Beothuks and more

May 13, 2016 by Let's CUT the Crap! 69 Comments

Today I have a mishmash of tidbits. This hadn’t been an exciting day but one filled with lots of interesting information.

On the move again. Luggage out by 6:30 a.m. Buffet breakfast at 7:00 and on the bus by 8:00 a.m. Another wet day pressing the windshield wipers into service. Swish-swish.

Francis, our guide, read a poem: http://www.linda-ellis.com/the-dash-the-dash-poem-by-linda-ellis-.html. Check it out. Maybe you’ll enjoy it, too.

A couple from our group shared a strange incident from the night before. One of them had flipped through the TV channels for something entertaining. A particular station clicked, the air conditioner snapped on. Clicked again, and it turned off. They wondered what else might be off.

A moose will challenge anything in its way. We passed a moose killed on the road the previous night, but I didn’t see it, and we couldn’t slow down even though others asked.

Because we weren’t going to see icebergs today, Francis popped in a DVD about them. Did you know icebergs are about 10 stories high? Pieces break off, the berg rolls over and continues breaking off until it melts in summer. Check this out:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dysuQIDtdoM (Something has changed in WordPress, I can’t seem to insert videos here lately.)

First stop, the Beothuk Interpretation Centre

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Beothuk Facts:

• First Indigenous People
• https://www.tes.com/lessons/gye8OhWExDMW6A/beothuk-tribe (background)
• Beothuk means Red Indian
• Red ochre applied to skin from birth
• Europeans left behind old ships
• Boethuks collected the iron nails, screws and nuts and repurposed them
• Iron artifacts found in their base campsites
• Hunted by Europeans when they came to fish during warm months
• Forced inland away from fishing
• Misunderstanding and fighting / driven out by Europeans
• Disease / had no immunity
• Beothuk Interpretation Centre
• 4,000 artifacts
• Designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1995
• Boyd’s Cove = 11 house pits

A short stop at Little Harbour, which has one street. In June and July, there are icebergs here, but not during out visit. The weather windy, nippy and overcast, we strolled down the one short street and took pictures of root cellars, the rocky shore and the few houses.

Houses along the one road. Not a car passed us.

Old root cellar. Painted door in good repair, it must still be in use..

More Quick Facts about Newfoundland:

• The twin towers in New York were built by Newfoundlanders
• Newfoundland only place you’ll find Pineapple Crush. Everyone else knows Orange Crush.
• Doctors Banting and Best co-discovered insulin
• Experimented on dogs
• A boy at death’s door was first human to be injected with insulin (miraculous recovery)
• Planting starts in early June: carrots and potatoes
• Tomatoes need a greenhouse
• Farmers use Biodegradable_plastic over plants to keep in heat and protect from early spring frost

Capelin Facts:

• Capelin – member of the smelt family
• Harvested for Japanese market
• Russians also came to do the same
• Especially for female roe /males discarded
• 30 – 40% are male (a market must be found for them)
• Occasionally an overloaded boat swamped
• Fishermen made the best of their catch
• A lucky fisherman took all he wanted from his nets
• Some fishermen buddied up to make the most of a day’s catch
• http://www.fish-fishes.com/salt_water_fish/capelin_fish.html
• Are food for cod and puffins (we didn’t see these either as we were too late in the season)

Old Irish Tradition: Mummery (check link for Mummers’ costumes and song)

During the 12 days of Christmas, 25 to 30 people could knock on someone’s door. They’d be invited inside, given a piece of chocolate cake, and a drink for adults. Everyone tried to identify each other. The visitors performed plays, sang, played instruments, danced, and had a good time. This old tradition is now enjoyed only at Hallowe’en.

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Next on May 20^th – Twillington

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