Posted on July 5, 2021 under Monday Morning Musings with one comment

Ballantyne’s Cove – July 1

 

“They go down with their nets to the shore,

They go down like their fathers before,

And the sea seems to say, “If you ride me today,

I will grant you the wealth of my store.”

Sea People -Allister MacGillivray

Very often in life, it pays to be spontaneous.

Like many Canadians, I was conflicted about Canada Day. Make no mistake. Aside from all the warts and blemishes, I still love this country and wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. Not all of my loyal readers are on Facebook. In addition to the pieces that I have written recently in this space, I have also been posting stories and images on Facebook about residential schools.

When I got up on Canada Day, I knew that this one would be far different than many others. It would feel different and look different, with the color orange possibly supplanting the red and white we normally see on this day.

There is a lovely, scenic drive not far from here affectionately referred to as “The Cape”. Some say that it is miniature version of the world-famous Cabot Trail in Cape Breton. I contacted my daughter to see if she and her daughter would like to go for a drive around The Cape and possibly (?!) get an ice cream at Ballantyne’s Cove. For good measure we decided to have lunch together before heading off on a 75km drive.

Lunch turned out to be very special. We decided to watch a video depicting the lives of Inuit people. We sat at the kitchen table and watched Young Inuk, a brief (32 minutes) video produced in my former home in Kangiqsujuaq. https://youtu.be/yXOqI1jFe0c. I was able to pause the video many times to explain some aspects of scenes being portrayed. I think my granddaughter learned a lot about the Inuit way of life, most notably that they are people of the land. A few people in the video are survivors of residential schools so we were able to address that topic in an appropriate way.

The weather in town was overcast but as we neared Ballantyne’s Cove, the sun burst through presenting us with a picture- perfect afternoon.

Ballantyne’s Cove is a very busy, active wharf, home to North Bay Fisherman’s Coop.

“They are sea people, the pride of the land,

Strong of the spirit and rough of the hand,

Sea people the waters command,

From their rocky old steeds of the strand”.

The primary product of the Cooperative is lobsters. In a good year, these tasty crustaceans are very profitable with one of the major markets overseas.  It is estimated that the lobster industry in Canada is worth $1 billion a year with much of the output coming from Nova Scotia. I think it is fair to say that the 2020 season was extremely challenging. Catches were good but prices paid to the fishers were very low as demand cratered because of Covid.

By all accounts, the 2021 season has been much better. Prices have more than doubled and the catches in most areas have been strong.

Our first stop was at the small, but amazing Fish and Ships food emporium a few steps away from the wharf and St.Georges Bay. If you want some awesome fish and chips, here is the place you want to go. Our bellies were still too full from lunch for fish and chips but there was still a small cavity that could accommodate an ice cream cone. With cones in hand, we walked over to the wharf.

One thing you will notice immediately at any active wharf is the smell. Of course, one would expect to smell fish but add to that, the aroma of seaweed and salt air and you have the perfect cocktail available in the Maritimes. Lobsters are harvested in Nova Scotia in different locations at different times of the year. As it turned out, the season in our zone was days away from drawing to a close. The wharf was a hubbub of activity as many fishers were hauling in their traps. Inclement weather was being predicted for the final day (July 3^rd) so many decided to haul their pots on this exquisite sunny day.

“As the waves rise to tumble and fall,

In the face of a wild summer’s squall,

All the traps will be cast, and the courses held fast,

For they brave through the worst of it all”.

My granddaughter was quite taken with the huge jellyfish floating in the water. She also clambered up massive rocks which form the breakwater. I chatted with a few of the fishers. Sometimes they can be reticent to tell you when they’ve had a banner year. Not this year. You could feel the elation that this had been a great season.

We strolled over to the Bluefin Tuna Interpretive Center. We watched an excellent video depicting the burgeoning tuna industry. My granddaughter was very interested to see the tuna captured and to learn that tunas caught in these waters end up in some of the fanciest restaurants in Japan the day after they are caught. Buyers for the Japanese market show up at the wharf when a bluefin is caught and bid for it at an auction. This was a great way of explaining to my granddaughter the notion of global economy.

It was truly, a wonderful afternoon full of sights, sounds and smells, with a dose of education thrown in for good measure.

