THE INIMITABLE RUFUS ROCKHEAD $10 Quebec
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REDISCOVERING PARADISE: THE INIMITABLE RUFUS ROCKHEAD $10 Quebec VOL 7, NO. 4 F ALL 2013 HeritageNews A Mind at Sea Henry Fry and the Cosmo Teapots, Flies, Chains and Phones QAHN’s 2013 Heritage Photo Contest Winners Other Musical Venues Cat’s Corner and the Potpourri QUEBEC HERITAGE NEWS Quebec CONTENTS HeritageNews EDITOR Editor’s Desk 3 RODERICK MACLEOD Crucifixation Rod MacLeod PRODUCTION DAN PINESE; MATTHEW FARFAN President’s Message 5 Plotting a course for the next five years Simon Jacobs PUBLISHER THE QUEBEC ANGLOPHONE QAHN News 5 HERITAGE NETWORK 400-257 QUEEN STREET Letters 7 SHERBROOKE, QUEBEC J1M 1K7 California Old Girls Linda Buzzell-Saltzman PHONE Seraphic inspiration Heather Darch 1-877-964-0409 (819) 564-9595 The House that Rockhead Built 8 FAX Montreal’s jazz paradise Rohinton Ghandhi (819) 564-6872 CORRESPONDENCE 600 Miles of Music 13 [email protected] A StoryNet audio documentary Glen Patterson WEBSITES WWW.QAHN.ORG The Great Ship Cosmo 14 WWW.QUEBECHERITAGEWEB.COM Quebec’s finest square rigger John Fry PRESIDENT 2013 Heritage Photo Contest Winners 16 SIMON JACOBS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & Mystery Objects 18 WEBMAGAZINES EDITOR MATTHEW FARFAN Off to a Bad Start 19 Cartier and the Laurentian Iroquoians Joseph Graham OFFICE MANAGER KATHY TEASDALE A Feast of Identity 23 Quebec Heritage News is produced four The Potpourri Myra Shuster times yearly by the Quebec Anglophone Heritage Network (QAHN) with the support Shim Sham and Downtown Stomp 29 of the Department of Canadian Heritage and Quebec’s Ministère de la Culture et Finding the past through swing dance Lys Stevens des Communications. QAHN is a non-profit and non-partisan organization whose mis- sion is to help advance knowledge of the history and culture of the English- speaking communities of Quebec. Annual Subscription Rates: Individual: $30.00; Organization: $40.00 Canada Post Publication Mail Agreement Number 405610004. Cover photo: Rufus and Elizabeth (Bertie) Rockhead. Wedding photo taken at the Plaza ISSN 17707-2670 PRINTED IN CANADA Studio, New York City, 1928. Photo: courtesy of Anne Rockhead. 2 FALL 2013 EDITOR’S DESK Crucifixation by Rod MacLeod he ornament over the speaker’s sight of the host and the holy water and this, however, without making unreason- chair in Quebec’s National As- the crucifixes that some ancestral part of able claims about neutrality and what it sembly is a crucifix – that is, a me finds unnerving. Protestants are, ad- is to be secular. Quebec has rejected cross with the figure of Jesus mittedly, unusually hung up about idola- “multiculturalism” as a policy in favour Ton it. It is a direct reference to that form try – but that reaction helps me appreci- of “interculturalism” on the perhaps log- of execution practiced most famously on ate how, to a great many non-Catholics, ical grounds that the former is cheaply the first-century religious leader many a crucifix can be something other than a sentimental and encourages moral rela- hold as the Messiah. It isn’t exactly a de- symbol of selfless sacrifice. tivism while the latter acknowledges piction of that event, nor is it exactly a Protestants, furthermore, aren’t the neutral territory where cultures may in- symbol (a cross, without the figure of only ones in history to have reacted ag- teract freely. Sounds nice – but how Jesus, is a symbol). The best term might gressively to Catholicism. Indeed, taking does one achieve this neutrality? Shuck- be icon. Some crucifixes are quite on the church has been a cornerstone of ing one’s crosses, scarves and stars may graphic, suggesting pain and suffering. revolutions, from the seminal French give the appearance of neutrality, but This one is rather discrete, unthreaten- one to our own Quiet version. Such ani- can one so easily shuck one’s beliefs, ing, even pleasant. mosity has clearly had more to do with one’s traditions, one’s prejudices? It is I say this, aware that crucifixes are the church’s power than with its sym- naïve to think so. not part of my own religious tradition. bols, but symbols are all-too-often the To be secular (as I have argued be- My ancestors, going back generations of victims of restrictive policies. A great fore in this magazine) is not to be free of course, were staunch Calvinists out of many people feel (and this view is, sig- religion, but rather to be willing to inter- Geneva by way of Scotland and western nificantly, well-represented in both act with others on non-religious terms. France. They were Puritans who would France and Quebec) that public display There is indeed a public arena where we have found religious icons as pagan as of religious symbols is a threat to the meet to do public things – exchange the celebration of Christmas. Some of hard-won freedoms