A trip to Indian Rock, Petty Harbour

I've been doing a little bit of digging into the folklore surrounding this glacial erratic in Petty Harbour, Newfoundland. Locally, it is known as Indian Rock, Injun Rock, and Engine Rock. Based on a historic photograph in the Centre for Newfoundland Studies, Indian Rock is probably the historic name, with "Injun" and then "Engine" being later reinterpretations of the name.

It is also referred to in a couple places as a logan stone, from an old English or Cornish word meaning to rock back and forth.  The earliest reference to Indian Rock as a logan stone is from William Grey's Sketches of Newfoundland and Labrador, (Ipswich, England: S. H. Cowell, Anastatic Press, 1858). Accompanying a sketch of Petty Harbour, Grey writes,

"On the hill opposite the church is a curious rock, which Druidical antiquaries would call a Logan stone."

This name for the rock was referenced in an article by folklorist Philip Hiscock in 1998 (Downhomer, 11.5 pp 18-19) and then later by popular Newfoundland author Jack Fitzgerald in 2009 (Remarkable Stories of Newfoundland, Creative Publishers, pp 3-5).

I'd love to know anything people remember about this rock, particularly about the origin of the name Indian Rock. If you have a memory or a story, email me at ich@heritagefoundation.ca.

- Dale Jarvis

Thrown blood and stolen luck - a Newfoundland superstition

Recently, I came across this quote linking blood and luck:

"The settlers had many superstitions and were obsessed by a belief in the presence of ghosts. It was common to hear of a man, who, while rowing across the harbor, had seen a phantom French ship, with many soldiers aboard, also crossing. Others had seen an Indian ghost following them from one settlement to another. Their superstitions were legion and I shall mention only one. During the seal hunt if a successful hunter saw anybody throwing blood out of his boat into the boat of another, a fight was sure to follow because the hunter believed that his luck was being stolen."

- from J. Morgan, "Recollections of Harbour Deep," September 1957, page 5, Atlantic Guardian Vol 14, no 9

Has anyone come across this folk belief before? If so, drop me a line at ich@heritagefoundation.ca.

- Dale Jarvis

Folklore, fieldwork, and forgotten cemeteries

 

In the 2013 August/September issue of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Update: students start the Folklore 6020 field school in Quidi Vidi; the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador launches its most recent publication, on lych-gates in Newfoundland; archaeologist Sarah Ingram gives an update on the wells and springs project; Nicole Penney reports on digitizing the Baccalieu Trail Heritage Corporation Oral History Collection; we have a report on HFNL's recent tombstone rubbing workshop; and notes on a little-known cemetery in Clarke's Beach, Conception Bay.

Contributors: Dale Jarvis, Nicole Penney, Lisa Wilson, Sarah Ingram, Claire McDougall. Photo of the Isaac Snow grave marker by Claire McDougall.

The newsletter is available online as a pdf document. 

Doors Open St. John's returns for 2013

Guest blog post by Christina Robarts

September 7-8 from 10am-4pm

It’s that time of year once again for the annual Doors Open event. Every year various sites around the city of St. John’s open their doors to visitors free of charge. For those who don’t know Doors Open is a unique opportunity for citizens and visitors to the province to celebrate our heritage through the exploration of some of our hidden historical, architectural and cultural gems. Doors open events are community-wide, open-hours events which provide the public access to architecturally, historically or culturally significant or interesting properties, free of charge, within a given time frame. The places and spaces included may be those which normally charge fees, or are not usually open to or promoted to the public.