I live in a housing cooperative. It is located at the end of a dead-end street. A river runs through the property, and it is surrounded by stands of gigantic trees. Of course, Covid has prevented the residents from gathering for nearly 18 months. It was decided that we would have an outdoor pizza party on Canada Day. Many of our residents are older and you could see them beaming just, to be in the presence of friends in a safe setting.

We happen to have a very accomplished fiddler as one of the tenants. After we dined, John pulled out his fiddle and played several lively tunes much to the delight of everyone. I went and got my guitar to chord along with John. This led to a two- hour spontaneous sing along. Another one of our residents it a well -known vocalist. She has sung at more ceilidhs, weddings, and funerals than you can shake a stick at… in English and Gaelic! My guitar was passed around to a few others. It was an impromptu ceilidh and it was awesome.

The evening was overcast with dark clouds looming the entire time. Miraculously the rain (and the mosquitoes) stayed away. It was a perfect evening spent with friends.

This Canada Day wasn’t a flag waving type of day for many Canadians. For many of us, it was a day of reflection. It was also an opportunity to connect with family and friends after a brutally long stretch apart.

It was a day of spontaneity, laughter and fellowship; fireworks of a very different kind.

It doesn’t get much better than this.

“I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and sky,

And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,

And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sails shaking,

And a grey mist on the sea’s face, and a grey dawn breaking”.

Sea Fever – John Masefield

Have a great week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted on June 28, 2021 under Monday Morning Musings with 2 comments

 

Really?

 

Oh Canada,

Our home and native land.”

Like many Canadians, I am filled with shame and rage.

The revelations of 251 children buried in a mass grave in Kamloops and the 751 unmarked graves in Saskatchewan shouldn’t come as a surprise. It has been known for a long time that there were thousands of indigenous children who went missing during residential school era. This is nothing short of genocide.

Reconciliation begins with education. I implore you to take 35 minutes out of your busy lives (maybe on Canada Day?) to watch this documentary recently released by the Canadian Medical Association. It is a powerful history lesson, not the romanticized version of Netsook that we learned about in Canadian history books back in the 1960s. Maybe this would be a good time to consider rewriting the history books used in schools so that non- indigenous students don’t grow up becoming unknowingly and unwittingly racist.

https://theunforgotten.cma.ca/film/

The irony is hard to escape. Canadian politicians (not just the current batch) continue to call into question the human rights abuses in oligarchies and banana republics. I think it is time for Canada to step down from its high horse and take a long, hard look in the mirror.

A good starting point might be for federal and provincial governments and especially the churches (notably the Catholic Church) to open all records pertaining to residential schools. Why is their reluctance to do this? One suspects that it comes down to liability and liability eventually comes down to money.

While all of this is horrific, what makes it even more unpalatable and unconscionable are the coverups. It is being reported that the reason for the 751 unmarked graves at Marieval in Saskatchewan is that the church removed grave markers back in the 1960s. If this indeed is proved to be factual, then the scandal only widens and deepens.

There is a lot of discussion about Canada Day. How will villages, towns and cities celebrate Canada’s 154^th birthday? Many communities have already decided to cancel July 1^st activities. This day may be the perfect opportunity to begin the re-education of Canadians by reflecting on what has happened recently. Maybe watch a documentary?

I believe that this is a watershed moment for our country. How we respond will determine to a large extent whether or not we will maintain our lofty status as one of the most desirable countries in which to live in the world.

“Oh Canada,

We stand on guard for thee.”

We must stand on guard for ALL Canadians.

We owe it to our indigenous people to right these wrongs.

The truth can’t be buried any longer.

 

“Imagine

Imagine

That the yellow bus

Pulled up

And your heart lifted to see her

Hurrying down the stairs

Eager to tell you of the day

 

Hair all messed now

That you combed straight and neat when she left

And where is her left sock?

T shirt spotted because today was pizza day

 

Her face alight

Talking as soon as she sees you

 

You watch for her

And she isn’t on the bus

 

She’s gone

You never know more than that

Or hear about that final day of school

 

Now imagine

That all over our country

Parents wait

And children

Never come home from school

 

Their bodies small

But the loss as big as the world.”

