schools across the province produced submissions for the contest. This contest was open to all schools in the province, and was organized through HFNL.

Victoria Fitzgerald, a grade 11 student at Gonzaga High School, St. John’s, submitted the overall winning submission. The winning submissions at the other grade levels were:

• Primary – Jorja Pevie, Grade 3, Jakeman All Grade, Trout River, 
• Elementary – HaeNa Luther, Grade 5, Stella Maris Academy, Trepassey and, 
• Junior High – Ashley Synyard, Grade 7, Roncalli Central High, Avondale. 

Judges for the event included Margaret Walsh Best, artist and art educator; and Debra A. Barnable, visual artist and consultant.

Then, in the afternoon, I headed off to City Hall for the Heritage Day celebrations there. During the weekly City Council meeting, Mayor Dennis O’Keefe signed a proclamation which officially recognized the day as Heritage Day, and yours truly presented him with a copy of the Foundation's Heritage Day poster.

The City then presented Certificates of Recognition to the following residents and businesses:

• Todd Perin, Kim Doyle and Stephen Lee for 8 Barrows Road, The Mallard Cottage
• Christopher and Donna Hickman for 46 Circular Road, Brookdale
• Paul Crosbie and Ellen Dinn for 70 Circular Road, Sunnyside
• Glen Power and Florence Kennedy for 27 -29 Holloway Street
• Judy Ryerson, Quidi Vidi Village Foundation and Paul Chafe, Stantec for 10 Maple View Place, Quidi Vidi Village Plantation
• Craig Flynn and Brenda O’Reilly for 288 Water Street, YellowBelly Brewery and Public House
• G J Cahill & Company for 240 Waterford Bridge Road, The Tower Corporate Campus

“The heritage areas are the heart and soul of our City and we are very pleased today to honour commercial and residential property owners for their work in rehabilitating, restoring and celebrating our rich built heritage,” said Mayor O’Keefe. “These properties are a wonderful illustration of what can be accomplished when owners take pride in their homes, businesses and City. I am very pleased to congratulate each of our award recipients for the excellent work they have done in our heritage areas.”

Tuesday's Folklore Photo: Make and Break Art

As a folklorist, going out into the field can yield interesting and unexpected results. This past summer I was working on the 2012 Folklife Festival which focused on make and break engines. Doing fieldwork for this project, I expected to see a lot of boats, many engines, and even some time on the water. What I didn't expect was finding miniature versions of these traditional engines being made for use in art.

A work in progress - by Charlie Abbott (CBS).

A movable miniature installed in a model 'motor boat' - by Harry Pardy (Twillingate).

Another miniature engine in a model boat - by Otto Young (Twillingate).

A make and break powered model complete with skipper - by Victor Williams (Bay Bulls).

Another surprise was to find one of these artists making full scale replicas complete with moving parts and sound. Victor Williams creates replicas of Acadia 3 hp engines in his workshop in Bay Bulls. A series of spokes attached to the back of the flywheel hit against a small metal tab as the flywheel is manually turned. The result? The iconic tik-a-tok sound that could only come from a make and break engine. 

Victor Williams and his replica Acadia 3 hp (Bay Bulls).

Floating George and Annie Warren's House, Placentia Bay

Lisa Wilson and I are just back from a trip to Arnold's Cove, to meet with their local heritage committee on a web project they are undertaking, on the theme of resettlement.

Committee member Edna Penney shared with us this great image, which would have been a fairly typical sight during the resettlement period. It shows George and Annie Warren's house, being floated from Best's Harbour (Tack's Beach) to Arnold's Cove in July 1966.

If you've got a photo of a family house being floated, or hauled across the ice, we'd love to see it. Toss us a line at ich@heritagefoundation.ca

A Valentine's themed ICH newsletter, sealed with a kiss!

In this special February edition of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Update for Newfoundland and Labrador, our contributors get all romantic. Learn about the Heritage Foundation's celebration of Heritage Day 2013, enjoy some traditional Czech pernicky (gingerbread), explore love stories from the appropriately named community of Heart's Content, see how an outport nurse celebrated her honeymoon, and lock up your loved ones. We love you, folklore!

