The Flags of Newfoundland


 







modern newfie flag, (wikipedia)

The Newfoundland flag shown on the left, was designed by a Newfoundland artist named Christopher Pratt. The flag was introduced in 1980 and was approved by the house of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador on May 28th the same year. The flag was flown for the first time on June 24, 1980, also know as Discovery Day (June 24, 1497). Discovery Day commemorates John Cabot's discovery of Newfoundland.
The flag was chosen because it has a lot of symbolism. For example, the blue triangles represent the union jack and Newfoundlands' British heritage. The two red triangles represent the two parts of the province; the island of Newfoundland and the mainland Labrador. According the Pratt, the artist of the flag, the gold arrow points towards a bright future and when the flag is hung vertically, it become a sword to represent the sacrifices of the Newfoundland military. The red triangles and the gold arrow form a trident which stand for Newfoundlands' dependence on fisheries and resources from the sea.

The flag below, is known as the Newfoundland tri-colour. It's Newfoundlands' unofficial flag. The origin of this flag is unknown but it's believed to have come into being in the 1840's. A recent scholarship suggests it was first used in the 1870's by the Roman Catholic fraternal organization the "Star of the Sea" association and shortly became more popular with St. John's and other catholic groups.The green, white and pink flag is used more for the tourist industry, whereas the blue, red, and gold flag is the official flag of Newfoundland.

Unofficial newfie flag, (flagspot.net)

Now when you see these flags flying high anywhere, you'll know where they're from.

Until next time me duckies!

 

George Street



George street (wikipedia)



     In Newfoundland, there a place where the people go to experience the "night-life". This is called George street. George street is two blocks long and is occupied solely by bars, pubs and restaurants. Traffic is not allowed on George street except in the mornings to allow the various establishments to restock. It is known for the most bars and pubs per square foot in North America and has bars that are also open later than other bars throughout Canada. The street becomes its busiest late at night (around midnight) and will stay busy until early morning (around 6am) despite the absence of alcohol.


George street festival (canada-photos.com)



     The street is used for the celebration of Mardis Gras in October, even though it is not celebrated in most other places until February. The largest celebration on George street is the George street festival, celebrated in August, which last six days. It is rumored to be the the largest festival of its kind with over 120,000 people taking part over the six days.

     The street used to be six blocks in length but with the addition of the St. John's convention centre, it has been divided into George street and George street west. George street west is occupied by many residences, businesses and a church, whereas George street is where the night life happens.

I'm sure George street is going to be on many of your lists of things to do, so have fun but be responsible.

Until next time me duckies!

What a Pretty Pony!



Newfoundland Pony, Photo from: animalswecare.com



 The newfoundland pony is a small but sturdy horse with strong small hooves. It has a short thick mane and a thick low set tail. They come in a variety of coat colours, the most common being brown. They can range from 11-14.2 hands in height and wiegh between 600-1000 pounds.



 The Newfoundland pony is prominatly descented from the Exmoor. Some of it's other ancestors include the Welsh pony, New Forest pony and the Galloway pony (extinct).

Extinct Galloway pony. (wetearth.wordpress.com)





 The Newfoundland pony was used for plowing, assiting with gardens, hauling fish nets or wood and transportation. The invention of machines took over the ponys' job and therefore the population diminished.

There are less than 400 newfoundland ponies, making them classified as critically endangered by Rare Breeds Canada. There was once known to be around 12000 Newfoundland ponies roaming Newfoundland. The populations declined quickly in the 1960 by the introduction of machines like ATVs and snowmobiles. The Newfoundland Pony Society was formed in 1979 with less than 100 Newfoundland ponies remaining. In 1997, the goverment of Newfoundland and Labrador enacted the Heritage animal act, making the ewfoundland pony the provinces' first heritage animal.
Breeders of the Newfoundland pony outside of the province of Newfoundland are allowed to continue owning and breeding their ponies but no Newfoundland ponies are allowed to be exported off the island of Newfoundland. There are still not as many Newfoundland ponies as there once was but the populations is slowly increasing.
Now you've learned something about the Newfoundland pony! Want to learn more? Check out the Newfoundland Pony Societys' website. (http://www.newfoundlandpony.com/)
Until next time me duckies!

It's a Bear! No, It's a Dog..?

Newfoundland dogs are huge. They are typically black, white with black, or very rarely, a deep brown. Though personally I have never seen a brown Newfoundland dog. However, the traditional Newfoundland dog is black. They have long fur that protects them from the cold ocean waters surrounding Newfoundland. This is why they were used to save sailors from drowning in the harbour.

Newfoundland dogs that are part of families with small childeren have been known to "save" the childeren from drowning in pools by taking the kids out of the water. The dog doesn't know you're just having fun because its instincts are telling it that it has to save you.

Photo from: landseer-ect.com





Newfoundland dogs are very master orianted. They have one master and are very loyal. These dogs are not typically aggresive. Keep in mind that a dog's behaviour is a reflection of its training. Because Newfoundland dogs are so big, it is highly recomended that you start training as soon as you can. They're already really big puppies!

Now if you ever choose to get a Newfoundland dog, or choose to visit Newfoundland, you'll have a better idea of what to look for, and what it is you might encounter.

Until next time me duckies!

So You Want to be Newfie B'y?

Becoming a Newfie or Newfoundlander is accomplished by a process called "Screeched In". It's a tradtion usually performed when a newfie marries a non-newfie, or if your parents are newfie, but you were born on the main land. There are a couple things you need to do when being screeched in. And it's not for the faint of heart.

1. Choose the master of ceremonies.This is typically a newfoundlander as you would normally have your family and friends gathered around to watch the ceremony. And unless you just wanted to be a newfie because you think it's awesome ( and your right! ) you would have newfoundland relatives close by. If there are no newfies around just choose a person who likes to hear their own voice. The master of ceremonies is responsible for reading the instructions and making sure the steps are followed correctly.

2. Preparing the screech. Screech is a type of rum specific to Newfoundland. Choose your favourite and pour it into a shot glass. You can have it mixed or not. That's up to you!

3. Kissing the cod. Yes, it's exactly what you think it is. You now have to kiss a fish, but not just any fish. A cod fish. This represents the goodbye to those you sailed away from to get the rum. Dont worry, the fish doesn't mind getting a bit of love.

4. Receiting the screechers creed. If you need some translations, check out my What Did He Say? post.

Everyone: "From the waters of the Avalon, to the shores of Labrador,

We've always stuck together, with a Rant and with a Roar.

To those who've never been, soon they'll understand,

From coast to coast, we raise a toast, We love thee Newfoundland!"

Master of Ceremonies - ask your audience: "Is ye a Screecher?"

Audience Replies:"Deed I is me old cock, and long may your big jib draw!"

5. Drink the screech rum! Now you get to taste the famous Newfoundland screech. Ready? Go!

6. Fill out this certificate by clicking on the link below.
http://www.screechrum.com/ScreechInCertificate.pdf
Or if you want a slightly more detailed version of this tradtion check out the following link. It's where I found the screechers creed.
http://www.screechrum.com/screechin