"Waste no opportunity to sing a song or play a tune. Learn how to hook a mat, dance the lancers or build a dory. Show your children how to skin a rabbit, make a figgy duff or trench potatoes... Show them where they came from and the stuff their ancestors were made of."
Usually I smack the snooze on my clock radio to steal myself another nine minutes, this morning though the words spoken by Anita Best on CBC radio brought me fast awake. Seldom is it heard in these modern times the need to grab onto what we hold dear as Newfoundlanders and as Labradorians, with the above words she had my ear.
I was listening to an excerpt of a speech given at convocation upon Ms. Best receiving her honourary degree from MUN. She expressed how important it was to the woman she would become to have been born in her Placentia Bay home of Merasheen. Thanking her family and "the many other singers of Merasheen and Tack’s Beach [who] sowed and nurtured the seeds of traditional song within me."
In Community Linkages we often struggle to put to words the true value of what it means to be a Newfoundlander or Labradorian. What it means to have grown up with our traditions, craft, culture and song. To make the argument that these intangible products of our early life have a true value in the people we become. It has a value not only in shaping our lives but an intrinsic value in the careers we follow, the lessons we learn that we in turn give back to our communities. In Ms. Best’s speech to the students of MUN could be found the true essence of why the CLCC was formed and from which we gain our strength:
"I hope that you will broaden and enrich your lives as engineers and academic professionals by participating in and passing on our intangible cultural heritage. Waste no opportunity to sing a song or play a tune. Learn how to hook a mat, dance the lancers or build a dory. Show your children how to skin a rabbit, make a figgy duff or trench potatoes. By all means read them stories from books, but tell them your stories too. Show them where they came from and the stuff their ancestors were made of." She writes.
Community Linkages is not blinded by a romanticized view of our past. We do not express a desire to return to a storybook vision of outport Newfoundland and Labrador, instead we recognize that our communities are in transition, in order to flourish, our rural communities will find their place in a modern world. The true strength of Newfoundland and Labrador has always been in its survivability in the toughest of situations. It is innovation, community leadership, and individual sponsorship that will spark new life into our communities just as it has for generations. Ms. Best too expresses the necessity to evolve and adapt: "You can change the recipes—every generation has the responsibility to use tradition to create their own art! Chris Brookes, Figgy Duff and CODCO did it in our generation, WGB and Great Big Sea did it in theirs; Duane Andrews, Graham Wells, Billy Sutton and many others are doing it now."
The people of Newfoundland and Labrador have crafted a good life from a land that is at once brutal and beautiful. Ms. Best told the convocation "...a long line of traditional singers and storytellers [have] collectively crafted a rich culture from the weather, rock and water; shore, sea and sky of the Newfoundland outport, which fellow bayman Rex Murphy has called “the house of our being.”"
It is up to each of us as Newfoundlanders and as Labradorians to recognize “the house of our being." In it we will find our resolve.
With great thanks to Anita Best who sent me the transcript of her speech and allowed me to use portions of it here.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Monday, June 1, 2009
Firefighters
In praise of Unsung Heroes.
Part of being a member of Community Linkages is promoting the positive things that are happening in our communities. Media attention too often focuses on the fading breath of our rural communities; we often fail to see the aspects of our communities that are very much alive.
A red pump truck glistens in an open garage door. A fixture of any rural community is the fire hall. The volunteers who stand ready at the drop of a hat to leap into action are true community heroes. As the child of a volunteer firefighter I know the disruption to life that comes with having your father leave on a moments notice to fight for the lives and security of someone else. I know the anguish that comes with the sirens late in the night, and the relief when your dad returns within the hour. "Chimney Fire" he would simply say. And on those times when he does not return within the hour a family is left to fret, hoping for his safety and praying for the families who would be wrapped in blankets outside a charred home. I know the hushed conversation through the walls that would tell me that a person lost their life that night.
With this tremendous responsibly our volunteer firefighters find time to fund raise for their supplies and for charities all across Newfoundland and Labrador. They maintain their engine and hall and offer these facilities for community events.
On Sunday the CLCC had the pleasure of hosting a public meeting at the fire hall in Bay Roberts. A gentleman from the hall let us in and before walking upstairs I had a peak at the truck waiting perpetually to burst from the doors to aid those in crisis. I was reminded of what it meant to have my father as a firefighter.
Thanks to the firefighters of Bay Roberts for making us guests and for those who volunteer so much of themselves so we have the comfort of a safe community. Our sincere thanks.