Download the PDF

Contributors: Andrea O'Brien, Christina Robarts, Lisa Wilson, Nicole Penney, Dale Jarvis

Russian Matryoshka Doll

The matryoshka doll, also known as the Russian nesting doll, is often painted and made out of wood. It consists of a set of wooden dolls of decreasing size. The doll typically follows the “object within a similar object” or onion metaphor by placing the smaller doll inside the larger doll. The image painted on the doll is traditionally of a Babushka, which means motherly figure; this is where it derives its name. Another image that is typically painted is that of a peasant woman. This babushka or peasant woman are drawn wearing a head scarf, also called sarafan, and a long and shapeless peasant jumper dress. Which is the traditional dress for Russia. The centre and smallest doll is generally a baby wrapped up in cloth.

The artwork can also range from very simple to very elaborate. Although public perception is that of the head-scarf-wearing woman figure, matryoshka dolls are not limited in theme or gender. Other subjects include: animals, Christmas objects, music, films, sports, fairy tales, popular culture figures, political leaders, and males in general.

The very first Russian matryoshka archetype is said to have appeared at the end of the nineteenth-century. Russia was having an interesting period of economic and cultural development, as well as a rising sense of national identity. Artists like S.I. Mamontov (1841-1918) used folk toys from local regions or foreign countries to express this new art movement. It is thought that the idea of the matryoshka doll came from Japan on the island of Honshu, and that the idea for the doll was adapted to fit the needs of the toy makers. However, there are other stories behind the creation of the first Russian matryoshka doll.

The dolls seen here are owned by Irina Glazkova, who came from Russia to Canada in 2007 in order to attend Memorial University. Her collection of Matryoshka dolls was given to her as a present from a friend who returned from a trip to Russia. Irina told me how she grew up with the dolls and how different regions of Russia have taken the doll and recreated and or adapted it to fit their own style.

Irina: Matryoshka dolls became an integral part of society. Differences are based on colour and ornaments. I played with them since I can remember. In addition, me and my mom would also make up stories about them.

Photos taken by Christina Robarts Jan. 20, 2013, of a Matryoshka doll (Russian nesting doll) owned by Irina Glazkova

Source: Soloviova, L.N. 1997. Matryoshka. Slovenia: Interbook Business.

Days of the Bulldozer

One thing you can count on during wintertime in Newfoundland is that everyone starts talking about the local snow plows. Whether you are happy with their work on your street, or have a dozen things to complain about, we all know that we are better off with them than without. I recently had a chat with Lloyd Smith of Heart's Content about how they used to deal with snow on the roads before the days of the plow. Our conversation was inspired by a photograph he showed me from 1959 of a bulldozer pushing snow off the roads. To see this photo and hear Lloyd's recollections of getting around during the winter when he was young, watch the video below. After that, hear him talk about how the town would use a horse and dray to deal with all the potholes that would appear once the snow had fully melted.


 
 

Fingers crossed that we don't get another huge snowfall anytime soon. In the meantime, let's all thank the local snow plowers who are doing a great deal of hard work this year. -Lisa

Fabulous stop-motion documentary on Irish furniture

If you are going to watch one stop-motion documentary on vernacular Irish furniture, watch this one!

I hadn't heard of this lovely little 2012 film, directed by Tony Donoghue, but it was recommended to me (thank you!) by Joy Hecht. Apparently, it has won an award for animation at the Sundance Film Festival. If you have 9 minutes or so to spare, check it out on YouTube.

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 

Bay Roberts Heritage District Plans

Yesterday evening Dale Jarvis and I traveled to Bay Roberts to join the local Heritage Advisory Committee for one of their monthly meetings. On the agenda was a topic that I have a vested interest in: The Bay Roberts Heritage District plan. The planning for district has been in the works for quite some time and will ultimately involve the official designation of Cable Avenue in Bay Roberts as a heritage district. This street is lined with houses that were built around 1913 by the Western Union cable company as accommodations for their staff. You will also see several large chestnut trees that were planted in 1915, just after the buildings were completed.

