Friday, June 9, 2017

#FoodwaysFriday - How do you fence your garden?

Beach and gardens in Oliver's Cove, Tilting.
Photo by Gerald Pocius, 1989.
When we discuss foodways of Newfoundland and Labrador the first food that often comes to mind is the codfish. Cod has played a major role in everything from the province’s economy to its culture. It is featured in many traditional dishes however it is not the only food tradition in the province. Seafood and fish, caribou, seal, sea birds, berries, root vegetables, and imported products such as molasses and tin milk all play a part in the province’s food traditions. In celebration of the diverse foods harvested, grown, cooked, and eaten in Newfoundland and Labrador we will be doing a #FoodwaysFriday feature on the ICH Blog.

This week we are featuring a series of photos taken by Dr. Gerald Pocius in Oliver’s Cove, Tilting in 1989. The photos are of the gardens and picket fences found in the now abandoned community. Oliver’s Cove was once inhabited by William and James Hurley and their families but no houses exist there today, instead, you will find fenced gardens, root cellars, and a hay house (Mellin, Robert. 2008. Tilting.).

Looking over these photos of these fenced-in potato and cabbage gardens reminded me of this great video titled Wrigglin’ fence done by the MUN extension service in 1977. In the short film the Paddy Brothers of Port Kirwan build a traditional wrigglin' or riddle fence around their garden.

If you want to learn more about fence styles in Newfoundland and Labrador check out this document from the Heritage Foundation which features paling, longer, picket, wriggle/riddle, and wattle fences. Or if you want to see the full photo collection from Dr. Pocius on Memorial's Digital Archives click here!

Let us know how you fence your garden!

Share your stories and knowledge of food with the hashtag #FoodwaysFriday.
Cabbage growing in Oliver's Cove, Tilting.
Photo by Gerald Pocius, 1989.
~Terra Barrett

Thursday, June 8, 2017

Living Heritage Podcast Ep077 Headstones, Hexfoils, and Historic Archaeology



Robyn Lacy is a 2nd year Masters student in the Archaeology Department at MUN, and completed her BA in Archaeology at the University of Calgary in 2014. Her research focuses on historic archaeology in Newfoundland and New England, exploring burial landscapes and their relationship to 17th-century settlements. This summer she will be excavating at Ferryland for four weeks in search of the early burial ground at the Colony of Avalon. She writes about her fascination with burial landscapes, tombstones, and more, on her blog "Spade and the Grave - death and burial through an archaeological lens."

In this podcast, Robyn talks about how she got interested in historical archaeology and the archaeology of burial places, burial landscapes, her work searching out Ferryland’s hidden graveyard, the folklore of hexfoils, and public archaeology.  Don't know what a hexfoil is? Tune in and find out! We'll send you on a hunt for one hidden somewhere fairly public in downtown St. John's.

Listen on the Digital Archive:




Photo: 1699 gravestone with pinwheel design on the finial. Design in the Hartshorne tradition, New London, CT. Photo by R Lacy, 2015.

Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Application Deadline Extended - Historic Places Intern



Job Posting - Historic Places Intern

The Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador (HFNL) is a non-profit organization which was established in 1984 to stimulate an understanding of and an appreciation for the heritage of the province.

HFNL will be working to document the untold histories, intangible cultural heritage, and the associated narratives of Newfoundland’s historic places. The Historic Places Intern will be undertaking a project to help HFNL further these goals, by researching the stories and oral histories of historic places, and making those stories more accessible to the general public. This will include photography of historic places, as well as recorded oral histories with local residents. The research will form part of a permanent collection with Memorial University of Newfoundland’s Digital Archives Initiative.

Much of the intern’s work will be in support of existing HFNL programs. The intern will provide research and support services for a variety of heritage projects, but there are three clearly defined tasks which will be undertaken by the intern directly. First, the intern will work to research, and identify stories about historic places. Second, the intern will work on heritage outreach programs and the development of community-based workshops around the themes of place, narrative, and oral history. Third, the intern will document stories, including oral history recordings, photo documentation, and report writing. The position will also work with HFNL staff on a heritage conference to be held in Oct 2017, and will compile conference presentations into a post-conference toolkit.

The applicant must have excellent oral and written communication skills; good knowledge of Microsoft Excel; valid driver’s licence and use of automobile (if possible); availability to travel throughout Newfoundland & Labrador; as well as a degree in history, archaeology, folklore, or architecture. Previous experience with a heritage organization is an asset, as is a keen interest in folklore, oral history, architectural history, or vernacular architecture.

