- The Newfoundland Flag and Coat of Arms
- A Viking game "Myar"
- Information: L'Anse aux Meadows Walking Trails - Norseman Picnics
- Local edible plants used at the Norseman
- Poem First Rate, B'Y, How's Yerself?
- My 10 year old Nephew's webpage about The Vikings In North America.
The Newfoundland Flag and Coat of Arms
England’s King Charles I, granted Newfoundland a coat of arms to a private company on January 1, 1637. It was officially reintroduced after it was rediscovered in 1928.
The arms features two lions, two unicorns, and an elk. The lion is a common symbol of England, while unicorns are symbolic of Scotland.
The elk was probably meant to be a caribou, as elk aren’t native to Newfoundland. Or perhaps it was meant to be a moose, another animal that isn’t native to Newfoundland! (Moose were later introduced into Newfoundland.)
The shield on Newfoundland’s arms is supported by two aboriginals. The original inhabitants of easternmost Canada were Beothuk Indians. They resided chiefly along the coast, where they lived largely on fish and shellfish.
Beothuks sometimes painted themselves red. This may be how Indians came to be known as redskins.
French settlers and Micmac Indians from Nova Scotia killed many Beothuks. They were also hit hard by a series of famines. The last known Beothuk died in 1829.
The Beothuks are recalled in Canis lupus beothucus, the scientific name of the Newfoundland white wolf. It was the first subspecies of wolf in North America to become extinct; the last one was shot in 1911.
The Latin motto on Newfoundland’s coat of arms translates Seek ye first the kingdom of God, as taken from the New Testament, Matthew 7:23.
Newfoundland Flag
Newfoundland’s provincial flag was designed by Newfoundland artist Christopher Pratt, was adopted on Mary 28, 1990 and was first flown on Discovery Day, June 24, 1980.
The color blue symbolizes the sea, white snow and ice, red human effort, and gold Newfoundlanders’ confidence in themselves.
The similarity of the blue triangle to Britain’s flag (the Union Jack) is symbolic of Newfoundland’s Commonwealth heritage. Red triangles represent the province’s island and mainland portions. The gold arrow points toward optimism for a bright future. When hung as a banner, the arrow resembles a sword, a reminder of the great sacrifice made by Newfoundland’s war veterans.
The white center incorporates the Christian cross, Beothuk and Naskapi ornamentation, and an outline of the Canadian maple leaf. The trident is symbolic of Newfoundland’s connection to the sea and fishing.
The Native Flag
Annual wood hauls for the Anglican and Roman Catholic cathedrals were once conducted while sealers were in St. Johns town in the spring. There was considerable rivalry between the Protestant English (Anglicans) and the Catholic Irish. The Protestants marked their wood piles with the pink flag of the Native’s Society, while Irish Catholics used green banners.
To lessen the threat of violence, Bishop Michael Fleming persuaded the sealers to adopt a common flag that utilized both colors in the 1840s. A white stripe taken from Scotland’s banner separated green and pink, symbolizing peace.
Sometimes known as the Native Flag, this popular design was widely flown in Newfoundland for much of the 19th century and well into the 20th century.
Labrador Flag
Newfoundland is an island, but the province includes a region on the mainland called Labrador. Labrador is sometimes represented by a flag with a spruce twig.
The flag’s colors are white, green and blue, representing snow, the land and Labrador’s waters. The spruce twig was chosen because it’s common in all regions of Labrador. The three branches represent Labrador’s three peoples: the Innuit, the Innu and the European settlers. The twig grows from one stalk, representing the common origin of all humanity. The shorter inner twig represents the past, while the larger outer twig represents a brighter future.
Francophone Flag
Newfoundland’s French-speaking peoples adopted still another flag on October 5, 1986. Sails represent early explorers and fishermen who crossed the Atlantic to Newfoundland.
The Labrador spruce twig appears in the topsail. The large sail bears a stylized pitcher plant, Newfoundland’s official flower. The color yellow on the flag also represents the fleurs de lis, or lily, a common symbol of France. Fleurs de lis are usually white, but were yellow on early French flags and arms.
Close Flag Info
How to Play Myar
You will need a box or pot with a lid and two dice.
Each player has three lives (or tokens)
Each player in turn shakes the box. A player may look at the dice he/she has cast or choose not to.
After shaking the box a player declares a score and passes the closed box to the second player, the second player can either open the box or keep it closed. If the second player chooses to open the box he/she is challenging the first player. If the score in the box is equal to or higher than the one which the first player declared then the second player loses a life, if it is lower then the first player loses a life.
If the second player does not wish to challenge the first then they may either pass the box on without shaking it, or after shaking it (after the box has been shaken the second player may open it to look at the dice). Either way the second player must declare a score which is equal to or higher than the previous score. The box is then passed on to the third player.
