THe first "official" communtiy in Newfoundland, was founded at Cupids by John Guy in 1612
Newfoundland is off the east coast of Canada and north east of Maine. It was founded by Giovanni Caboto (John Cabot). Who sailed from Bristol England on May 2 in 1497. He supposedly landed in Cape Bonivista & claimed this "New founde isle" for King Henry II. We joined Canada in 1949. A decision that was made by the people of Nfld.
John Cabot was preceeded here by the Vikings. They visted here as early as 1001 AD & called this place Markland (Land of Forest). They ahd several colonies here, teh most famous is at Lans aux Meadows on the Northern Penninsula. They were eventually driven out by teh Beothuks.
The Beothuks were the indigenous people who lived here before the Europeans moved in. They were nomads that followed the heards of Caribou across Newfoundland. Unfortunately, they were totally wiped out by the newcomers. The biggest killers were small pox & influenza. Tho the early settlers did a fair job of contributing to their extinction. This is one of Newfoundlands darker pages. It is a sad thing that our predecessors were guilty of genocide. I am going to try & find a picture or drawing for the pictures page.
During WW2 Newfoundland was considered a strategic point. Becasue of it's location in the North Atlantic, it was considered to be the perfect site for a jump off point for an attack on North America. We were considered important enouight to be protected by not only local forces, but British & American troops as well. The last American base, located in Argentia, was sold last year to a mining company.
Newfoundland was also used as the meeting place of the powers of that time. In a secluded harbour, under cover of darkenss & fog, Winston Churchill & President Roosevelt met in secret, on board of an American war ship. They supposedly discussed the state of teh war as well as D-Day.
Since WW2, Newfoundland has had control of one of Canada's most important power sources, Churchill Falls located in Labrador. Also, because of our plaoction, we have been important in coming to the aid of vessels in distress. We are right on the trans-Atlantic trading route. Many vessels have found the Atlantic more than a match & haven't made it to port. One famous example of this is the Titanic, which is located just miles from our shores.
Newfoundland is not an easy place to live & never has been. Years ago, when the cod stocks were plentiful, fishermen used to go out fising in dories (small shallow bottomed boats). They worked hard for what they caught & were often poorly paid by the merchants for whom they worked.
Newfoundlands climate has never been the most kind either. Fishermen out hauling their nets, could expect *any* kind of weather. We have a saying here, "If you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes". I remember days in June, where you would wake to 1" of snow on the ground, by noon it would be warm & raining, then it would get very hot was dry,, then by evening it would be cold & windy. On these days, we say we have has all four seasons in one day. We often get high squals ( very high winds ) of up to 100+ km/h. We are also dubbed the foggiest place in North America. We generally have wet, stormy springs. Relatuvely decent summers with temperatures ranging from 5 degress Centigrade( 42 Farenhiet) to 30 degreees Centigrade ( 82 farnheit). Our falls, are very wet, cold & windy and during the winter we have been known to get up to 3-4 feet of snow in one storm.
Beacuase of all this, Newfoundlanders have developed a rather unique culture and dedication to our little island. No matter how far we go, Newfoundland is still our home. We have developed our own version of english (Newfanese *G*) and have a rather dry, sarcastic sense of humour. I will just give you a sample of some of the language here.
My father's family originates from the St. Mary's Bay area. Which, before the cod moratorium, had one of the best fishing grounds around. And my Mother's family is from Conception Bay, the home of the Irish Princess Sheila Na Geira & her pirate lover Gilbert Pike.