Part of being a member of Community Linkages is promoting the positive things that are happening in our communities. Media attention too often focuses on the fading breath of our rural communities; we often fail to see the aspects of our communities that are very much alive.
A red pump truck glistens in an open garage door. A fixture of any rural community is the fire hall. The volunteers who stand ready at the drop of a hat to leap into action are true community heroes. As the child of a volunteer firefighter I know the disruption to life that comes with having your father leave on a moments notice to fight for the lives and security of someone else. I know the anguish that comes with the sirens late in the night, and the relief when your dad returns within the hour. "Chimney Fire" he would simply say. And on those times when he does not return within the hour a family is left to fret, hoping for his safety and praying for the families who would be wrapped in blankets outside a charred home. I know the hushed conversation through the walls that would tell me that a person lost their life that night.
With this tremendous responsibly our volunteer firefighters find time to fund raise for their supplies and for charities all across Newfoundland and Labrador. They maintain their engine and hall and offer these facilities for community events.
On Sunday the CLCC had the pleasure of hosting a public meeting at the fire hall in Bay Roberts. A gentleman from the hall let us in and before walking upstairs I had a peak at the truck waiting perpetually to burst from the doors to aid those in crisis. I was reminded of what it meant to have my father as a firefighter.
Thanks to the firefighters of Bay Roberts for making us guests and for those who volunteer so much of themselves so we have the comfort of a safe community. Our sincere thanks.
Friday, May 15, 2009
It's the 24th of May
...and we likes to get away
Have a safe and happy long weekend. Mark the 31st on your calendar, the CLCC hopes to see you in Bay Roberts. On the 31st we are having a public discussion at the fire hall; a good chance for a good number of us who only know each other through email to actually meet, voice your concerns, hopes, and good news from your community.
Talk to you after the long weekend with details.
Good trouting.
Have a safe and happy long weekend. Mark the 31st on your calendar, the CLCC hopes to see you in Bay Roberts. On the 31st we are having a public discussion at the fire hall; a good chance for a good number of us who only know each other through email to actually meet, voice your concerns, hopes, and good news from your community.
Talk to you after the long weekend with details.
Good trouting.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Thursday, April 30, 2009
The Holdin' Ground: Community Linkages Defined
.JPG)
In the Bay Roberts Pavilion a plaque on the wall proclaims the room as “The Holdin’ Ground." The play by Ted Russel pays testament to the bond that we as Newfoundlanders and Labradorians feel with our home. In the room on Sunday April 19 the Community Linkages Group sits, a diverse group who have been brought together for a common purpose. To be a voice for rural Newfoundland and Labrador.
The CLCC counts as its supporters and members some of the best expertise in the areas of rural NL living, youth, the fisheries and agriculture, political science and business that this province has to offer. The CLCC is becoming a hub of activity among interest groups throughout rural Newfoundland and Labrador. Missing among many of these community and advocacy groups is the collective voice, the communication and linking of resources for the common good, the CLCC is poised to channel that collective voice.
The Community Linkages Concept Committee (CLCC) bound by a connection to this place is lead by the infectious passion of the chair Ray Johnson of Buddy Wasisname notarity. With Mr. Johnson are a some of the Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who have taken berth on this ship. The list of supporters have grown to include people from Fogo Island, the West Coast Coast, Central, the Burin peninsula, Labrador, and the Northwest Avalon. The plaque at The Pavilion describes the “strength of the bond that defines who we are as a people and draws us back to when we leave”. In those words describe the intangible that can never be adequately expressed by a single flag, song, or political movement. In the words of Ted Russel we are like a schooner “ridin’ at her moorin’” it looks to be adrift until you know “about our moorin’s and our Holdin’ Ground.” The CLCC draws upon that inspiration.
Considering a rural life that has in just a few decades seen the cod moratorium, the dismantling of the railway, unprecedented outmigration, resettlement and the loss of a lifestyle and culture. It seems the growth of a group like the CLCC was inevitable.
On Sunday the topic of conversation at the CLCC meeting was a common one. How do we foster an environment in rural Newfoundland and Labrador that nurtures an economic and socially viable rural NL? What conditions in Newfoundland and Labrador’s future generations would see our youth have a choice of making a living in Newfoundland and Labrador instead of the necessity to leave for work? What is the future of our fishery and resources? And how does a fledgling grassroots group like the CLCC that has no partisan influence, no commercial support and only the passion of its members build the momentum for a strong and sustainable life in the future of rural Newfoundland and Labrador?
