Living Heritage Podcast

In this episode we talk about Lindy's experience learning cooperage or barrel making, the traditional and modern tools used, and the importance of barrel making to Cottlesville. We also discuss the historical uses for barrels as well as three different grades of barrel making.

Lindy Rideout is a self trained cooper who lives in Cottlesville, New World Island, NL. Using his grandfather’s cooperage tools he has made barrels, water buckets, and even a wooden hot tub. A third generation boatbuilder who builds kayaks he has also taken up painting and has tried to capture the work of barrel making including the tools, process, and people.

In this episode we talk about Ellen’s grandmother Irene Reid along with several other family members' experience with millinery, dress making, knitting, embroidery, and other textile work. We also touch on Ellen's experience with the wool stall at the Anglican Cathedral, and some of the work of the St. John's Guild of Embroiderers.
Ellen Reid has been contributing to the local arts scene for over 30 years. A poet, playwright, visual artist, a blogger and an arts patroness! She is a grateful and frequent contributor to the Cosmic Show! She has been an early childhood educator for 20 years.

In this episode of the Living Heritage Podcast we talk with Rex Passion about historic restorations and repairs. Rex describes his background, what brought him to Newfoundland, his work on Kent Cottage, and leading workshops and demonstrations to teach traditional skills.

Rex apprenticed as a cabinetmaker and carpenter in California and Boston in the 1970s. In 2006 he sold his construction company and architecture firm, Classic Restorations, and subsequently moved to Torbay. His vocation of restoring old houses became his avocation, heritage preservation. He currently sits on the Landfall Trust Board of Directors, and recently taught a wooden window repair and restoration workshop with Heritage NL.

In this episode of the Living Heritage Podcast we talk with Sara Anne Meyer about all things millinery! This includes the history of millinery, her interest and background with the craft, and some of the hats and fascinators she has created over the years.

Sara Anne is a multi-faceted performer, costumer, maker and poet born and raised in the St. John's arts community. She is an avid observer of intangible history and a folklore enthusiast. But above all things, she is mad as a hatter.

In this episode of the Living Heritage Podcast we talk with Dale Jarvis and Lara Maynard of Heritage NL about the 2021 Craft at Risk List, and the Mentor-Apprentice Program. We learn the background of the projects, some of the issues that face traditional craft, and what Heritage NL is doing to ensure the transmission of traditional knowledge and skills. We also learn a little about the nine Mentor-Apprentice pairs who are currently involved with the program.

Dale holds a BSc in Anthropology/Archaeology from Trent University, and a MA in Folklore from Memorial University. For many years he oversaw Heritage NL’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Office which helps communities to safeguard their traditional culture. Dale has contributed as a board member and volunteer to many local arts and heritage organizations. Former newspaper columnist, and author of several books, he is a tireless promoter of local traditions.

Lara studied English and Folklore at Memorial University and has been working or volunteering for local or provincial heritage organizations and initiatives for 20 years. A former Municipal Outreach Officer with Heritage NL, she is back on board to help deliver heritage skills training around the province.

In this episode of the Living Heritage Podcast we talk with Linda Badcock about making period costumes, sourcing materials and patterns, the skills needed to pipe or sew cartridge pleats, and how she learned these skills. Linda retired after close to twenty years as a Historic Sites Officer with Provincial Historic Sites. One of her passions during this time was creating realistic period costumes for several sites across the province. We also touch briefly on millinery or hat making which is listed on Heritage NL’s Craft at Risk list.

In this episode of the Living Heritage Podcast we talk with Ian Morris and Kevin Toope of the Trinity Historical Society about the work of the society, their adopt a headstone project, and their research and revitalization plans for the St. Paul’s Anglican Cemetery. We also hear some of their favourite stories from their research, and their own connections to the cemetery.

The Trinity Historical Society preserves and promotes the history of Trinity, through the acquisition and preservation of artifacts and archives, and through the promotion and acquisition of historic properties. The Trinity Historical Society was organized in 1966. Originally the Trinity Historic Sites Committee, it was formed on February 7, 1964 to gather information on the history of Trinity and to preserve it for future generations. In 1971 it was incorporated under the laws of Newfoundland and it is a registered Charitable Organization.

In this episode of the Living Heritage Podcast we talk with Ken Tuach about dry stone walling in Newfoundland and Labrador, his family's history in stone work, and the dry stone craftsman certification process. We also hear snippets of audio from the stone wall workshops Ken led as well as a short clip from Lara Maynard with Heritage NL on the importance of Heritage Skills.

Ken Tuach is the owner and operator of NL Flagstone, a quarry in Pynn's Brook, NL. NL Flagstone produces quality masonry and landscaping stone and has been operating since 1994. They also create stone installations including outdoor living spaces, patios, paths, seating, stairs, etc. Ken is a certified level three dry stone craftsman and led two dry stone workshops for Heritage NL in Brigus this fall.

In this episode of the Living Heritage Podcast we talk with Anatolijs about industrial heritage in Newfoundland and Labrador and specifically his fieldwork in Labrador this summer. We also chat about the impact industrial heritage has on the landscape, the history, and the people of a place. Anatolijs Venovcevs is a PhD candidate whose work looks at the legacies of mines, mining towns, and mining development that occurred during the twentieth century in Labrador, Canada and the Kola Peninsula in Arctic Russia. His research interests include contemporary and industrial archaeology, mining and extractive industry, Soviet history, Northern and Arctic Canada and modern ruins.

In Newfoundland and Labrador, fences were built for a number of reasons including keeping animals out of gardens and delineating property lines. In this episode of the podcast we learn about traditional fence types, the importance of fences in the cultural landscape of the province, and in particular the way to build a traditional wriggle fence.