This year we have 16 returning favourites and 3 new sites:

16 returning favourites

• The Newman Wine Vaults
• Robin Hood Bay Waste Management Facility
• James J. O’Mara Pharmacy Museum, Apothecary Hall
• Basilica of St. John the Baptist and Basilica Museum
• The Anglican Cathedral of St. John the Baptist
• Clovelly Stables Community
• Art Gallery at the Refugee and Immigrant Advisory Council
• Central Fire Station
• Crow’s Nest Officers’ Club
• Quidi Vidi Plantation and Craft Incubator
• Quidi Vidi Brewery
• The Railway Coastal Museum
• The YMCA of Northeast Avalon
• St. John’s Farmers’ Market
• Winterholme Heritage Inn and Spa
• Suncor Energy Fluvarium

3 Sites participating for the first time

• The Peter Lewis Gallery
• Logy Bay-Middle Cove-Outer Cove Museum
• FarOut Fitness

Admission is FREE to all sites. For more details about times and days of participating sites please visit www.doorsopendays.com , Like Doors Open Days on Facebook or @DoorsOpenDaysNL on Twitter or on Instagram @DoorsOpenNL.

You can also email Christina Robarts, Doors Open Days 2013 Coordinator at doorsopendays@gmail.com

This event is sponsored by: CBC, The Telegram, Newfoundland Historic Trust, City of St. John’s, Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canadian Heritage, and Heritage Canada Foundation.

Tuesday's Folklore Photo: That's one dirty old...shut your mouth!

When I happen to have a boil up with folks from away I can't help but point at the kettle on the fire, lean in close and whisper mischievously, "Do you know what we call that in Newfoundland"?

They, of course, say "no" and I giggle like a child who just learned about beaver architecture, the actual name for a female dog and donkey synonyms all in one glorious afternoon.

I blurt out, "It's called a slut!", while thinking, "please ask me why it's called that, please ask me why it's called that."

The inevitable question follows and I practically explode.

"Because they're fast and dirty"!!

I sit back then, far more proud than I should be of this awful one-liner. Who do I think I am? Henny Youngman?

But I can't help myself so I giggle and ask, "Do you know what we call dandelions here"?

Job Posting - Educational Assistant at The Rooms

LOCATION: Education and Public Programming Unit, The Rooms Corporation of
Newfoundland and Labrador, 9 Bonaventure Avenue, St. John’s, NL

DUTIES: Expressions of interest are invited from qualified individuals for
the position of a part-time Educational Assistant to provide support to the
Program Coordinator in the delivery of the Chevron Open Minds at The Rooms
program. Functions will include the delivery of group tours and related
education programs and workshops, meeting and greeting of Open Minds school
groups, setting up of learning materials and classroom space and responding
to student, teacher and volunteer queries. The Educational Assistant will
assist in the development of new programs and the ongoing evaluation of
program effectiveness and efficiency. Reporting to the Manager of
Education and Public Programming Unit, the educational assistant will also
perform related work as required. Employment is 19 hours per week, from
mid-September to mid-June.

QUALIFICATIONS: The Educational Assistant must possess strong communication
and interpersonal skills and experience in the delivery of interpretation
and/or educational programs. Successful applicants must have good knowledge
of museum/art gallery/ archives operations, background knowledge of
Newfoundland and Labrador history and culture, and the ability to adapt and
deliver hands-on education programs to a range of groups. These
qualifications would normally be acquired through successful completion of
the Heritage Interpreter Certificate, MANL Certificate Course, supplemented
by completion of university courses in history, archaeology, art history,
archival studies, biology, education, geography, or folklore. Equivalent
combinations of education and experience may be considered.

SALARY: $23/hour

Please forward you resume to:
The Rooms, P.O. Box 1800, Stn. C, St. John’s, NL A1C 5P9
Attention: Gillian Davidge or email gilliandavidge@therooms.ca

DEADLINE FOR APPLCIATIONS: September 10, 2013

Structures on Bonavista Peninsula to receive heritage plaques

On Tuesday, August 27, at St. Luke’s Anglican Church in Old Bonaventure, the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador (HFNL), will unveil a series of plaques recognizing the designation of Registered Heritage Structures on the Bonavista Peninsula.

“Registered Heritage Structures are buildings which are representative of a special time and place,” says Frank Crews, Chairperson, HFNL. “Above all, a heritage structure of provincial significance must have significant historical interest and architectural design.”

