Tuesday, October 4, 2016
Folklorists Dale Jarvis and Kristin Catherwood on the SaskScapes Podcast
I'm just back from a great two-week trip to Saskatchewan, teaching workshops and giving lectures on intangible cultural heritage.
While there, Kevin Power of SaskScapes Podcast interviewed me and folklorist Kristin Catherwood about our work, and you can listen to us here!
Thursday, September 29, 2016
Living Heritage Podcast Ep055 Secrets of a Hooker
In this episode of the Living Heritage Podcast, Ruth talks with folklorist Dale Jarvis about her introduction to mat making, explains the process being making a hooked mat and the materials involved, different styles of designs, the role of place, family, memory and history in her work, and the differences between hooked and poked mats, with some comments on braided mats.
Listen on the Digital Archive:
Listen on the Digital Archive:
Tuesday, September 27, 2016
Department of Folklore Field School Presentation - Work in Cupids
Dale describing good interview techniques. |
Gerard and Emma taking field notes during the Targa Newfoundland Races. |
After the students classes in research, writing, and field techniques they went out into the field and conducted their own interviews and research. This Thursday September 29 the students will be presenting their research results to the community. This event is open to the public and everyone is invited to come out and learn more about work in Cupids!
~Terra Barrett
Monday, September 26, 2016
The City of St. John's Volunteers: Lossie Trask
Lossie Trask was born and raised in Port Blandford. She moved to Grand Falls at age 15, where she met her husband and started a family. Eventually they moved to St. John’s for work, where they lived together until her husband passed away. Shortly thereafter, Lossie began to receive brochures in the mail to volunteer for Senior’s Outreach. At first, she wasn’t sure.
“I said “I don’t want to do that!” But my daughter kept pushing me, and she said “Come on, let’s go!” So she got me out and before I knew it I was in it. And I never stopped.”
“It’ll maybe make your life a bit longer by being out around people. You almost have a lighter step. You feel good, you go into your house that you spend many days in, and you feel better about coming in and looking at your surroundings. I do, I know I did, because there was a time when I came in and said ‘I don’t want to be here’.”
Lossie is an upbeat, open person; it is hard to imagine her any other way. It is clear that she is the type of person to make the most of every day, and that she believes in the power of volunteering.
Thursday, September 22, 2016
The Folklore of Corn Dollies with Donna Thompson. #FolkloreThursday
I am currently in southern Saskatchewan, teaching a series of intangible cultural heritage workshops with my colleague Kristin Catherwood for the Museums Association of Saskatchewan.
Earlier this week, we were in the community of Indian Head, teaching a two day workshop, and we were fortunate enough to have tradition bearer Donna Thompson as a participant, who talked to us about the tradition of English Corn Dollies, and then gave us a demonstration of how to weave a corn dolly using wheat straw.
Here, Donna talks about the folklore behind the craft, and tells the story of the spirt in the grain field.
Living Heritage Podcast Ep054 Memory Maps
Marlene Creates is an environmental artist and poet who lives in Portugal Cove. Underlying all her work is an interest in place—not as a geographical location but a process that involves memory, multiple narratives, ecology, and language. Her work has been presented in over 350 exhibitions and screenings both across Canada and internationally, and is in many public collections, including the National Gallery of Canada.
In this episode of the Living Heritage Podcast, folklorist Dale Jarvis sits down with Marlene to discuss how she got her start in art, how she found herself in Newfoundland, her work in Newfoundland and Labrador on place, the importance of place, several recent projects including her memory maps and important place awards, and her new book “Brickle, Nish, and Knobbly: A Newfoundland Treasury of Terms for Ice and Snow”.
Listen on the Digital Archive:
http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/singleitem/collection/ich_oral/id/686/rec/1
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
#CollectiveMemories - Main Street Memories
Stewart's. Photo courtesy of Carmel Barry. |
In the afternoon we had two interviews. One was with Boyd Cohen whose family moved from the Ukraine and Poland. His grandfather moved from what is now the Ukraine to London, England in the 1890s to work for a clothing company. Between the years 1904 and 1906 Simon Cohen, Boyd’s grandfather, moved to Newfoundland to work for a Newfoundland Clothing Company which was being established by a firm out of England. Following the First World War the family moved to Grand Falls-Windsor and opened a general store. This store sold “anything from hardware and nails to ladies hats”. Boyd also discussed the move from Main Street in Windsor to High Street in Grand Falls and how he got into the furniture business and into real estate.