$18/hour for approximately 40 weeks, ending March 30, 2018.

The applicant must be:

- Graduated from a post-secondary institution within the past 2 years
- Canadian Citizen, permanent resident, or have refugee status in Canada
- Legally Entitled to work in Canada
- Between the ages of 16 and 30 years of age at the start of employment
- Registered with the Young Canada Works program online: https://young-canada-works.canada.ca/Account/Login

To apply, email a cover letter, resume, and 3 references to:

Mr. Dale Jarvis
ich@heritagefoundation.ca

Deadline: 5pm, Tuesday, June 20, 2017.




“There were ghosts around Goat Cove" - Interview with Ruth Bugden


Portugal Cove-St. Philip's Memory Mug Up
Ruth Bugden, interviewed by Tanyan Ye

Born in 1944, Ruth Bugden has been living in Portugal Cove all her life. She grew up here, got married, and now her whole family, including three children and five grandchildren, are all living in this area. Her maiden name was Allen. Her father was born a Harding but raised by the Allens, and her mother had a similar story—she was born a Squires but raised by Piccos and then married to an Allen. That is because in the past adoption was more common and less regulated, as Ruth said, “Back then, you didn't have to go through any red tape. If a child needed to be looked after, somebody took it and that is the end of it.”

Though she grew up in Portugal Cove, she went to school in St. John’s. This explained why she does not have accent of the community, which she felt a little regretful. When she was three years old her whole family moved to Windsor Heights for a while where her father worked in a farm. That is why she went to school in the city instead of in Portugal Cove. When she was about ten her family moved to where they are living now, but she did not want to change school. Besides, if she continued going to the school in the city she could take bus but she would have to walk if she changes to the school in the community. Therefore, she finished her school in St. John’s.

During the interview she shared with us many interesting supernatural stories, some of which were what she herself or her mother experienced. When asked why her mother and herself tended to be more sensitive toward those things, she told us her mother used to be a healer, who was believed to be able to cure small diseases, or as she put it, “keep the warts away.” She also explained why she was able to cure people: “One of the things they say, if you never saw your mother…My mother never saw her mother. She was born and taken right away.” She herself was a caulbearer. As she said, there is a lot of superstition about caulbearers. “[it makes you] safe at sea, and you will do great things. So, I don't know what great things I have done. And other superstitions too about having special power, whatever.” She said, laughing and teasing that she believed she had special power.

She also shared with us her memories of the old days, such as dinner theatres. She was a leader of the girls’ group in the community, and they used to play a lot of those theatres. When she was teenager, the girl’s group was very active; they did a lot of volunteer work, organized parties for the senior, etc. She also talked about the transportation, family life, and school life back then. As a person living in the community for her whole life, she is familiar with stories circulating there as well, which she willingly shared with us as well, such as the love story of Fanny Goff. From her memories and stories, we can see how much the life in the community has changed; yet, the lovely parts of the old days remain, at least in our memories.

“There were ghosts around Goat Cove which is in the area of Beachy Cove School. And at some point at around 12 in the night you aren't supposed to be able to get through over that but my dad came, you know, courting my mother, said he purposely walked that way at 12 but he never did see anything. However, I have a mother that's been very, very sensitive toward these things and had a few experiences. She at one time visited who she called Granny Talker, and I wish now I knew exactly where it was but, she went to stay at Granny Talker's house, and when she got into the bed, she, just got into bed, and they closed the door, and, God, and these hands came out at her throat and she screamed. And the old lady came back in, talked to her for a moment and said ‘Don't worry my dear it is not coming for you.’ And, she found out after that somebody had died there or got murdered there or whatever, so. There's few things like that, there's few little things.”

“I have a couple of experiences with tokens, tokens of death. Just to let you know I was wide awake when this happened. My husband was a collection officer, and he had to go to work at 12 o'clock in the night so I was wide awake about 11 in the night, waiting to call him up to get him to go to work. I was sitting down knitting and my backdoor started to rattle, and my backdoor, I tried that after, my backdoor would not rattle. I could not get a rattle out of it. And there was rattle, rattle, rattle, rattle, rattle. And I went out, and there was nobody there. So my mum lived next door 'cause we built our home in the family property. And so I called over to her, and I said "Mum, did you hear anything or see anything?" And my uncle Will that I was very close to was in the hospital at the time, and she said ‘Don't worry my dear.’ She said ‘That was just Uncle Will coming to say goodbye.’ She said ‘He just walked around this house.’ And I thought ‘Ok.’ Right? And so within minutes the phone rang and it was Uncle Will's daughter saying her dad had just passed away. At the same time, he had a sister in New Brunswick, and she was walking up the stairs, and met him coming down these stairs. So, a lot of stories like that.”