that their respective goods, pass laws, educate our young – them may have been iconoclasts, the revolutions were all about. Granted, re- and when we are there we have to agree perpetrators of the often mindless de- strictive policies usually emphasize the to respect some overarching principles, struction of church decoration that “public” display of symbols: on soccer otherwise known as human rights. Of- makes studying English Medieval art fields, at airport security, at licence bu- ten, respect for rights seems to clash such a challenge. (“The Reformation,” a reaus. There is a prevailing view that with some religious tenets. This is logi- rueful professor of mine once pro- public figures – people connected to, or cal, given that rights typically came claimed, “was a very bad thing!”) As an representing, the state – should present a about in opposition to religious tradition art lover, and as a human being, I de- “neutral” aspect, as though the state (including the so-called Judeo-Christian plore the fervour of those vandals – but I could ever be free of cultural influence. tradition). Rights are the product of rev- understand their motivation, given that, Determination by Quebec governments olution – including that painfully fought to them, religious images suggested to keep the crucifix on the wall of the (and still not by any means won) battle idolatry, and idolatry was dangerous to National Assembly is evidence that the for gender equality – not evolution. your soul. state is not culturally neutral, and per- These days, however, there are elements I also recognize that, on some lev- haps has no intention of being so despite within all major religions that have els, Calvinism has shaped me. Mine was rhetoric to the contrary. come to understand that it is possible to a very liberal upbringing, but I did ab- Our current government’s prospec- embrace human rights without compro- sorb the idea from the extended family tive assault on religious symbols is mising faith. Others are less sure, and that certain “pagan” tendencies within wrong on several counts, beginning with for them the business of interacting in Christianity were spiritually question- its faulty notions about neutrality. This the secular domain is more challenging, able. These tendencies included church striving for neutrality is in itself com- particularly when it comes to frontier is- paraphernalia such as candles, incense, mendable, and follows in the prestigious sues like gender. We don’t make their chalices, vestments and, of course, cru- footsteps of France, the nation that first challenge any easier by attacking their cifixes. This sort of thing sticks. I love went through the un-baptism of fire, cultural symbols – by, in fact, limiting visiting Catholic churches, especially risking its own soul in an effort to break their capacity to work without compro- when there are paintings and carvings free from the dominance of one church. mising aspects of their faith that have lit- and a sense of spiritual mystery that Quebec did all this “quietly,” of course, tle or no impact on their jobs. Quebec transcends denominationalism – but I al- but the urge to keep church and state does itself a great disservice by arguing ways feel a little uncomfortable at the separate is no less noble. One can do against multiculturalism; the argument 3 QUEBEC HERITAGE NEWS may be about policy, but it sounds to to openly express one particular her- The heritage argument for keeping most people like a refusal to acknowl- itage, in defiance of any attempt to ap- the crucifix is highly flawed, and inher- edge diversity. Instead of accommodat- pear neutral. ently offensive. But whether or not any- ing diversity, we seem to be trying to I do not deny that Catholicism has one finds it offensive is moot, for the is- pretend it doesn’t exist. Those turbans been a major force in Quebec’s history, sue at hand is values and the way values and kippahs make this pretence harder to or that the crucifix is central to Catholi- are projected by public institutions. maintain, so better get rid of them. The cism. In rural areas, you can still see Here, the proposed charter has gotten result will be to isolate people who hold crosses at the sides of roads and in the things backwards. I say the state, via its traditional beliefs, when they might have centres of villages, and in Montreal the laws, should promote the expression of been integrated through inclusive dia- mountain sports a large one that lights religious diversity among citizens, in- logue and (for want of a better term) rea- up at night. These objects are a collec- cluding those who work for the state – sonable accommodation. tive expression of Catholic heritage, just but when it comes to institutions state Banning religious symbols would as a cross on a chain around the neck and citizenry have to think carefully.