• A fisherman’s “stage” just off the North Atlantic Ocean in Greenspond, Newfoundland.

  • There is a tradition of building everything in miniature in Newfoundland, including the houses themselves. Often one will find the town’s beautiful coloured houses depicted in artwork and crafts made locally.

  • The Pitcher Plant is Newfoundland’s national flower. It gains nourishment from insects that are trapped and drown in a pool of water at the base of its tubular leaves, much like the Venus flytrap.

  • The flags of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, and the Union Jack. Flags are often still raised and drawn with the light.

  • Birdhouses are found on many houses in Newfoundland.

  • A Newfoundland fishing net with floaters. These hang under the water like curtains.

  • Fishermen’s markers for their crab fleet await use in Greenspond, Newfoundland.

  • There are lighthouses aplenty in Newfoundland, and small, handcrafted miniatures of them are staged and stored, or kept on the lawns of many houses by the water.

  • A stake in a Newfoundland national park displays distances to faraway cities, such as “Vancouver 4818”.

  • Most public parks and walkways have telescopes.

  • Wooden pathways make up many of the walking and hiking pathways in Newfoundland due to its mossy, patchy terrain.

  • One of the main crafting traditions of Newfoundland is quilting.

Newfoundland

Gone to Greenspond.

The fishing community of Greenspond with a population of roughly 400 is an ideal setting for learning about Newfoundland’s longstanding culture. Located south of Fogo Island, this tiny isle is one of the oldest outposts in Canada.

Elements of a standard Newfoundland fishing day abound: cod, lobster, and crab await in Atlantic waters; the consistent rush of the powerful ocean wind requires locals to replace their flapping flags; traditional wooden walkways lead ocean-side wanderers. Local tundra doesn’t leave much room for gardening, but reveals an abundance of Newfoundland berries. Keep an eye out for stinging nettle, which bites at the touch but is apparently known for its vitamin content.

Two storefronts, one post office, churches, and a museum housing the tales of Greenspond’s history serve as a backdrop for the numerous icebergs floating by. Ice fishing is a pastime wherein locals take their boats out to view the icebergs and use a small net to collect the ice chips that have broken off. These remnants are either melted down for drinking straight or used as ice cubes in a favourite drink—this is said to be the cleanest water that can be found, and is a treasured Newfoundland secret.

Photos by Angela Fama.

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October 23, 2014