The structures include Archibald Christian House (Trinity), Edwin and Priscilla Miller House (New Bonaventure), Evelley House (Trinity East), St. Luke’s Anglican Church (Old Bonaventure) and Monk’s House (King’s Cove).

Attending the ceremony is Trinity area MHA; Ross Wiseman, Municipality of Trinity Bight; along with officials from HFNL and the Trinity Historical Society Foundation and citizens from Trinity and surrounding communities.

“The designation of these buildings represents an important part of our province’s heritage,” explains Crews. “The preservation of the built heritage and culture of the peninsula has made it one of the most notable heritage regions in the province.”

Individuals interested in having a structure recognized as a Registered Heritage Structure can find more information online at www.heritagefoundation.ca or by calling 1-888-739-1892.

August 27, 2013
2:00 pm
St. Luke’s Anglican Church, Old Bonaventure.

The plaque ceremony will commence at 2pm, with refreshments afterwards. Join us and help celebrate the unique built heritage of the region. The event is free and open to the public.

Archibald Christian House 
http://www.heritagefoundation.ca/property-search/property-details-page.aspx?id=57

Edwin and Priscilla Miller House
http://www.heritagefoundation.ca/property-search/property-details-page.aspx?id=1677

Evelly House 
http://www.heritagefoundation.ca/property-search/property-details-page.aspx?id=138

St. Luke's Anglican Church 
http://www.heritagefoundation.ca/property-search/property-details-page.aspx?id=246

Monk's House
http://www.heritagefoundation.ca/property-search/property-details-page.aspx?id=289

Archaeology and Wells

Archaeologists thrive on finding the refuse of the past. By uncovering the remnants of meals, household items, clothing and daily life, we can try and better understand the culture we are studying, which is done through document research, surveying, excavation, and analysis. For an archaeologist, the less disturbed a site is when we arrive to do an analysis, the better the information we can collect. Excavation is all about relationships: how the different artifacts relate to the site, and how they relate to each other. 

Water has always been an important resource, and any archaeological excavation will either find a place where water was found and collected nearby, or where a well was dug or a spring was used. As a historical archaeologist, I know several 16th and 17th century sites in Newfoundland had wells, or have documentation associated with them that comments on how clean and pure the local water was. Wells hold the opportunity to not only hide within them a rich collection of archaeological artifacts, but the majority also have these artifacts still layered in the order they were deposited, allowing the archaeologist to understand changes through time much more clearly.

Ferryland, Newfoundland has at least two wells associated with the site: one that dates to the late 17th century, and one that was uncovered a few field seasons ago. While only preliminary reports are available on the newest find, Dr. Barry Gaulton from the MUN Archaeology department, the lead archaeologist at Ferryland, was able to share details about the Ferryland well.

“It was stone lined, 25 feet deep, built upon a wooden curb (found at the base of the well), and dates to the late 17th century. An elderly man from the community (Wilfred Costello, now deceased) who told Jim [Tuck] in 1994 about the location of the well … Wilfred’s grandfather told him about the well when Wilfred was only a young boy. Even at this time (about 80 years ago) the well was no longer visible, and there was certainly no trace of it on the landscape in the 1990’s”.

Photo from the Colony of Avalon Foundation (website http://www.heritage.nf.ca/avalon/arch/planters_well-2.html)

Wilfred came to Jim Tuck, the then lead archaeologist on the site, with a story that he had been told by his grandfather of an abandoned well on the Downs; “how a young boy had accidentally [fallen] into this old abandoned well and drowned. The residents of Ferryland at the time (probably late 1800’s) retrieved the boy and filled in the well with large rocks so no one else would be hurt. The archaeological evidence certainly corroborates this story. The well was [rapidly] filled from top to bottom with rocks and some 19th century debris”.

The Ford’s well in Cupids, Newfoundland, was once a simple spring coming out of the rocks, but now is surrounded with a cement base and has a recycled stop sign fashioned as a cover. William Gilbert, the head archaeologist on the Cupids plantation, believed that the brewhouse of John Guy was in close proximity to it, and although past survey work did not reveal its location, it could still be hidden closer to the shore for future excavations to uncover. Future excavations could be dictated based on interpreting this spring as an important element of the early site layout.