Over the next few months I will be collecting oral histories with residents who have either lived on this street or have some personal connection to this unique architectural district. Ultimately, the fieldwork I am doing will be put towards a special exhibit for the 100th year anniversary of the cable station in Bay Roberts.

The above image was taken in 1913 and shows the construction of Cable Ave. It is from the online  archival collection: The Cable Story--Bay Roberts Virtual Museum (provided by Bay Roberts Heritage Society Inc). Please contact me if you know anyone who has lived on Cable Avenue or has any stories to share about these buildings.

lisa@heritagefoundation.ca
709-739-1892 ext.3

-Lisa

12 tips for a better oral history or folklore interview

Nervous about your first oral history or folklore interview? It's OK, I'm here to help! Here are some tips and tricks to get you ready. And if you want, you can download this as a one-page PDF for handy reference.


1. If you haven't done any oral history interviewing before, think first about a focus or theme for your project.  Ask yourself, “Why am I doing this interview? What information do I want to get?”

2. Think about the type of interview you wish to do.  Life History Interviews focus on the life history of a person and the changes they may have experienced;  Topic Interviews collect information about a specific subject, workplace, skill or occupation.

3. Do an informal “pre-interview.”  Be clear with your “informant” - the person you are interviewing - that the interview is being recorded, and what it will be used for. Have a discussion in advance about the type of information of interest to you.

4. In general, have a list of topics in mind you want to cover in the interview, rather than a set list of questions. You might have some written starting questions to begin with, but then shift to your topic list and be flexible.

5. Start off with some easy questions, such as short biographical questions about name, date of birth, parents and the like. This gives you good identifying information at the start of the interview, and helps relax your informant. You can ask more detailed or personal questions after you both settle into the conversation.

6. Ask questions one at a time. If your question has two or three parts, ask them separately.

7. Ask open-ended questions that require more than a "yes" or "no" answer. Questions that start with “how” or “why” get you more interesting answers.

8. Use plain, straightforward words and avoid leading questions. Rather than asking “I suppose life as a fisherman was hard?”, ask “Can you describe what life was like for a fisherman?”

9. Ask follow-up questions. Then ask some more! If something is unclear, ask for clarification.

10. Don’t be afraid to ask questions to which you think you already know the answers. You might get suprising answers!

11. Be a good listener, and refrain from talking too much yourself. Use body language, nodding, and smiling to encourage your informant. Let them know, visually, that you are interested.

12. Don't let periods of silence fluster you. Just wait and don’t rush the interview. Sometimes people need a moment to complete their thoughts. If you are silent, chances are your informant will fill the gap by saying something more about the question you asked last.

• Have questions about questions? Ask your friendly neighbourhood folklorist, Dale Jarvis, at ich@heritagefoundation.ca

Tuesday's Folklore Photo: Russian Gzhel Folkcraft Hand Crank Coffee Mill

 

 

 

Photo taken by Christina Robarts Jan. 28, 2013

 

 

As part of the interviews conducted for the "Newfiki" project I have been documenting objects that immigrants coming to Canada have brought with them from their home country. The above photo is a picture of a porcelain hand crank coffee grinder mounted on the cabinet in the kitchen of O.V, in St. John's, NL. The top portion is decorated in the Gzhel style which is recognizable by its characteristic blue-and-white colour scheme.

Hunting Hogboons and Detecting Trows: Kids search out the supernatural

I had two meetings today about future folklore projects in Conception Bay, one in Bay Roberts and the other in Cupids. Perhaps unsurprisingly, talk of the fairies came up in both. Conception Bay is rich in fairy lore, and there seems to be a growing interest in communities in the area in documenting and celebrating these traditions.

While in Cupids, I mentioned two fairylore projects from across the pond, one from Shetland and the other from Orkney. I first heard about the Shetland project from storyteller Davy Cooper when he visited Newfoundland a few years back. The Shetland Museum and Archives had created a Trowie Knowe, the house of a "trow" - a type of small, ugly supernatural creature like a troll. They had also created a "Trow Detector" - a steampunkish looking device for alerting museum goers to nearly trows.

