
Product of Newfoundland
This is a blog about Newfoundland: The strange truths, tall tales & pop culture of a foggy island.
Stories
April Foolishness in Newfoundland
Mar falten, chamber pots and press pile compasses — a collection pranks, customs and other foolishness for April Fools’ Day in Newfoundland.
Mermaids, Pirates and Propaganda
The story of pirate Peter Easton and the tale of Newfoundland’s most famous mermaid share one point of connection — Richard Whitbourne.
What The Heck Is Sheila’s Brush?
Most Newfoundlanders can probably tell you Sheila’s Brush is a March snowstorm but who Sheila is, and how the storm got named for her are trickier questions.
Francis Pickmore’s Worst Winter. Ever.
How bad can a Newfoundland winter get? How about snow drifts in the governor’s bedroom? Not that the governor complained much - he couldn’t, he ended up pickled in a barrel of rum.
How Did Dildo, Newfoundland Get Its Name?
Owing to its name, Dildo may be one of the best known communities in Newfoundland and Labrador. How the town got such an unusual name is a matter of debate.
John B. Garland and The Blood Book
John B. Garland, Newfoundland’s first speaker of the legislature, had an interesting hobby — making blood collages.
Candlemas Day: Cake, Candles and Kings
There’s more to February 2nd than groundhogs and weather lore. People of Newfoundland have celebrated Candlemas for generations and have lots of interesting customs that have nothing to do with looking for shadows.
Mary Travers Sells The Speaker’s Chair
It’s often said Newfoundland’s first legislature was held in a tavern. What’s less-well-known is that they failed to pay their tab and that the owner, Mary Travers, collected her due in a way the government wouldn’t soon forget.
How to Push Your Luck in Newfoundland
From pigeons and brooms to uni-brows and whistlers, Newfoundlanders have no shortage of superstitions. In honour of Friday the 13th, here’s a collection of 13 things that are (or were once considered to be) bad luck in Newfoundland.
Kicking the Concern and Other Curious Christmas Customs
Kicking the concern and other strange Newfoundland Christmas customs.
Mummers, Murder and Mayhem
Not every mummer story has a happy ending. In 1860 a group of mummers killed a man in Bay Roberts , NL — that was only one incident in a string of violent behaviour.
Death at the Barn Dance: The K of C Fire
On Dec 12, 1942, 99 people died in a tragic fire at the Knights of Columbus Barn Dance— and it may not have been an accident.