Digital Museums Canada Investment - The Early Lebanese Community in Newfoundland

Photo of Melin and Marion Noah and family in the doorway of their New Gower Street grocery store. Courtesy of City of St. John's Archives

Heritage NL's exhibition proposal for The Early Lebanese Community in Newfoundland receives funding as part of Digital Museums Canada's 2022 investments. Stay tuned as we create this digital exhibition over the next year. 

The Early Lebanese Community in Newfoundland
Heritage NL
The Lebanese community has a long history in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador that is not often commemorated. This virtual exhibit delves deeper into the story behind many well-known local businesses across the province, exploring how one group of immigrants built a unique sense of place while retaining cultural ties to its ancestral homeland.

Heritage NL has produced three exhibitions funded by Digital Museums Canada:
2019 - Remembering the Merchants of Main Street, Windsor
2020 - Carved by the Sea: Heritage Places of Bay Roberts, Newfoundland
2022 - Heritage Underground - A History of Root Cellars in Newfoundland and Labrador

Press Release shared from Digital Museums Canada:

We’re pleased to announce that 19 new projects submitted as part of the 2022 call for proposals were approved for investment.

“The recipients of funding from the 2022 Call for Proposals represent a wide range of compelling subjects from organizations all over Canada,” said Leah Resnick, Director of Digital Museums Canada. “We look forward to working with these organizations to build their digital capacity and bring their projects to life.”

 “Through Digital Museums Canada, the Canadian Museum of History is pleased to honour its commitment to communities across the country in sharing diverse online stories, accessible to all,” said Caroline Dromaguet, President and CEO of the Canadian Museum of History.

Topics covered in this year’s new digital projects include:

• Diaspora: Montréal Jewish Community (QC); Lebanese community in Newfoundland and Labrador
• Community History: Early coal mining in the Bow Valley (AB); Lithuanian immigrants and the War of 1812 (ON); a community festival in Saint-Eustache (QC); the impact of the SS Atlantic shipwreck (NS)
• Art and Architecture: Inuit art (MB); Winnipeg modernist architecture (MB); NFT artmaking (ON); Franco-Ontarian illustrators (ON); Acadian stained glass (NB)
• Women: Women in medical illustration (QC); women journalists in the early 20th century (QC)

In all, DMC received 39 proposals for the Medium and Large investment streams, and 20 proposals for the Small stream from museums and heritage organizations across the country. Projects were selected through a competitive process by an arm’s-length advisory committee.

See the full list:
Approved Projects

Eligible organizations are invited to apply during the next Call for Proposals, which opens on Thursday, June 15, 2023. For more information, please visit the DMC website.

Yarns and Yarns Kick Off - West Coast

See you there!

Are you a knitter, spinner, or hooker? Heritage NL is hosting a series of Yarns and Yarns events, to help preserve and share knitting and other textile knowledge and memories.

We invite knitters, spinners, or hookers of all ages to come together for an evening of crafting and storytelling followed by a mug up with tea/coffee and snacks.

“We are interested in hearing stories about how you learned to knit, spin, or hook” says Terra Barrett, ICH Researcher with Heritage NL. “Often textile crafts are not formally documented or recognized and this project aims to change that. So come out and share your story!”

Yarns and Yarns is a project to recognize, record, and celebrate the importance of knitting and crafting to Newfoundland and Labrador. The main objective of Yarns and Yarns is to combine traditional knitting and crafting knowledge with social participation through a series of ten Yarns and Yarns mug ups or workshops. These mug ups will combine a knitting circle with story telling for community members, where people gather, have a cup of tea, enjoy healthy snacks, and share memories.

Heritage NL is partnering with three local groups to host Yarns and Yarns events on the west coast. If you are a knitter, spinner or hooker we want to see you! Bring your latest projects and come out to share how your learned your craft. 

• Thursday, May 4th, 1-3pm - Yarns and Yarns with Our Lady of Mercy Museum - Our Lady of Mercy Heritage Museum, 101 Main Street, Port au Port West
• Tuesday, May 9th, 6:30-8:30pm - Yarns and Yarns with the Knit Wits - Pasadena Place, 19 Tenth Avenue, Pasadena
• Wednesday, May 10th, 1pm -3pm - Yarns and Yarns with Kindred Spirits Knit 'n Yarn - Salvation Army, 20 Church Street (corner of Chapel Hill), Deer Lake

This project has been funded by the Government of Canada's New Horizons for Seniors Program.

If you are interested in hosting a Yarns and Yarns event in your community reach out to Terra Barrett at terra@heritagenl.ca or 709-739-1892 x2.

On the road to Humber Valley - we are coming your way in May!

Department of Highways Trucks, 1930s
used during the construction of the highway
between Corner Brook and Deer Lake, courtesy Deb LeDrew

Attention all knitters, crocheters, snowshoe makers, people who know traditional recipes, and anyone who makes, crafts, or creates objects - Heritage NL is looking for you!