“The Anglican church has moved now, but where the old church was, you have to come down the lane and go over the bridge, the bridge by the monument. And anybody living down in that area if they were coming from the united church, they would also have to come and go over the bridge. And some mornings, rarely, it didn't happen on a regular basis, but the congregations would get out of church at the same time, and they would meet on the bridge. And every time that you met on the bridge, somebody die during the week. And it happened. And you know, well, it doesn't happen now but right up until the time that the church moved, it was still happening. It did. 'Cause every time somebody would mark, you know, would mark it, "ok, we are gonna have a death before the week is out." And it always did.”

“Fanny Goff, Pheeny Goff, her name was Tryphena, and she was called Fanny, she was called Pheeny. But that was really interesting and it really happened, and I did a lot of research on that because I worked with a teenage girls' group down to the church, and our group is actually over 50 years old and, I hate to admit it, but I have been with it since it started. I was only a teenager, thanks. But we actually, we searched it and wrote a play and did it as a, almost like a little dinner theater. Then we do dinner theaters all the time down there now, our group girls. But, yeah, she was about to be married and it was this man from Brigus. I guess, Portugal Cove was kind of the hub back then because it had the first road that came from St. John's, and with Bell Island and the boats and everything, and the ferry, the bay, so I guess people were here for various reasons. I don't know how they met, but they planned to be married. And, so the day that was back in, I think it was 1823, so he was coming in couple of days, obviously before and she got really ill, and I guess no way to get in touch with him at that point, we didn't have the telephones. He was coming through the way they know, and stopped at his friend's in St. Philip’s, on the way down there was a man named Bill Squires, and only would be told that she had just died.”

This interview was conducted as part of a Collective Memories Mug Up project conducted by Memorial University students enrolled in FOLK 6740: Public Folklore, Winter 2017. If you would like to listen to the full interview click here

Monday, June 5, 2017

#CollectiveMemories Monday - Barry Porter, Lighthouse Keeper



In 2009, as part of a presentation to the Museum Association of NL, I did a sample oral history interview with former lighthouse keeper Barry Porter.  In this short interview, Barry discusses his life as a lighthouse keeper, where he worked, the characteristics of the lights, a typical work day, the fog horn system, and the difference between manned and unmanned lighthouses.

Listen to the interview here on Memorial University's Digital Archive Initiative.

Photo: Aerial view of Long Point Lighthouse in 1991, courtesy Canadian Coast Guard

Friday, June 2, 2017

Living Heritage Podcast Ep076 Project Kindness with Hasan Hai



Hasan Hai is a father and transplanted mainlander who's spent nearly seven years in NL; however, he is just approaching his first 'towniversary'. Previously he had lived in Clarenville and Marystown. In the last year he’s been heavily invested in community development through a group he formed called Project Kindness , and most recently the NL Beard and Moustache Club which focuses both on appreciating facial hair and giving back to the community. He also tosses axes on the side. We chat about Islamophobia, dealing with confirmation biases, diversity, kindness and building community, with a few axes thrown in, so to speak, and a little bit about beards!

Listen on the Digital Archive:

#FoodwaysFriday - Breadboxes: Are they useful or do they just collect crumbs?


I'm moving into a new spot and I recently came across this breadbox on an online antique buy and sell page and purchased it because I loved the colours. I grew up with a breadbox but haven't seen one in some time so I wanted to ask our followers are breadboxes useful today? Do they keep your bread fresh?

Breadboxes or bread bins store bread and other baked goods to keep them fresh. They can be made of wood, pottery, or metal. Breadboxes aim to keep bread at room temperature, let the bread "breathe" to prevent mold, and protect against pests.

There is also a bit of folklore about the breadbox and you may have heard the expression "Is it bigger than a breadbox?". This expression is thought to have originated with Steve Allen on the game show What's My Line on January 18, 1953. You can see a clip of the show where Steve Allen first compared a product to the size of the breadbox.

So let us know - are breadboxes useful? Or do they just collect crumbs?

~Terra Barrett

Thursday, June 1, 2017

A history-packed edition of the Heritage Update for May/June 2017.