The box can only be passed on once round the circle without being shaken, if it gets back to the player who last shook it he/she must either challenge the score or shake the box again.
The way the scoring works is that higher numbers beat lower, except that doubles beat any other combination other than "myar" which is a 2 and a 1. Scores are declared with high dice first.
So, from lowest score to highest is :
3,1 ; 3,2 ; 4,1 ; 4,2 ; 4,3 ; 5,1 ; 5,2 ; 5,3 ; 5,4 ; 6,1 ; 6,2 ; 6,3 ; 6,4 ; 6,5 ; 1,1 ; 2,2 ; 3,3 ; 4;4 ; 5,5 ; 6,6 ; 2,1
Close Myar Info
Click to enlarge
We provide information on the many walking trails in our area, where you may see icebergs, whales, seabirds, etc. We prepare great picnics and provide you with all the necessary utencils.
Location L'anse Aux Meadows, End of Route 436 turn right
Season Jun 01 - Oct 31
Mail: P.O. Box 265 L'Anse aux Meadows, NL Canada A0K 2X0
Contact: Gina Hodge
Summer Telephone: 709-623-2018 Fax 1-709-623-2144
Winter Telephone/Fax: 1(709)754-3105
ghodge@canada.com
Close Trailer Info
Local edible plants
Over the past few years the chefs at the Norseman have been using local edible plants that grow on the beaches and in the meadows of this village, as garnish on the plates at this fine restaurant.
This year we intend to use many of these edible plants and herbs, which have been identified to us by Martin F. Kilmer Ph. D., in preparation of our cuisine.
L'Anse aux Meadows has been visited by many different groups of humans over the past 5 thousand years i.e. Maritime Archaic Indians, Eskimos (Dorset and Thule); The ancestors of the Beothuks, Inuit and Innu; The Norse Explores, Basque whalers, French and English Fishermen and in their travels here have introduced many non-native plants that have been available for use by the proceeded culture or group. Book- Feeding the Vikings
Close Plants Info
First Rate, B'Y, How's Yerself?
The typical Newfoundlander
And I'm proud that I am one
Besides the Queen's good English,
Has a language all his own.
For instance, if you meet one
And inquire about his health,
He's not "just fine" or "like the bird"
He's "first rate b'y, how's yerself?"
Such sayings as "I bound you will",
"Save up" and "hard afore",
And "most to rights" and "straightened up",
And "dunch" and "doubt the fire"
These need no definitions,
We heard them in our cradles,
We know how much a "yaffle" is
Though it isn't in our tables.
We all know what a "grapnel" is
A "haul-off" and a "killick"
I spent my time around the "punts",
Although I was a "twillick".
there's "slewed around" and "went to work"
"turned to" and "took a spell",
While of "clever" looking boys and girls
I'm sure we've all "heard tell".
We go around the "ballycaters",
When there's "swatches" on the ice,
And only a Newfoundlander
Can "fall down" and get a "h'ist".
You'd never guess a "bedlamer"
Is an adolescent lad,
While intermittent snow flurries
Are "dwies" or just a "scad".
Now other people say "down south".
This I don't understand,
For everybody always says
"Down North" in Newfoundland.
"Bide where you're at" or "lef'n bide"
You'll hear the old folks say,
We say we're drinkin' "switchel"
When we drink unsweetened "tay".
Some think we live on fish and spuds,
This fairly makes me boil,
Though 'tis a treat when Spring comes 'round,
To get a meal of "swile",
A local dish is "fish and brewis",
The youngsters like the "scrunchions",
And they like the "lassy sugar"
From the bottom of the puncheons.
Besides the regular meal time,
You'll see "all hands" "knock off"
For their "lev'ner" and their "fourer",
A "mug up" or a "scoff",
We used to have such hearty "grub"
As "toutons", "duffs", and tarts
But the maids have gone romantic
When their cookies are shaped like hearts.
Poor Grandpa, he's "all crippled up"
With "rheumatiz" not "gout",
He "keels out" on the "settle"
And says he's "fair worn out".
Sometimes he gets his "dander up"
Because he lost his spring,
He frets and grumbles when he thinks
How his work is all in slings.
Does your clock sometimes be "random"?
Were you ever on the "tear"?
Does your house be in a "ree-raw"?
Do you find things "shockin' dear"?
Or were you ever real "put out"?
Did you ever "notch a beam"?
If you're not a Newfoundlander
You don't know what I mean.
But times bring alterations,
And soon we'll have no more,
Those quaint old local sayings
As in the days of yore.
Still in my heart I'll treasure them,
They'll always seem to be
A precious part of home sweet home,
To simple folk like me.
Rose M. Sullivan Trinity, T.B.
Close Poem
NEWS
Norstead Festival July 7th-12th,2010
Local News 1- Granchain Exhibit
Local News 2- UNESCO Viking site gets face lift