The Humber Valley Skills Inventory, part of the Humber Valley Thriving Regions project, will identify existing knowledge holders in the area, including craft producers, bakers, farmers, foragers, brewers, printmakers, fly tyers, beekeepers, cooks, artists, antler carvers, and makers of all kinds.  We are looking for anyone with skills and knowledge about the making of everyday objects, skills, art, and crafts from these communities:

Steady Brook, Little Rapids, Humber Village, Humber Valley Resort, Pasadena, Pynn’s Brook, Little Harbour, St. Judes, Deer Lake, Reidville, Cormack, and Howley

The end product will be a publicly-available listing of local skills holders. For examples see:

• Saving Traditional Skills in the Tri Town Area and Surrounding Communities, Great Northern Peninsula (2022)

• Baccalieu Trail Traditional Knowledge Inventory (2021)

If you wish to be listed in the Inventory, email ich@heritagenl.ca or fill out the survey at https://forms.gle/53EMsrC9mTm9FUku7 

 

Heritage NL will be at three open-to-all meetings where you are encouraged to come and learn about the project.  If you are crafty, bring an object you made to show and share!

 

• Monday, May 8th, 7-9pm - Cormack Skills Show and Share - Cormack Town Hall 
• Tuesday, May 9th, 6:30-8:30pm - Yarns and Yarns with the Knit Wits - Pasadena Place, 19 Tenth Avenue, Pasadena
• Wednesday, May 10th, 1pm -3pm - Yarns and Yarns with Kindred Spirits Knit 'n Yarn - Salvation Army, 20 Church Street (corner of Chapel Hill), Deer Lake
• Thursday, May 11th, 7-9pm - Deer Lake Skills Show and Share  - Humber Lodge, 2 Poplar Road
• Saturday, May 13th, 1pm -3pm - Pasadena Heritage Society AGM - Royal Canadian Legion, 92 Main Street. You can register with Pasadena Heritage at https://forms.gle/fBnzU3TL1jk8zF7F7 to help plan number of attendees. Coffee, tea and treats will be provided!

Living Heritage Podcast Ep230 Mentor-Apprentice Program: Moccasin Making with Loretta John and Kevin Drew

Completed moccasins. Photo courtesy of Kevin Drew.

In this episode we talk with mentor Loretta John, and apprentice Kevin Drew who are two participants of Heritage NL’s Mentor-Apprentice Program.

Mrs. John has over 45 years’ experience making moccasins. She originally learned the craft from Ms. Johnson (known as Doctor Granny among the Mi’kmaq) of Eskaosni First Nation. Since learning her craft, Mrs. John worked at the Glen John Craft Shop in Miawpukuk First Nation for year until she retired. She has shared her skills and knowledge through one-on-one mentoring and group workshops.

Kevin Drew has worked with the Glen John Craft Shop for several years now. Over that time, he has worked with many crafters in the community, having an opportunity to observe different Mi’kmaq crafts. Over the course of his time at the craft shop, Kevin has focused on beading and embroidery work.

Kevin Drew sewing a moccasin. Photo courtesy of Kevin Drew.

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Living Heritage is about people who are engaged in the heritage and culture sector, from museum professionals and archivists, to tradition bearers and craftspeople - all those who keep history alive at the community level. The show is a partnership between HeritageNL and CHMR Radio.

Theme music is Rythme Gitan by Latché Swing.

The Staff Cable Houses: Part of the Telecommunications History of Heart's Content

In February of 2023, Heart's Content, NL and Valentia, Ireland, were added to the Tentative List for UNESCO World Heritage Status, one step closer to recognition ten years in the making. The two sites for the first Transatlantic cable, laid in 1866, connected Europe and North America and enabled quicker and more reliable communication between the two continents. The Anglo-American Cable Company established a permanent cable station in Heart's Content in 1875/76. One of the buildings they constructed was the Cable Staff Houses, a duplex for housing employees of the cable station. 

Photo of the Cable Staff Houses #1 and #2 in 2017.

Built in 1882, the house was designed by J.T. Southcott, a prominent architect in Newfoundland for introducing the Second Empire Style of architecture. 

The duplex has undergone significant restorations since its designation as a Registered Heritage Structure in 1995 to preserve and maintain this building. The Cable Staff House has a mansard roof, an architectural feature associated with the Second Empire Style and Southcott's designs. 

The Cable Staff House Mansard Roof (L): Prior to restoration in mid 1990s (R): Following restorations in 2017.

The building also has decorative eaves brackets, visible in the pictures below.

Before and after pictures of the buildings eaves brackets. (L): Picture prior to restoration in 1990s (R): Photo after restoration in 2017.

Photo of the Cable Staff House's windows. (L): Photo from mid 1990s (R): After restoration in 2017.

Another key design element of the Cable Staff Houses is the variety of styles of windows, some of which are 2/2 while others are larger and multi-paned. The house also has several dormer windows, which were restored in 2018. 

The Cable Staff Houses received the Newfoundland Historic Trust's Southcott Award for Restoration in 1999.