 

Lalia Kerr

 

Posted on June 21, 2021 under Monday Morning Musings with 3 comments

 

 

“All my life’s a circle, sunrise and sundown,

Moon rolls thru the nighttime, till the daybreak comes around,

All my life’s a circle, but I can’t tell you why,

Seasons spinning round again, the years keep rollin’ by.”

All My Life’s a Circle – Harry Chapin

Circle of friends.

Healing circles.

Talking circles.

Songwriter’s circles.

I’m not sure where the arc of this story is going. I’ll try not go off on a tangent.

Living in the north among the Inuit taught me many lessons, among them patience, persistence and resilience. They are a remarkable people who have endured much suffering but still manage to display warmth and kindness. I was the beneficiary of their generosity and wisdom.

It didn’t take me long to realize the importance of the circle in Inuit life and culture. “The significance of the circle is evident for Aboriginal people in many ways. The circle is a sacred symbol of the interdependence of all forms of life; the circle is a key symbol in Native spirituality, family structure, gatherings of people, meetings, songs, and dances.” (Pewewardy, 1995)

In many Indigenous cultures, healing circles and talking circles are often used as a way to provide group support for people who are dealing with issues such as addictions, violence, grief, and trauma.

Many of the meetings that I attended inside and outside the school began with a prayer and it was not uncommon to see people form a circle and often hold hands as a sign of unity. I was lucky enough to share country food with the Inuit. This required sitting on the floor in a circle eating raw meat and fish. For an old fella like me, getting up off the floor was the hardest part of these meals!

I was invited to be a part of a children’s singing group which convened regularly at the local museum, one of the most stunning and intimate that I have ever seen. The children always formed a circle to sing, dance, drum, or throat sing. One always felt a sense of unity.

I was fortunate enough to spend one Christmas in Kangiqsujuaq and got to participate in some of the Inuit games held outdoor on one of the lakes. Many of the games were held inside a wide circle.

Songwriter’s circles are very popular in my part of the world in Atlantic Canada. Before Covid came along and spoiled the party, you could find a songwriter’s circle in small communities on any given weekend.  These are events where local musicians come together to share their music with fellow musicians and the public.

So, why have I decided to pick the topic of circles on this first day of summer?

Last week, I was at our local university, St. Francis Xavier, chatting with a well- known adult educator. She is a super star in her field. It will not surprise anyone that she is from god’s country, otherwise known as Newfoundland. I went to inquire about the possibility of an ancient relic (me) doing a Masters in Adult Education with a focus on Indigenous issues. We had a wide-ranging discussion. There are still many opportunities for lifelong learning even in one’s golden years. Golden years can turn into ‘olden years’ in the blink of an eye so tarry not.

The discussion was stimulating and informative, and yes, even went off on a few tangents. One of these involved the notion of a writer’s circle. My friend suggested that there are many, many people who are itching to write something about their life, their family, their community or some personal matter but really don’t know where to start. We were sitting on a bench outside of Xavier Hall on a warm morning. When my friend suggested that I facilitate a writer’s circle, I thought that she must be suffering the effects of the heat.

I am not a professional writer. I simply write what I know and will even write about things I don’t know! Many writing circles include established and up and coming authors. This would not be the intended audience should such a venture take place once Covid allows people to gather more freely. I would be happy to meet with people to share stories and encourage them to write them down in some fashion. If you know anything about genealogy, you understand the importance of old letters, documents and written anecdotes from one’s ancestors.

“But my story isn’t interesting.” I disagree. Everyone’s story is unique and would be of great interest to their children and grandchildren.

I contacted People’s Place Library and they seem interested in hosting these get togethers.

What about you or your friends? Would you be interested in attending? I repeat. I am NOT an expert. I have never taken part in a writer’s circle and I’m not even sure about the format, but I would be happy to sit around (in a circle!) and facilitate stories and ideas for stories.

“In the circle of life, it’s the wheel of fortune,

It’s the leap of faith, it’s the band of hope,

‘Til we find our place, on the path unwinding,

In the circle, the circle of life.”

Circle of Life – Elton John

All of these circles are important, none more so to me than my circle of friends. Through old school relationships, my writing, working on boards and committees, teaching and travel, I have been blessed with many great friends.

“Will the circle be unbroken?’

I hope not.

Happy first day of summer.

Have a great week.