PROMOM'S NEWFOUNLAND DICTIONARY
Please note that all spellings are phonetic, as most of these words have seldome been written.
anighst - near to
aninst - beside something
arn - any
arnt - are not
ballyrag - to pester, abuse, etc
bannock - a round cake of bread
barrisway - a lagoon located at the mouth of a river ( barachoix )
breakers - large heavy waves & swells. Usually accompanied by a high wind or storm
brewis - hard tac that is boiled soft. Commonly sevred with boiled salt cod & scruncheons
cant - leaning to one side
clamper - cunks of ice from icebergs
clout - a hard smack. I.e. "He got some cout upside the head" *G*.
cotchded - to be caught
cuddy - covered sapce in the bow of a boat
duckish - the time between sunset & full dark
duff - a boiled pudding made of four, molasses, onion, salt fat back.
faggot - a pile of half dried fish
fat back - salt pigs fat, that when fried out is an excellent cooking oil.
flankers - large sparks from a chimney
fousty - mouldy
frozeded - to be very cold,,on the verge of freezing
fudge - to manage daily chores with out help
hard tac - a type of dry hard bread formed into small cakes. A staple of the old sealers when out on the pans.
huffed - to be vexed
jib - poking fun at or teasing someone
kindling - small scraps of wood used to light fires
longers - rails for a fence
lops - small waves that brak on the sea shore
mauzy - misty or foggy
nar - none "i.e. He's got nar bit of sense at all."
nish - tender, easy to injure. i.e. "Small ones have nish little bones."
prise - a lever
quot - squat, crouch
rompse or rampse - to wrestle or rough house playfully
scut - a mean, underhanded or decietful person
scruff - the back of the neck
scruncheons - fat back that has been fried up crispy. Is usually served ove fish & brewis
slob - ice that has recently frozen
slieveen - a decitful person
trapse - to walk around unnecissarily
truck - ( Original)to pay for fish with merchandise
( Recent) A pile of junk. i.e. "She'll be clearing all her old truck out of the attic soon."
twack - to shop with out buying anything
yap - to snap at someone, an angry reply
NEWFOUNDLAND SAYINGS
All mops & brooms - messy hair
A gunshot away - a short distance
Done it brown - something that is overdone
Go to law with the devil & hold court in hell - all odds are against you
Tom Long's account - to pay what you owe & have nothing left.
Solomon Gosse's Birthday - aka, Jigg's dinner night, which was usually thursday night. Jiggs Dinner is a meal consisting of salt meat or ribblets (pickled beef, the ribblets are pickled beef ribs, it is not corned beef as most think ), cabbage, carrots, turnip, boiled onions, peas pudding & a duff.
Robbing Peter to pay Paul - Paying one debt & making another wait.
Doing it in the long run - eventually you will succeed in you endeavour.
Getting a rise out of me - You got me to get upset over your jibs.
A nice kettle of fish - You've gotten into trouble. I.e. "What a fien kettle of fish you've gotten us into this time!"
Too big for your boots - you think you are more imprtant than you are.
SOME FIGURES OF SPEACH
Busy as a nailer Bold as brass Cross as the cats Dirty as a ducks puddle Far a ever a puffin flew ( Puffins are not the greatest long distance flyers )
A FEW PLACENAMES
Nick's Nose Cove
Come-by-Chance
Blow-me-down
Bumble Bee Bight
Ha Ha Bay
Nancy Oh
Joe Batt's Arm
Bareneed
Hearts Content
Cupoids
Bacon Cove
Tea Cove
Triangle Point
Horse Chops
Dragon Bay
Badger
Goose Bay
Corner Brook
Deer Lake
Harricot ( French for Green beans *G*)
Tickle Gut
Black Duck Siding
False Cape
Mistaken Point
Doctor's Harbour
Nameless Cove
Harbour Harbour
This is just a tiny sample of Newfoundland culture. Come to visit our wonderful Province & experience our heritage and uniqueness in person :)
OR for more information of Newfoundland & Labrador, contact you nearest travel agency or visit our Tourism Dept.
OR You can visit these other Newfoundland sites:
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Take a look at Kids Stuff ( Links to my kids favourite sites )
Pics of Newfoundland
Pics of My Family
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BACKGROUND BY: PAT'S WEB GRAPHICS . TITLE BY: *ME* :)
