“For my drawing, I drew a book about traditional and cultural Newfoundland activities. Stories are passed down from generation to generation. The activities I drew, such as mummering, fishing, hunting, and sports are big parts of Newfoundland culture. It’s important to tell these stories about these activities so that younger generations can grow up knowing the significance to our culture. Stories help involve and teach about traditions, they are fun to create and listen to – the stories that we hear are precious and are a big part of our history. ”

“During a storm on February 4, 1967 the SS Kyle broke away from it’s moorings and drifted along the coastline until she became grounded in a mussel bed in Riverhead, Harbour Grace. This is the community where my mom grew up and my grandparents still live today. The more time I spend in Riverhead, the more I have learned to appreciate the Kyle and her important role in serving the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.

As Newfoundland’s first scheduled ferry, the Kyle carried passengers, mail, cargo, Canadian and Newfoundland troops preparing for battle in Europe, and fishermen from Carbonear heading to Labrador during the summer months. As well, she transported doctors visiting sick patients at various ports along Newfoundland’s coast and up to Labrador.

In 1927 the Kyle became famous around the world for locating the missing wreckage of the New York airplane, Old Glory. During her role as an icebreaker in the seal hunt of 1967 the Kyle became so badly damaged that her owners had to take her out of service. It was shortly after this that a violent storm caused her to break away from the wharf in Carbonear and eventually became beached in Riverhead.

While the Kyle played an important role in servicing our province and its people, she was also a permanent fixture in my mom’s childhood. The Kyle was the backdrop of beach bonfires, hockey games, and skipping rocks for my mom, her cousins, and friends in the community. They grew up hearing about the ship’s adventures and the many people she helped during her time in service. Now every time we drive past the Kyle, my mom tells us these childhood stories, like the one of the seaman’s ghost who guided the Kyle to a bold position in their community so she would never be forgotten for her dedication to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.”

“This drawing is a picture of me and my nan in the living room. She is teaching me how to knit for the first time. As we knit, she tells me a story of how her mom taught her to knit socks, scarves and mittens.”

“This picture shows me and my dad out fishing in a dory and he is teaching me how to use a handline. He says it is better than a rod, and he was right! I got way more fish with the handline than the rod! Then, the next day, we ate them for supper and it was the best fish I ever tasted! Thanks dad, for keeping our NL stories and traditions alive! ”

“After a while of thinking of something to draw for my design, I thought to myself, why not include multiple things from our culture and things that we do to keep our stories alive? I tried to incorporate the best I could Newfoundland and Labrador cultural aspects. I drew a young woman wearing traditional Inuit clothing while she drum dances because drum dancing is an Inuit tradition used to tell stories using your body. I drew an elderly Inuit man wearing traditional clothing and talking about the past, a Newfoundland man playing an accordion which is a traditional Newfoundland instrument, a painting of some mummers because art is a very popular Newfoundland and Labrador resource for telling stories and reminding people of our ancestors footsteps, our traditions, and our beliefs. I drew a guitar because music is an important part of cultures, I drew a “Them Days” book because “Them Days” is a highly respected documentation of the generations of Newfoundland and Labrador, and I drew a candle in an apple to represent our religious traditions passed on from our ancestors. ”

“My grandparents used to live on an island in Placentia Bay called Port Elizabeth. They resettled in the 1960s to a community called Red Harbour. The people built cabins on the island and return there a lot because they still consider it their home. They visit frequently in both winter (sliding is my favourite activity to do behind my nan’s cabin) and the summer (making rhubarb jam, which was also outside her cabin). We travel to Port Elizabeth by boat. We have seen seals popping out of the water and whales blowing spray from their blowholes - it’s like our own adventure tour. Port Elizabeth is a lovely place to visit as it keeps our family history alive through making our own memories now, family stories of days gone by, and pictures so we never forget.”

“Many of my fellow student sketched things that were very traditional to Newfoundland culture such as mummers, purity syrup, etc. I decided to focus on the NL natives that were here before us. They fished and hunted, built their own homes, and they were grateful for all they had. They were very traditional and spiritual, appreciative and strong. Included in my drawing is their traditional mamateek and even Mi’kmaq symbols down below to remember and respect their heritage and bravery (the sun, the track of man, the rain, and the rainbow).”