Workshop - Collecting Oral Histories around Anniversaries and Milestone events. Nov 9, Corner Brook.

“Collecting Oral Histories around Anniversaries and Milestone events: Digital collection methods of the stories and descriptions of artifacts in collections.”

Date: Wednesday, November 9, 2016; 9:00 am to 4:30 pm.
Location: Corner Brook, NL. Venue to be determined.

Collecting the oral history of an artifact is an important part of collections management. When people assemble at anniversaries and millstone event exhibitions opportunities to collect information on collections are created, and museums should be prepared to use these interactions with the public to collect and enhance collections records. The stories of veterans and people associated with artifacts should be properly recorded.

This workshop will provide information on the proper recording methods for oral history in museum settings. These histories will enable participants to enhance artifact records by recording stories on digital media. Participants will learn proper methods for digitizing audio and video recordings including the use of electronic devices, recording best practices and proper methods of digital storage. These recordings maybe used to enhance the display of artifacts.

Instructor for the Workshop: Dale Jarvis, Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador
Enrolment Limits: Maximum of 20
Registration fees: $85 for MANL members, $110 for non-members
Registration Deadline: November 1, 2016

To register, contact Museums Association of NL 

Living Heritage Podcast Ep058 Tomboy Survival Guide

Ivan Coyote is the award-winning author of ten books, the creator of four short films, and has released three albums that combine storytelling with music. Ivan is a seasoned stage performer and long-time road dog, and over the last eighteen years has become an audience favourite at storytelling, writer's, film, poetry, and folk music festivals from Anchorage to Amsterdam. Ivan's 11th book, Tomboy Survival Guide, was released in the fall of 2016 with Arsenal Pulp Press. In this podcast, we discuss the writing process, performing, Ivan’s new book Tomboy Survival Guide, trans and queer stories shared after Ivan’s performances, and their latest projects.

Listen on the Digital Archive:
http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/singleitem/collection/ich_oral/id/693/rec/1

Photo courtesy www.ivancoyote.com   

Announcing the 12th Annual Heritage Places Poster Contest!

The 2016-2017 school year marks the 12th year of the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Heritage Places Poster Contest.

In every community across Newfoundland and Labrador there are buildings, structures and lands that hold historical significance. They represent our past and need to be protected for our future. Talk to your students about these special places in their community and ask what they mean to them. Students are asked to create a poster themed after an existing heritage place (demolished buildings or recently constructed buildings will not be considered). They must also prepare a short written statement explaining the importance of their chosen place. Suggested lengths for this statement are as follows:

Primary (K-grade 3): 1-2 sentences Elementary (grades 4-6): 3-5 sentences
Junior High (grades 7-9): 1-2 paragraphs Senior High (grades 10-12): 2 paragraphs or up to a page

In addition to student prizes, the overall winner’s school will receive $750 and the three runners- up’s schools will receive $300 each.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact Andrea O’Brien at 1-888-739-1892.

Our website www.heritagefoundation.ca and our Facebook page @heritagefoundationnl are both great resources for students.

Wooden Boat Heritage 2016 - Heritage Skills

Heather Elliott (Youth Ambassador and Wooden Boat Board Member) and Crystal Braye (Wooden Boat Museum Folklorist).

Last week the Wooden Boat Museum of Newfoundland and Labrador hosted Wooden Boat Heritage 2016 which was a three day event focused on the celebration and use of wooden boats and traditional skills. There were speakers from across the world – Basque Country, Connecticut, New York, Washington, Scotland, Nova Scotia, and many parts of Newfoundland. The speakers focused on different elements of wooden boats and gave presentations on how reconstructed wooden boats can celebrate the past and renew interest an interest in maritime heritage, how wooden boats can be used in experiential learning and in tourism, and how wooden boats can be used to teach youth new skills they can use in many aspects of their lives.

Aside from the presentations about wooden boats there were also musicians who performed, and facilitators who moderated working groups to develop new ideas on how the Wooden Boat Museum should develop over the next few years. The highlight of Wooden Boat Heritage 2016 was the Heritage Skills Challenge in which participants, and youth volunteers learned how to use a variety of tradition tools and skills which would be used in building boats and fishing. The event took place in Petty Harbour and was organised in partnership with Fishing for Success. Here is a selection of photos from the event!

Terra Barrett of the Heritage Foundation learning how to knit nets.

Ema Kirbirkstis (Youth Ambassador) casting a net.

Facing off in the adze challenge.

Wooden Boat Museum Board Member Frank French and Eileen Matthews of Heritage New Perlican working together on the double ended saw.

Adam Green of Rock the Boat and Youth Ambassador Emma Lang face off in the splitting fish challenge.

Evelyn Ansel explaining how caulk a boat with oakum.

Youth Ambassador Lisa Daly tying a withe (wiff).

Rowing competition.

Which skill is your favourite? What would you like to learn?

