Black History Month

Let me begin with a caveat to any and all who find these pages. Do not trust large bodies of water, and do not cross them.  If you, Dear Reader, have an African hue and find yourself led toward water with vanishing shores, seize your freedom by any means necessary. And cultivate distrust of the colour pink.  Pink is taken as the colour of innocence, the colour of childhood, but as it spills across the water in the light of the dying sun, do not fall into its pretty path. There, right underneath, lies a bottomless graveyard of children, mothers and men.  I shudder to imagine all the Africans rocking in the deep.  Every time I have sailed the seas, I have had the sense of gliding over the unburied.  Some people call the sunset a creation of extraordinary beauty, and proof of God’s existence.  But what benevolent force would bewitch the human spirit by choosing pink to light the path of a slave vessel?” The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill


This being Black History Month I thought I would share with you a book I read two summers ago. My sister gave me the book to read, she told me it was one of her favorite books she's read in awhile. I had my doubts, but those doubts were soon shed within the first few moments of reading the first page. I spent every moment I could reading The Book of Negros, it went with me to Sandhills, and as the kids played on the beach, I was immersed in this book...almost transported back to the late 18th century, taking the unimaginative Journey with Aminata Diallo from her African Village to a plantation in the United States to refuge in Shelburne, Nova Scotia, to the coast of Sierra Leone.
Although this book is based on a fictional character created by author Lawrence Hill, there is an actual Book of Negroes. It is a hand written ledger which details the names, ages, backgrounds and often degrading physical descriptions of black people in North America. More specifically, the 3000 freedom seekers who left New York for Nova Scotia and other British colonies near the end of the American Revolutionary War for a promise of freedom and land. What they received when they got there wasn't much better than they had left behind; poverty, hunger, disease and slavery.
In schools throughout Canada we have been taught about Canada's part in the Underground Railroad, but we have not been taught much about our part in slavery or that we were the site of North America's first race riot. That in 1784 large gangs of out of work white men attacked the black settlement of Birchtown, NS and destroyed 20 homes. Disappointed and angry at the British for abandoning them, 1000 Black Loyalists sailed to Sierra Leone undertaking the world's first return to Africa transit.


The Globe and Mail says this of The Book of Negroes:
"The Book of Negroes is a masterpiece, daring and impressive in its geographic, historical and human reach, convincing in its narrative art and detail, necessary for imagining the real beyond the traces left by history."
The Globe and Mail

You can learn more about the Black Loyalists by visiting the Black Loyalist Heritage Society in Birchtown, NS or by visiting their website at:
Black Loyalist Heritage Society

You can also learn more of The Book of Negros in this feature article Freedom Bound by Lawrence Hill:
Freedom Bound

If you haven't yet read The Book of Negroes (or also called Someone Knows My Name in the USA, Australia, and New Zealand) pick it up today, you won't regret it, and I promise you, you won't be able to put it down until it's done.

Wordless Wednesday

Tracey Devine Photography (All Rights Reserved)

Wordless Wednesday

Dumping Day

Experience "Dumping Day" first hand in the Lobster Capital of Canada, the Municipality of Barrington. The largest lobster fishing industry in Canada opens on the last Monday in November each year and while the majority of us are making our Christmas lists, a lot of the men (and some women!) are making their lobstering lists and checking them twice right now. Traps, bait bags, rope (lots of rope!), buoys, and the list goes on.  "Dumping Day" in Southwest Nova is considered the most dangerous day of the lobster season.  The day when all the pots (375 in District 34) are "dumped" into the ocean and the fishermen then hold their breath in hopes that they have placed them in the right, lucrative spot.

You can join in on dumping day festivities on Cape Sable Island with an early morning (starts at 4AM) hot breakfast at the Barrington & Island Fire Department in Centreville, then head down to any of the local wharves and join the many families gathered there waiting for the 6AM start of the lobster season and to wish the anxious fishermen well.

It is certainly a sight to see all the boats filled with lobster pots, gear and crew. With their motors humming they wait for their time to leave the wharf in search of the perfect spot to set their pots.  The lobster fishery accounts for 35 percent of total economic returns in southwest Nova, and each year starts with an uncertainty about what the years catch will bring and the price of lobsters.  The past couple of years has seen some of the lowest prices for lobsters most fisherman have ever experienced, but none the less, they risk their lives in high winds and waves on the Atlantic Ocean in hopes of making a good living to raise their families on.

Don't forget to come back and visit us in June, when we celebrate our Lobster Heritage during Lobster Festival, June 2,3,4 & 5th, 2011. Hope to see you then! 

Enjoy Nova Scotia Lobster!

Check out these great videos!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

"Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, 

everything is softer and more beautiful."

 ~ Norman Vincint Peale

The town of Shelburne welcomes you to come and spend a day or the whole weekend with them as they celebrate the Christmas season this year.  A full festive line up of events are on tap from November 25 - 28, beginning with the Phil Callen Senior High Basketball Classic which kicks off on Thursday night at 6PM at the High School.

Friday night, Jolly Ol' Santa comes to town with treat bags for the little ones.  The lights on the Christmas Tree will be lit while folks gather 'round for a Christmas Carol sing-along and a "mug up" of hot chocolate and cookies to keep you warm.  End your evening with some more great entertainment at the Osprey Arts Centre with our local basement theatre performance of Noel Coward's 1920's English comedy  "Hay Fever".

On Saturday, start your day with a little Christmas shopping and while you are out and about, don't forget to cast your vote for your favorite themed Christmas tree located throughout town.  The Shelburne Farmer's Market will be open at the Exhibition grounds and from there you can stroll over to the community centre for the Christmas Craft Fair and cross a few more people off your Christmas List with some great handmade crafts.