This time around the CLCC has assembled better than a dozen people, some meetings are smaller, some larger. Ray prefaces the meeting by describing his first performances with Buddy Wasisname where looking through a hole in the curtains showed only a disappointing half dozen fans. Today the group tours to sold-out audiences across Canada, it is that same buildup of support he knows is slowly accumulating for Community Linkages. Two common questions that he faces on his journey’s are who are the CLCC? And secondly “How can I help?” This meeting is meant to answer those primary concerns.
Following Sunday’s meeting the CLCC has refined and renewed its focus on the issues of rural Newfoundland and Labrador with the intent of being the common voice, the linkage that makes the greater community, all of Newfoundland and Labrador strong.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
One Man’s Crusade
Mark Dwyer - The Newfoundland Herald
(Reprinted with permission)
Gerry Higgins is relentless. He admits it. In fact, he practically
introduces each telephone call with an apology, excusing his
persistence.
His diligence is admirable and, at times, annoying. At one point his
endless phone calls sparked a verbal exchange with this columnist.
“Sorry if I’m being a nuisance,” he offers, “but I’m not going away.”
I’m glad he didn’t.
Higgins is a 53-year-old widower. Just before Christmas in 2005, his
wife Margaret, just 45, lost her five year battle with cancer.
He wears the pain on his face like a mask and, in some ways, refuses to
let her go, realizing that too many questions remain unanswered.
Higgins is confident, if not convinced, that electrical transformers
played a role in his wife’s death, and he’s advocating for a local
study into the effects of overexposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs)
since his wife was initially diagnosed almost a decade ago.
Just after exchanging wedding vows in 1980, the young couple settled
down in a small bungalow in Norris Arm and started a family. That
little nest, though, was enclosed by heavy power lines, which Higgins
believes possibly played a role in her death.
As reported in an interview with The Independent several years ago, he
discovered that out of the 62 transformers in his town, there were
incidents of cancer located close to 60.
That’s a heavy statement considering the modern world is powered by
electrical transformers, and Higgins realizes he has many detractors,
some who quietly wonder if his motives are financially-driven. “I don’t
want a nickel from this; I want a study,” he says.
Higgins, who’s spoken to thousands of cancer victims, has support from
scientists all over the globe, some of whom have been conducting
research into the health effects of EMFs for decades.
Trent University professor Magda Havas, who has spent years examining
the issue, is one of Higgins’ loudest supporters, noting he should
receive a medal for his “tenacity and his desire to prevent others from
experiencing the death of a loved one from cancer.”
She notes there is significant scientific evidence that the magnetic
field from power lines and other sources is associated with breast
cancer.
“Epidemiological studies,” she says, “show that magnetic field
exposure, in a number of occupations, increases the risk of breast
cancer in both men and women. This is especially true for women under
the age of 50 with estrogen receptor positive breast cancer.”
Plus, studies with human breast cancer cells show that magnetic fields
increase the growth of breast cancer and reduce the effectiveness of
melatonin and tamoxifen. Melatonin is a natural hormone produced by
the human body that is “oncostatic” — which means it reduces the growth
of cancers. Tamoxifen is a drug given to breast cancer patients to
reduce the growth of breast cancer cells.
“I don’t know if Gerry’s wife used this treatment but if she did the
drug would not be as effective if she remained in a high magnetic field
environment.”
Margaret Higgins did take the drug.
Lastly, according to Havas, studies with mice show that breast cancer,
induced with a chemical carcinogen, appears earlier and grows more
quickly when exposed to high magnetic fields.
“Since 1 in 9 women in Canada is likely to develop breast cancer in her
lifetime, anything that promotes the growth of breast cancer, even
slightly, becomes a very serious health concern,” she says.
Simply put, Havas suggests moving transformers away from homes and
making certain that people don’t live near power lines would be a step
in the right direction.
Gerry Higgins won’t quit. I guarantee it. He vividly remembers the
shock on his wife’s face and the tears in her eyes when her doctor
confirmed she had breast cancer in 2000. He watched her die, but truly
believes others can be helped.
He is calling for a study in this province, conducted by an independent
body, to answer the question — Does living near a transformer and power
lines increase your likelihood of developing cancer?
“Surely this is a valid question and the government of Newfoundland and
Labrador is in the position to answer it,” says Havas.