~Terra Barrett

Living Heritage Podcast Ep057 The Wren Boys of Dingle

Aoife Granville is from Dingle, Co. Kerry (Ireland). A flute player, fiddler and traditional singer, she completed a PhD thesis in 2012 entitled at University College Cork entitled "We never died a winter yet" The Sráid Eoin Wrenboys of Dingle: Music, Community and Identity. Aoife has held lectureship posts in Music at UCC and Newcastle University (UK) and is currently working at the Folklore department at UCC. She has released two solo albums to date and is working on an Arts Council of Ireland funded project on traditional songs of The Schools Collection (Irish Folklore Commission) at present.

In this podcast, we talk about Dingle, growing up within a musical tradition, fife and drum groups, calendar customs, the routes taken by wren groups on St. Stephen’s day, parades, disguises, traditional tunes, straw hats, and the evolution of wren traditions in Ireland and Newfoundland!

Listen on the Digital Archive:

http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/singleitem/collection/ich_oral/id/694/rec/1

Photo courtesy Aoife Granville/Facebook

A Life-Changing Experience: Memories of City of St. John’s Volunteers Booklet Launch

Lossie Trask, Linda Furey, Marie Ryall, Ruby Hann, Terra Barrett, Dale Jarvis, and Mayor Dennis O'Keefe at the booklet launch. 

On Tuesday the Heritage Foundation and the City of St. John’s Community Services Department launched the booklet A Life-Changing Experience: Memories of City of St. John’s Volunteers. The booklet launch took place in the Foran Green Room of City Hall at the Council Meeting. The five volunteers who were interviewed for the booklet came out and were treated to some snacks before being invited into the Council Meeting where the booklet and the women were recognized.

A Life-Changing Experience: Memories of City of St. John’s Volunteers is the first booklet in the Collective Memories Series produced by the Heritage Foundation. This booklet focuses on the experience of five City of St. John’s volunteers and their reflections and advice on volunteering in the community. The bulk of the work for this project was completed by Conservation Corps summer student Sarah Hannon who completed interviews, transcribed, and edited the booklet.

The volunteer booklet is part of the foundation’s Collective Memories Project. This project is an initiative of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Office of the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador, with funding provided by the Department of Children, Seniors, and Social Development. The Collective Memories Project invites seniors to record their stories and memories for sharing.

If you want to learn more you can head to collections.mun.ca to hear the full interviews or you can check out PDF here!

~Terra Barrett

Audio notes from the Wooden Boat Heritage 2016 Conference

Last week, the Wooden Boat Museum of NL hosted "Wooden Boat Heritage 2016." Heritage Foundation of NL staff and volunteers with Youth Heritage NL helped moderate a morning session on the final day where a series of questions were asked to participants.  They were asked:

• What experiences could I create in my community? 
• What resources and assets related to boats and boatbuilding reside in my community? 
• Who has the necessary knowledge and skills? 
• What skills, training, or assistance do you need to pull this off? What help do you need?

After an hour of discussion, each table reported back on the exciting and inspiring things they heard. Listen to the results here:

Booklet Launch - Memories of City of St. John’s Volunteers

City of St. John's Volunteers and Heritage Foundation employees.

Booklet Launch - Memories of City of St. John’s Volunteers
The Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador and the City of St. John’s Community Services Department present a booklet launch at the Public Council Meeting in the Foran Green Room, St. John’s City Hall on Tuesday October 11, 2016 from 4:30-5:00pm.

A Life-Changing Experience: Memories of City of St. John’s Volunteers is the first booklet in the Collective Memories Series produced by the Heritage Foundation. This booklet focuses on the experience of five City of St. John’s volunteers and their reflections and advice on volunteering in the community.

“This is an excellent opportunity to showcase some of the City of St. John’s volunteers, and to learn from their experience,” says the foundation’s folklorist Dale Jarvis. “If you are interested in learning more about volunteering this booklet is a wonderful little resource.”

The volunteer booklet is part of the foundation’s Collective Memories Project. This project is an initiative of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Office of the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador, with funding provided by the Department of Children, Seniors, and Social Development. The Collective Memories Project invites seniors to record their stories and memories for sharing.

The booklet launch is open to the public and there will be copies of the booklet available at the launch as well as a PDF version which will be placed online. For more information on the booklet launch or for information on how your community can get involved with the Collective Memories Project please go to www.collectivememories.ca or call Terra Barrett at 1-888-739-1892 ext. 5.

Living Heritage Podcast Ep056 Nurturing Tomorrow’s Cultural Custodians

Sarah Wade has worked for the Museum Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (MANL) since June 2011. Prior to working at MANL, Sarah attended Memorial University of Newfoundland where she received a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in Archaeology and History in 2009. Sarah also obtained an Honours Diploma in Advanced Museum Studies from Algonquin College in Ottawa, Ontario in June 2011. Sarah is also an active member with Youth Heritage Newfoundland Labrador, a group that works to create a network for youth and heritage professionals within the province.

In this episode of the Living Heritage Podcast, Sarah talks about how young people can start to develop a career in heritage through education and volunteerism, the importance of employers developing meaningful internship opportunities, networking, the role and mission of Youth Heritage NL the youth mentorship speed-dating model, how institutions can better utilize the skills of youth, social media, and workshop opportunities.

Listen on the Digital Archive:
http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/singleitem/collection/ich_oral/id/698/rec/1