Step back in time when you purchase a ticket for the Christmas House Tour.  You will get to explore five homes in Shelburne all decked out for Christmas, a church and an Inn. You will be greeted by some of our local Historic Re-enactors as you experience Christmas with a little history! 

 

If you haven't gotten into the Festive Season yet, you surely will as you watch the impressive Parade of Lights as it makes it way through the Town of Shelburne later Saturday night.

Come, be a part of the Magic and experience Christmas in Shelburne!

For a full schedule of events visit: Shelburne Celebrates Christmas

For a listing of Accommodations to plan your Festive Weekend Getaway visit: Discover Shelburne County

Wordless Wednesday

Queen of Awkward Meets Queen of Hearts

Life is filled with so many exciting twists and turns. Hop off the straight and narrow whenever you can and take the winding paths. Experience the exhilaration of the view from the edge. Because the moments spent there, that take your breath away, are what make you feel truly alive." ~  Stacey Charter"

I must confess, I am not very coordinated.  I've always stayed away from aerobic classes for this very reason.  I've always blamed my awkwardness on the fact that I'm left handed, who knows if this is true but it seems like a valid excuse!  So when I decided I was going to attempt to row a dory, something that I put on my summer "to do" list and something I knew would take a fair amount of coordination --- I was a wee bit scared. Probably more scared I was going to make a fool of myself than anything else!

All ready to give it a go.

I arrived at the Cape Sable Island Causeway on a Tuesday night, ready to take on this challenge and to take part in The Queen of Hearts Dory Club Fun Night. This event was started this year by the Club to allow visitors and locals alike to try their hand at rowing a dory, experiential tourism at it's best!  I met Nicole Jones-Hurlburt, my dory mate for the night down by the shore. Nicole is a 15 time International Dory Champion, I wasn't putting my first time in a dory in just anyone's hands -- I was putting it in the best!

Nicole putting me at ease.

Nicole started rowing over 10 years ago and won her first International Championship in 1999 with her teammate Chrissy Atwood-Rose.  Together, they went on to win two more titles after that.  Nicole then started training with her sister Natalie, and together they have won 10 International Championships.  Nicole informed me that there are two International Championships held each year. One in Gloucester, Massachusetts and the other in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, with elimination races being held in each place prior to each championship. Nicole has also won 2 Mixed International titles, so she is a seasoned pro to say the least and a great ambassador to the sport of dory racing and to our Province.

2009 International Dory Racing Champions - Natalie & Nicole Jones (Photo courtesy of Nicole Jones)

There was quite a crowd gathered at the Causeway for the Club's Fun night, despite the fog and a little breeze, everyone seemed anxious (and maybe a bit nervous like me) to give this sport a try. Nicole told me to go ahead and jump in the dory we were standing by - there was no build up to this experience, just jump in and do it!  There were three other dories on the shore, each one with their own name, The Miss Cockawitt (which is a nickname given to the near by community of Wood's Harbour), the Miss Newellton (a Cape Island community) , the Sea Dog and the Lady Sarah, which I had just not so gracefully "jumped" in to. I got myself all settled into the stern of the dory, well, that was after Nicole told me I had to turn around and face the other way.

Onlookers and visitors gathered to watch and take part in the Fun Night Row

I was expecting the oars to be much heavier than they were, but they were surprisingly light and fairly easy to maneuver , much to my delight.  With a push off from another Club member, we managed to make our way past the anchored sailboats nearby and set our course up the edge of the Causeway. Nicole informed me that because I was in the stern of the dory, I would be the one setting the pace.  I told her to expect it to be a slow one!  My awkwardness showed up in full force as I struggled a bit with getting both oars in the water at the same time, but Nicole was very encouraging which was a huge help.  She suggested we trade spots, thinking I might have better luck in the bow of the dory and using her new oars.  She was right - I had a much easier time following her lead and the new oars seemed to fit me much better.

Getting a feel for things.

Nicole and I talked about the history of the Club which was started in 1997 by David Eldridge and Wylie Blades to provide recreational dory rowing opportunities in Shelburne County, and to promote and bring back the tradition of dory rowing and racing to our area. This year the Dory Club has approximately 50 members and Nicole told me they are all very interested in volunteering their time for events such as the Tuesday Night Fun Nights, promoting the tradition of dory rowing and seeing the club grow  This weekend a lot of the members are traveling to Lunenburg to take part in the Elimination Finals in the hopes of moving on to the International Dory Championships in Lunenburg in September. Where Nicole hopes to add to her list of titles.

Fun for the whole family - everyone can take part. (Photo courtesy of Nicole Jones)

By this time we had managed to turn ourselves around and head back to the shore. Nicole was very encouraging and was making my first experience very rewarding.  I was actually doing it...and not too badly, I might add.  It helped that I had an exceptional teacher!
We talked of the clubs plans for the future, and the hopes of making the club more accessible to it's members and visitors with the plans of infrastructure, building membership and more International titles. All in the hopes of keeping the sport of dory racing alive and well, not only in Shelburne County but in Nova Scotia.

Rowing at Sunset - Cape Sable Island Causeway (Photo courtesy of Nicole Jones)

Before I knew it, we were back on shore and there was someone else ready to take my place in the Lady Sarah for their first time.  I thanked Nicole for the great experience and told her I would probably be back to try it again. Possible new member? Maybe! If the Queen of Awkwardness can do it - so can you! Give it a try every Tuesday night at 6PM at the Cape Sable Island Causeway, Nicole and the rest of the Queen of Hearts Dory Club will be ready to meet you and make your first time a truly enjoyable and unforgettable one!

 To learn more about Dory racing, rowing history and building visit the following links:

Queen of Hearts Dory Club

Dory Building History & Heritage in Shelburne County

The Birth of International Dory Races

The Dory Shop Museum - Shelburne, Nova Scotia