Cohen's bus. Photo courtesy of Boyd Cohen. |
Our next interview was with Mary Kelly. She discussed growing up in Grand Falls-Windsor and spending time on Main Street, Windsor. Mary had many fond memories of Riff’s where her aunt Helen Kelly worked for years and years. She described going to the store and the magic of Main Street in Windsor. Mary fondly remembered the generosity of the Riff family and how they sent Christmas cards to the family long after her aunt had passed away. She described how after one of Riff’s buying trips to Montreal her family would eat bagels for weeks which were brought back from Montreal from Mr. Riff.
Riff's Christmas party. Helen Kelly and Marie Penney. Photo courtesy of Mary Kelly. |
Here Mary describes going into Riff’s on Main Street.
Let us know your memories of Main Street, Windsor! Email terra@heritagefoundation.ca or call 1-888-739-1892.
~Terra Barrett
Tuesday, September 20, 2016
Collective Memories Grand Falls-Windsor - Sealing Sweep
Harry Pinsent |
Yesterday afternoon Audrey Burke and I had the pleasure of talking with 93 year old Harry Pinsent about his life and his memories of growing up in Grand Falls-Windsor. Harry had vivid memories of growing up in the community and has certainly seen the town change over the years. Harry grew up in a family of six including his only surviving sibling Gordon Pinsent. Harry described going to school in Grand Falls-Windsor and the joy of being able to wear jeans in the summer instead of the shorts required for the school uniforms!
Harry's equipment for his work as an electrician. |
Harry's mother Flossie is in the centre of this picnic. |
One story which stood out during the interview was Harry’s description of the Sealing Sweep. Harry remembered the Methodist Church on the West End of Gilbert Street where movies were shown while the new town hall in Grand Falls-Windsor was being built. He saw the first “talkies” or talking pictures at the church. Harry explained that bingo was also played in this church however you couldn’t play for money. In the sound clip below Harry explains the only gambling allowed in the town – the Sealing Sweep.
Do you remember the Sealing Sweep? Or do your recall memories of shopping or working on Main Street? Let us know in the comments or email terra@heritagefoundation.ca or call 1-888-739-1892.
~Terra Barrett
Monday, September 19, 2016
The City of St. John's Volunteers: Marie Ryall
Marie Ryall with her volunteer awards. Photo taken by Terra Barrett. |
Marie Ryall grew up in the West end of St. John’s. Her daughter, Rhonda, lives in Nova Scotia with her husband. They have three children, and Marie is now the proud great grandma of four.
Marie considers her life in two stages: before and after the accident. In 1990, she was in a head-on collision while driving to Nova Scotia to visit her daughter for Christmas:
“It was a life-changing experience. After the accident my marriage broke up, and that’s when I started to live for myself.”
For Marie, living for herself meant a chance to help others. “Because I was so lucky that I had lived, I wanted to get into volunteering with those who are less fortunate than me and who experienced likewise. I just want to be part of a team that’s out there helping others. You know, and it gives me a sense of purpose. As I said, it’s a two way street. You help someone, you’ll get it back millions of times over.”
During Marie’s working years, she collected for the Cancer Society and the Heart and Stroke Foundation and was team captain of the Arthritis Society in her area. After she was diagnosed with fibromyalgia she helped to launch a support group for sufferers of the disease. She continues to volunteer at the Miller Center Veteran’s Pavilion, has been volunteering at the Agnes Pratt Nursing Home since 2001, and is an active member of the City of St. John’s Senior’s Outreach Program. Once a year, she helps out with the Children’s Wish Foundation.
”When I look back over the years and realize how many new friends I’ve made through volunteering, and the events that I’ve experienced getting involved with them and their families, it gives me such a very, very gratifying feeling. My motto is that by helping others you help yourself.”
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