The Orkney project allowed kids to search out evidence of a similar type of creature, a hogboon, a mound-dwelling creature tied to particular families. The hogboon hunt was part of a one day workshop where participants used newly learnt archaeological skills like surveying, map making, photography, and collecting and documenting artefacts. You can check out the video of the kids on their hunt on Vimeo. The story in the piece is told by Orkadian storyteller Tom Muir.

Rousay Summer Club Survey from Mark Jenkins on Vimeo.

The Paranormal in Heart's Content

As a folklorist, it isn't every day that you get to hear a good ghost or fairy story, but then on some days, people will tell you two or three. Doing fieldwork for the Heart's Content heritage district this past Wednesday, a few residents shared some of what they know about the paranormal in Heart's Content. Art Cumby had a wonderful fairy story to share, along with a photograph of himself hanging out with the other boys he knew as a child. You'll find him standing up, wearing a striped shirt. He and his friend Art Button (also wearing a striped shirt) were just 11 years old when this happened to them:

Gina Balsom, on the other hand, has been working as an interpreter at the Cable Station historic site for several years. She explained that while she has never had any strange experiences or feelings in the old building, a few visitors certainly have. Here is what Gina had to say about working in a supposedly haunted space:

Thanks to Art and Gina for sharing their stories. In fact, I'm always looking for a good ghost or fairy story. If you know of any from the Heart's Content or Bay Roberts (my next heritage district destination), please drop me a line at lisa@heritagefoundation.ca.

-Lisa

Help us, universe, we need this type of headset. Ideas?

Hi all,

We have an antiquated (heritage?) phone system in our office, and we need to find a headset we can use with it.

The phones do NOT have a standard mini headset jack, they have an old fashioned phone jack port like this:

None of the usual places you'd buy phone/computer equipment in town sell headsets that fit these anymore. I'm looking for something that might look like this, with a headphone plug instead of a mini jack:

Anyone seen one of these lying around somewhere, or for sale in St. John's? If you have, email me at ich@heritagefoundation.ca 

The Arnold's Cove Water Truck, circa 1970

I mentioned in an earlier blog entry that we've been working with some local heritage enthusiasts in Arnold's Cove on a project to map out the legacy of resettlement in that community. We'll be running some community training over the next little bit, showing people how to create a Google map of some of their photos and stories.

The area of interest in Arnold's Cove contains over 70 buildings which were floated into the community during the resettlement period. The local heritage committee has located most of these on a paper map, and we'll be showing them how to transfer some of their collected information into a digital format which they can share online.

I drove out to Arnold's Cove this morning to plan out our workshop, and local volunteer Edna Penney showed me some of their historic material on the theme of resettlement.

The photo above is one of hundreds they've amassed. It was taken around March 1970, and shows one of the houses which was brought into Arnold's Cove. When the houses first arrived, many of them were not yet hooked up to town water, so the town had a water truck (pictured above) which delivered water to those dwellings.

If you have a memory of the Arnold's Cove water truck, or know any of the people in the photo, you can email me (Dale Jarvis) at ich@heritagefoundation.ca

Intangible Cultural Heritage Symposium in Alberta, Sept 2013

New Partnership with the Canadian Commission for UNESCO

The Alberta Museums Association (AMA) is pleased to announce an exciting new partnership with the Canadian Commission for UNESCO (CCU) to present the AMA’s 2013 Conference, which will explore the concept of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH).

The Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage defines five general topic areas of ICH:

(a) oral traditions and expressions, including language as a vehicle of the intangible cultural heritage;
(b) performing arts;
(c) social practices, rituals and festive events;
(d) knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe;
(e) traditional craftsmanship.[i]

Together, we aim to raise awareness about ICH and to provide the Alberta museum community with the opportunity to start thinking about what role they play to foster and preserve ICH. A coordinated partnership between the AMA and CCU will utilize the capacity of each organization to expand the audience and level of understanding for ICH and its role in creating a sense of cultural belonging.

Intangible Cultural Heritage Symposium
September 19, 2013

Presented by the AMA and CCU, the 2013 Pre-Conference Symposium will be dedicated to the exploration of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) from a theoretical perspective. The ICH Symposium will help to foster the discussion around the importance of culture in our society. The one-day event will feature presentations by recognized experts in the ICH field. This innovative and inspiring opportunity will positively impact the museum community by bringing together museums, academia and practitioners to examine issues around ICH; thereby contributing to the social, cultural, and educational fabric of our communities as well as increasing awareness of ICH practices.