There is also a wellhouse in behind the current Cupids archaeological dig, where the plantation house sits. It has been sealed for safety reasons, and has not been excavated yet, though Bill does hope he can get to it in the future. An untouched well is a great situation for refuse. For one, once a well has served its purpose and is no longer used, it is likely that a community will use it to get rid of garbage, and so many wells have layers of preserved refuse from past residents. Secondly, the layers are less disturbed than those on the surface, as the natural processes and human activity that affect surface artifacts do not affect the artifacts preserved in a well. Unfortunately, Bill has yet to find the time or the funding to schedule the well excavation, and so it remains untouched for the future.

Stories like how the location of the Ferryland well was found, or how interest was sparked in the Ford’s well in Cupids that lead archaeologists to a potential feature no longer visible on the ground surface really demonstrate how important and valuable oral histories can be as a contribution to archaeology. These passed on stories and legends show how both folklore and archaeology can work hand in hand to understand and preserve the past. It’s something that I love about archaeology; combining the past and the present together to gain a better understanding of the landscape, and incorporating the community and the local tradition into my analysis to find something not readily visible from the surface. Wells especially are a great resource, and one that can easily become hidden from the ground; sometimes these types of stories are the only way they can be found!

If you have any wells, springs or water memories that you would like to share, please reach out! You can email me at Sarah@heritagefoundation.ca, or call me at 739-1892 ext. 7

Tuesday's Folklore Photo: Berry Combs

Update: I was informed that the item below is not a berry comb but actually a dory bailer, used to scoop out water from a boat. The bailer is also known as a a piggin, peggin, spudgel, spudget, spudgin or spudgy.  It looks a lot like a berry comb, but that's what I love about this job, you learn something new all the time! :D  

Around this time every year I love to go berry picking. I pick mostly blueberries and find something very satisfying about gathering my own food, especially when it's free. Don't get me wrong, I love a good strawberry U-Pick, but around here you don't have to go far to find a barren or boggy area full of blueberries. Berry picking can be hard on the back, so to make the work faster people have used berry combs, like the one pictured below.

Dory Bailer: Located in the Woody Island Museum

That berry comb above is actually missing the comb part, so I borrowed a picture of a complete one, featured below.This one is similar to the one used in Newfoundland, but was used by a man who lived on the southern shore of Lake Washington in Seattle.

Here are a few terms used in Newfoundland and Labrador related to berry picking:

berry box: wooden box used by pickers to carry harvest of partridge- and blueberries.
T 1-631 We used to go berry picking and take berry boxes, forty or fifty, a couple of us together. We'd fill them.

berry duff: a boiled or steamed pudding with wild berries as an ingredient.
1966 HORWOOD 19 Blueberry pudding, loaded with luscious fruit, boiled in a cloth, and popped open, fresh from the pot and dripping with purple juice, on the kitchen table. 

berry crop: the harvest of wild berries: 1976 Daily News 14 July, p. 2 Berry crops are blooming early this year and the director of the soils and crops division with the department of forestry and agriculture, is expecting a good season. 'Blueberries, partridge berries and bakeapples are already in bloom,' he said.

 

Va 94-36.1; Berry Picking: Women and Children Berry Picking on a Hill [193-]
Courtesy of The Rooms Provincial Archives  

berry ocky: home-made drink of wild berries, esp partridge berries, or jam and water; cp OCKY. 

berry ground: elevated, unwooded stretch of land or 'barren' producing wild berries. See also GROUND.

berry note: buyer's receipt issued to picker for quantity of berries received.
1972 MURRAY 261 Those who sold berries were given a 'berry note' indicating the amount of berries 'shipped' and the price per gallon. The value of the note had to be 'taken up' in goods in the store where the berries were shipped.
 

VA 15D-20.2. Man Berry-Picking, Portland Creek, NL [ca 1940-49]
Courtesy of The Rooms Provincial Archives. 

-Nicole