You can learn more about the Cable Staff Houses at the links below:

https://heritagenl.ca/heritage-property/cable-staff-house-1-registered-heritage-structure/

https://heritagenl.ca/heritage-property/cable-staff-house-2-registered-heritage-structure/

https://www.gov.nl.ca/releases/2023/tcar/0228n02/

Commemorations Ceremony and Book Launch: The Lebanese Business Community - April 4th, 2023

For immediate release

St. John’s, NL
March 27, 2023

Join Heritage NL at The Lantern, 35 Barnes Road, St. John’s on Tuesday, April 4th at 7:00 pm, as we celebrate the newest addition to our Provincial Historic Commemorations Program – The Establishment of the Lebanese Business Community in Newfoundland.

Newfoundland and Labrador is home to a diversity of cultures and ethnicities, but little attention has been given to how non-European identities have contributed to our province. “Beginning with their arrival in the late 19th century, Lebanese immigrants established a successful business community here. This Provincial Commemoration recognizes the efforts of these Lebanese-Newfoundlanders to build businesses and establish a unique sense of place,” says Heritage NL’s chair, Dr. Lisa Daly.

In addition to the Provincial Historic Commemoration, Heritage NL also announces the launch of The Establishment of the Lebanese Business Community in Newfoundland. This book features chapters on well-known Lebanese business owners, discusses the early arrival of Lebanese immigrant families in Corner Brook, and maps the Lebanese business community of St. John’s from 1898-1936. Several transcripts of oral history interviews are included and the book features over 150 photos of early Lebanese businesses and families.

The event is free and tickets can be found on EventBrite at https://www.eventbrite.ca/o/heritage-nl-11970018677.

Heritage NL is a provincial crown agency with a mandate to stimulate an understanding of and an appreciation for the architectural heritage and intangible cultural heritage of Newfoundland and Labrador.

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For Further Information Contact:

Andrea O’Brien
andrea@heritagenl.ca
1-888-739-1892 ext 4

Living Heritage Podcast Ep229 Mentor-Apprentice Program: Foodways with Lori McCarthy and Tina White

Lori McCarthy and Tina White holding bottled preserves.
Photo courtesy of Tina White.

In this episode we talk with mentor Lori McCarthy, and apprentice Tina White who are two participants of Heritage NL’s Mentor-Apprentice Program.

Lori has lived close to the land her whole life. In 2010, she opened Cod Sounds, a company dedicated to preserving and sharing the cultural food and footways in the province. She has taught foodways workshops for 10 years on everything from wild game butchery to bread making.

Tina has been gathering knowledge on traditional food/recipes, preservation and foraging for the past several years, inspired by her training in Forest Therapy. She began to share her foraging knowledge with others in 2021, when she offered her first Wild Food Walk & Tastings in Tors Cove.

Lori McCarthy and Tina White collecting seaweed.
Photo courtesy of Tina White.

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Living Heritage is about people who are engaged in the heritage and culture sector, from museum professionals and archivists, to tradition bearers and craftspeople - all those who keep history alive at the community level. The show is a partnership between HeritageNL and CHMR Radio.

Theme music is Rythme Gitan by Latché Swing.

Join our Musical Show and Share!

Want to know how to add the skin to a bodhran? Or how wood is worked to make uilleann pipes? Do you love traditional music? Come see and hear maker-musicians from Heritage NL’s Mentor-Apprentice Program!

Neil O’Grady and his apprentice Rob Brown will walk you through crafting uilleann (Irish) pipes — woodworking, leatherwork and metalwork.

Paddy Mackey and his apprentice, Bryan Poirier, will explain how they mould and steam wood to shape a bodhran, add tuners, and mount the skin to create a drum.

Flute-maker Michelle Brophy will also join the maker-musicians in the discussion. Afterwards they will be joined by local musician Charlene Sudbrink for a jam session!

When: 2-3:30pm Saturday, March 25th, 2023

Where: Princess Sheila Seniors Club,

163 Water Street, Carbonear

Cost: Free!

Register: heritagenl.eventbrite.ca

Provincial Historic Commemorations Ceremony and Book Launch: The Lebanese Business Community in Newfoundland

Join us in person at The Lantern on Tuesday, April 4th at 7:00 pm, as Heritage NL celebrates the newest addition to our Provincial Historic Commemorations Program - The Lebanese Business Community in Newfoundland.

Newfoundland and Labrador is home to a diversity of cultures and ethnicities, but little attention has been given to how non-European identities have contributed to our province. Beginning with their arrival in the late 19th century, Lebanese immigrants established a successful business community here. This Provincial Commemoration recognizes the efforts of these Lebanese-Newfoundlanders to build businesses and establish a unique sense of place.

In addition to the Provincial Historic Commemoration, Heritage NL would like to announce the launch of “The Establishment of the Lebanese Business Community in Newfoundland and Labrador”. This book features chapters on well-known Lebanese business owners, discusses the early arrival of Lebanese immigrant families in Corner Brook, and maps the Lebanese business community of St. John’s from 1898-1936. Several transcripts of oral history interviews are included and the book features over 150 photos of early Lebanese businesses and families.

While the books will not be available for sale at the event we will have copies to review. If you would like to purchase a book please order online through Lulu: www.hfnl.ca

Grab your free ticket for the event today! Click here.