By funding an independent study, the government could put this question
to rest, and hopefully give Gerry Higgins the answer he’s looking for.
Mark Dwyer, The Herald’s managing editor, can be reached at
mdwyer at nfldherald.com
(Reprinted with permission)
Gerry Higgins is relentless. He admits it. In fact, he practically
introduces each telephone call with an apology, excusing his
persistence.
His diligence is admirable and, at times, annoying. At one point his
endless phone calls sparked a verbal exchange with this columnist.
“Sorry if I’m being a nuisance,” he offers, “but I’m not going away.”
I’m glad he didn’t.
Higgins is a 53-year-old widower. Just before Christmas in 2005, his
wife Margaret, just 45, lost her five year battle with cancer.
He wears the pain on his face like a mask and, in some ways, refuses to
let her go, realizing that too many questions remain unanswered.
Higgins is confident, if not convinced, that electrical transformers
played a role in his wife’s death, and he’s advocating for a local
study into the effects of overexposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs)
since his wife was initially diagnosed almost a decade ago.
Just after exchanging wedding vows in 1980, the young couple settled
down in a small bungalow in Norris Arm and started a family. That
little nest, though, was enclosed by heavy power lines, which Higgins
believes possibly played a role in her death.
As reported in an interview with The Independent several years ago, he
discovered that out of the 62 transformers in his town, there were
incidents of cancer located close to 60.
That’s a heavy statement considering the modern world is powered by
electrical transformers, and Higgins realizes he has many detractors,
some who quietly wonder if his motives are financially-driven. “I don’t
want a nickel from this; I want a study,” he says.
Higgins, who’s spoken to thousands of cancer victims, has support from
scientists all over the globe, some of whom have been conducting
research into the health effects of EMFs for decades.
Trent University professor Magda Havas, who has spent years examining
the issue, is one of Higgins’ loudest supporters, noting he should
receive a medal for his “tenacity and his desire to prevent others from
experiencing the death of a loved one from cancer.”
She notes there is significant scientific evidence that the magnetic
field from power lines and other sources is associated with breast
cancer.
“Epidemiological studies,” she says, “show that magnetic field
exposure, in a number of occupations, increases the risk of breast
cancer in both men and women. This is especially true for women under
the age of 50 with estrogen receptor positive breast cancer.”
Plus, studies with human breast cancer cells show that magnetic fields
increase the growth of breast cancer and reduce the effectiveness of
melatonin and tamoxifen. Melatonin is a natural hormone produced by
the human body that is “oncostatic” — which means it reduces the growth
of cancers. Tamoxifen is a drug given to breast cancer patients to
reduce the growth of breast cancer cells.
“I don’t know if Gerry’s wife used this treatment but if she did the
drug would not be as effective if she remained in a high magnetic field
environment.”
Margaret Higgins did take the drug.
Lastly, according to Havas, studies with mice show that breast cancer,
induced with a chemical carcinogen, appears earlier and grows more
quickly when exposed to high magnetic fields.
“Since 1 in 9 women in Canada is likely to develop breast cancer in her
lifetime, anything that promotes the growth of breast cancer, even
slightly, becomes a very serious health concern,” she says.
Simply put, Havas suggests moving transformers away from homes and
making certain that people don’t live near power lines would be a step
in the right direction.
Gerry Higgins won’t quit. I guarantee it. He vividly remembers the
shock on his wife’s face and the tears in her eyes when her doctor
confirmed she had breast cancer in 2000. He watched her die, but truly
believes others can be helped.
He is calling for a study in this province, conducted by an independent
body, to answer the question — Does living near a transformer and power
lines increase your likelihood of developing cancer?
“Surely this is a valid question and the government of Newfoundland and
Labrador is in the position to answer it,” says Havas.
By funding an independent study, the government could put this question
to rest, and hopefully give Gerry Higgins the answer he’s looking for.
Mark Dwyer, The Herald’s managing editor, can be reached at
mdwyer at nfldherald.com
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Shrimp Quotas: DFO's Same-ol-same-ol
It strikes me that the Co-op idea exercised by Fogo Island and the Labrador Shrimp Co is not a bad idea for community sustainability. Could be an answer to some of our community woes. But then I hear of things like the present DFO minister Gail Shea taking quotas from elsewhere and giving them to her own riding. A riding which has no shrimp processing ability or history... Sadly I guess this is a glimpse of the reality of the Newfoundland and Labrador ocean resources. Traded, stolen and picked clean.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)