[i] UNESCO, “General Provisions: Article 2.2 – Definitions,” Text of the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage (Accessed 5 November 2012).

Contact:

Carrie Ann Lunde, BA, MA
Communications Lead
Alberta Museums Association

Suite 404, 10408.124 Street
Edmonton, Alberta T5N 1R5
P: 780.424.2626 x. 244
F: 780.425.1679
E: clunde@museums.ab.ca
W: www.museums.ab.ca

How I Spent My Summer

Summer in Port Royal from Knoah on Vimeo.

How I Spent My Summer is a short video that was filmed by Noah Bender during this past summer in Port Royal.  Four of us lived together in a cabin on resettled Long Island participating in a cemetery restoration project. Our group was made up of two folklorists, an artist, and a carpenter. Together we worked hard to preserve 25 headstones... but as you will see in the video, we also had a summer of great leisure and adventure. It was a wonderful few months and all of us feel fortunate to have spent time in such a beautiful place. -Lisa

Newfoundland Pony Census Project

This past summer I was privileged to work with the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador to learn about and document one mode of transportation that helped develop our province, the make and break engine. This winter, I continue my research into historically important methods of transportation and development in our province by taking an indepth look at Canada’s only heritage animal: the Newfoundland Pony.

The Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Newfoundland Pony Society are coming together this winter to try to get a better picture of how many of these heritage animals are left in our province. A census will begin to be completed over a twelve week period which will attempt to create a database of all the ponies in the province. 

By conducting oral interviews and recording details of ponies, we hope to identify ponies that may have been mistaken for horses or other equine types. This will be done by recording physical features of ponies and comparing them to guidelines set forth by the Newfoundland Pony Society. The hope is that there will be ponies which have not been identified as such and with this comes the promise of there being a larger population than currently known. This would add to the overall population of the pony type.

The reasoning for this project is really quite simple. Worldwide, the current Newfoundland Pony population is thought to be around 400 ponies and only 250 of these ponies have reproductive capabilities. This number is down from around 12,000 in the 1970s! With the threat of extinction on the horizon it is important for us to recognize all animals which may be of the Newfoundland Pony type. This project will hopefully identify animals who have not been previously documented so that a population can be better determined. This project could help secure the future of the Newfoundland Pony. 

Max (Maximus of the Avalons’ Lucky Seven) is owned by Peter Halley of Spirit of NL. He is a 10 years old, 14.2 hands high, and weighs approximately 800lbs. Max is a radical changer, referring to the fact that his coat changed in color from the time he was born (as a bay) throughout the seasons for his first five years of life, and is now settled with a beautiful light grey coat.

This work also hopes to bring awareness to the plight of the Newfoundland Pony. Many Newfoundlanders and Labradorians do not realize that the Newfoundland Pony exists, or, if they recognize the name, they mistakenly liken it to the much smaller miniature pony types. The knowledge of the Newfoundland Pony is held with the older generations but it is due time that our heritage animal be recognized across our province for the animal that it is. The oral history project, which will be conducted simultaneously with the census, hopes to document the memories of Newfoundland Ponies on our island throughout our history so that future generations can understand the relationship between our provinces development and these noble animals.

These hard working, diligent, and strong ponies are often fondly remembered by their owners. These animals helped improve the livelihood of many people in our province throughout the ages and were seen as an indispensable part of life until the introduction of modern technology. Used for many work purposes, such as drafting and carting, as well as recreational travel, either being hitched to a sled or being rode, these animals created opportunities for people that would have been impossible otherwise - hauling wood through the forest in the winter or seeking medical attention in a nearby town. Capturing the memories created during such work and outings will provide an indepth history of how the Newfoundland Pony has been utilized in our past and give an indication of how important these animals have been throughout our development.

If you own and Newfoundland Pony, or think you might, and would like to get involved with our project, please call 1-888-739-1892 ext. 5 or email joelle@heritagefoundation.ca.

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!