In this month's Heritage Update:
  • The Oral History Roadshow is hitting the streets;
  • Digitization of the 35mm slide collection from the Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s Archives;
  • Commemorating the St. John’s Great Fire of 1892;
  • The Goats of New Perlican;
  • A call for Modern memories;
  • Hooked rugs in Cupids;
  • Recognizing the Legacy of World War Two on Our Province’s Built Landscape; and,
  • Finding the profit in heritage.
Also, an invite to our Historic Places & Folklore of Bay Roberts event on June 8th, 7pm, at the Shearstown Community Centre, Bay Roberts.

Download the pdf of the newsletter


Photo: Ambrose and Maude Squires of St. Philip’s,
standing in front of a yellow house, July 4th, 1962.
Allen and Pearl Squires Fonds (028) courtesy of the
Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s Archives. 

Wednesday, May 31, 2017

“I fished all these ponds, winter and summer" - Interview with Moses Tucker


Portugal Cove-St. Philip's Memory Mug Up
Moses Tucker, interviewed by Monique McGrath

Born and raised in St. Philip’s, Moses Tucker is a staple member in the community of Portugal Cove. Following his first run as mayor in 1978, he spent 15 years working various positions on the City Council board. After some time away from politics due to other work responsibilities, Mr. Tucker was encouraged by members of the community to run for mayor a second time, which he gladly agreed to do. With deep roots going back several generations, Mr. Tucker carries with him a strong sense of dedication and loyalty for the people of Portugal Cove.

Mr. Tucker has a passion for waterways: he loves to know where water comes from and where it goes to. A retired civil engineering technologist, he is a local expert on ponds, lakes and rivers on the Avalon Peninsula. In 1968 he helped install one of the main water lines running along Portugal Cove Road, which is still used to this day. Mr. Tucker knows how the community’s drinking water is treated, which pond it comes from, and where it is flowing.

“Our water right here comes from Bay Bulls. All of Portugal Cove and St. Philip’s, Paradise and Conception Bay South, our water supply comes from Bay Bulls Big Pond which is on the way down Southern Shore. It’s great water, actually super water! This is a development that was a necessity because of the growth of St. John’s. Windsor Lake couldn’t supply all the water that was needed for the growth of the city.”

Mr. Tucker’s interest in lakes and ponds goes beyond the scope of drinking water; he knows where are all the best fishing spots. Good luck trying to get that information out of him! What he is openly willing to share, however, is how rainbow trout found its way in most of the ponds and rivers in the Portugal Cove community.

“I fished all these ponds, winter and summer. Some of these ponds have been actually seeded with rainbow trout that were brought in from Ontario back in the eighteen hundreds. Little tiny things, there are thousands out there. They’re aggressive too, they eat on local worms. But once you catch them, you put them in the boat, they die quickly. But the trouts that are native, what we call speckle trout, they don’t fight as much as the rainbow trout. But when you bring them into the boat, one can be there for up to an hour before he dies.”

Mr. Tucker carries with him countless memories of growing up and building his life on the Avalon Peninsula, from going to school, to skating in the winter, to swimming in the summer. In closing this interview he shares a memories from his first time serving as Mayor of Portugal Cove, when he was required to create a prayer:

“When you do incorporation you have to create a prayer. You have to write a prayer to the lieutenant governor in council, and that still exists to this day. In order to petition something from the Queen or the Queen’s representative, it has to be done in the form of a prayer. That was probably one of the most difficult things I’ve ever had to do, because I’ve been involved with the church and the church choir since I’m 15 years old. And one of the clergymen we had back then was a strict man as far as what you could and couldn’t do. Kids weren’t allowed to bow. Girls curtsied and boys had to salute. You could only bow to one, he said, to God. Now for me to create a prayer to somebody that wasn’t God, that was way beyond what I was taught. It was a struggle to do it. When it was explained to me that this is a format that has nothing to do with prayers and God, I said alright, I can do it.”

When asked about the future of the Portugal Cove community, Mayor Tucker is very optimistic that the town will maintain its rural character all thanks to one very important geographical element in this area:

“I think its going to maintain a lot of the rural character. We have so much coastline, and we have this wonderful thing called Windsor Lake which creates a marvelous buffer from the city of St. John’s. We’re 10 minutes from the biggest shopping center in Newfoundland Labrador — the Avalon Mall, but the city will not come in and build and occupy around Windsor Lake. That’s the watershed, that’s the water supply. That gives us the opportunity here to lay back, and take it easy!”

This interview was conducted as part of a Collective Memories Mug Up project conducted by Memorial University students enrolled in FOLK 6740: Public Folklore, Winter 2017. If you would like to listen to the full interview click here