The Role of Physical Strength Among the Scots of Eastern Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Laura Stanley-Blackwell and Shamus Y
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Document generated on 10/02/2021 12:10 a.m. Material Culture Review Going Strong The Role of Physical Strength among the Scots of Eastern Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Laura Stanley-Blackwell and Shamus Y. MacDonald Volume 82-83, 2015–2016 Article abstract Drawing on the disciplines of social history and folklore, this article examines a URI: https://id.erudit.org/iderudit/mcr82_83art03 much-neglected dimension of local story lore—feats of strength stories—among the immigrant Scots and their descendants in Eastern Nova Scotia and Cape See table of contents Breton. Fieldwork conducted in both Gaelic and English, as well as print sources, document the rich prevalence of stories about exceptional physical strength and stamina, which once served as vital expressions of identity and community. These Publisher(s) stories still form a vigorous component of the regional folktale corpus and represent a favourite genre among tradition bearers. Cape Breton University Press ISSN 1718-1259 (print) 0000-0000 (digital) Explore this journal Cite this article Stanley-Blackwell, L. & MacDonald, S. Y. (2015). Going Strong: The Role of Physical Strength among the Scots of Eastern Nova Scotia and Cape Breton. Material Culture Review, 82-83, 26–42. All rights reserved © Cape Breton University Press, 2017 This document is protected by copyright law. Use of the services of Érudit (including reproduction) is subject to its terms and conditions, which can be viewed online. https://apropos.erudit.org/en/users/policy-on-use/ This article is disseminated and preserved by Érudit. Érudit is a non-profit inter-university consortium of the Université de Montréal, Université Laval, and the Université du Québec à Montréal. Its mission is to promote and disseminate research. https://www.erudit.org/en/ LAURIE STANLEY-BLACKWELL and SHAMUS Y. MACDONALD Going Strong: The Role of Physical Strength among the Scots of Eastern Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Résumé Abstract Cet article, qui s’inspire de données propres au folklore Drawing on the disciplines of social history and et à l’histoire sociale, examine une dimension trop folklore, this article examines a much-neglected longtemps négligée des traditions locales—les exploits dimension of local story lore—feats of strength de personnes fortes—parmi les immigrants écossais, stories—among the immigrant Scots and their ainsi que leurs descendants dans l’est de la Nouvelle- descendants in Eastern Nova Scotia and Cape Breton. Écosse et au Cap Breton. Des interviews menées tant Fieldwork conducted in both Gaelic and English, as en gaélique qu’en anglais, de même que des recherches well as print sources, document the rich prevalence dans des sources imprimées, révèlent une abondante of stories about exceptional physical strength and collection d’histoires au sujet d’individus possédant stamina, which once served as vital expressions of une force physique exceptionelle; de plus, ces récits identity and community. These stories still form a servirent à cette époque à exprimer leur identité et vigorous component of the regional folktale corpus leur sens communautaire. Ces histoires font toujours and represent a favourite genre among tradition partie du recueil de contes populaires dans la région bearers. et représentent un genre très apprécié de ceux et celles qui transmettent cette tradition orale. There is a folk tale once told about the Robinsons enjoyed honoured status among Gaelic-speaking of Blues Mills, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, of how tradition bearers as part of their storytelling young Jean Robinson struck a bargain with the canon about superior physical power and endur- fairies (Blue 1976: ifc, 40). She could have had ance. As the diasporic Scots fanned out to new anything for the asking—immortality, fame homes around the globe, this story genre was a or fortune. Instead, she spurned these choices, fellow traveller and served as an important vehicle stating as her preference that her children and for expressing identity and community. descendants would be blessed with remarkable In 19th-century Eastern Nova Scotia and “physical strength.” This story, however entertain- Cape Breton, the Gaelic hero stories and wonder ing, contains a profound insight—that among the tales of the past were supplemented by local- Scots and their descendants, physical strength ized versions of stories about feats of strength. was an all-important attribute. Fashioned from the rugged exploits of settlers, For centuries, the Gaelic imagination was who earned their own laurels of honorific glory, populated with superhuman heroes, beings of this local story lore provided endless grist for often preternatural dimensions and phenomenal Gaelic- and English-speaking storytellers. strength, who were mighty enough to create However, these examples of muscle and sinew, mountains and rivers. Even mortal protagonists anchored in the realm of the everyman and who were credited with exceptional brawn everywoman, should not be conflated with the 26 Material Culture Review 82-83 (Fall 2015/Spring 2016) extraordinary physical accomplishments of railway men who handled ties like matchsticks Angus MacAskill (1825-1863) of St. Ann’s, Cape (interviews John MacLean, June 28, 2010; A.J. Breton, who became a national folk legend re- MacMillan 1986: 206; John Hughie MacNeil, nowned for his massive size and strength. By the August 6, 2010).1 Despite the fact that Angus 20th century, most of the Giant MacAskill stories MacAskill’s posthumous reputation assumed flowed from the pens and imaginations of writers larger-than-life dimensions, his mythology, in all and tourism promoters, who regaled readers with its permutations, did not completely silence folk well-travelled tales about the Giant’s thunderous memories of other local feats of strength, which snoring, which could be heard “the distance of have been retold generation after generation, two miles” (3.2 km); of the human leviathan surviving Gaelic language shift and crossing over who effortlessly set a 40-foot (12 m) mast onto a effortlessly into English. As one tradition-bearer schooner; who hefted a ½-ton boat onto its beam stated, “Well I think, no matter where they were, ends to drain the bilge water; and who raised the the topic always came up, who was the strongest” plough from his field, as if lifting a broom, to (interview Maxie MacNeil, September 8, 2005). point out the direction for a neighbour (Stanley- Although such stories shade together and can be Blackwell 2015: 28). In this article, MacAskill will broadly classified as feats of strength narratives, take a back seat to lesser-known local examples they possess recognizable and nuanced story of physical strength, who, although they never elements that cohere around such distinctive achieved the Giant’s iconic status, were more motifs as wild animals, workplace sites, games, representative of folk tradition. Nova Scotia’s sports, courtship, community identity, ethnic Scottish immigrants and their descendants did pride, and family honour. In this way, bearing the not regard physical strength as the exclusive stamp of collective authorship, these narratives property of a single individual. In fact, in their epitomize the ways of life, values, and customs own oral repertoire, they rejected the triumphal of the Scots who settled in Eastern Nova Scotia tone and the celebration of the ethic of individual and Cape Breton. performance which the Giant’s tales promoted, During the 19th and early 20th centuries, seemingly pushing all other contenders aside. many feats of strength stories found their way Although the vernacular version of strength into published local histories, which gave an stories has been hitherto neglected by scholars, alternative narrative form to this category of Neil MacNeil, author of The Highland Heart in oral literature.2 They frequently showcased Nova Scotia, wrote in 1948 with the authority individualized community heroes, who outshone conferred by first-hand experience: “When the their contemporaries in terms of strength and Cape Bretoner speaks of heroes he speaks of stamina. Singled out for special mention were strong men. When he refers to his ancestors he the likes of Big Lauchy McIsaac, who trudged does not brag about their kindliness, their intel- through spring slush from Dunmaglass to his ligence, their bravery, although he might well do shanty on the top of Eigg Mountain, with a barrel so, but about their physical strength” (MacNeil of mackerel in a sack on his back, or John Dewar 1998 [1948]: 185). of Pictou County, who was “constitutionally Today, these stories still represent a vital and as strong as a lion and could endure hardship vigorous component of the regional folktale cor- sufficient to kill a dozen men” (MacLean 1976, pus in both English and Gaelic—a favourite genre vol. 1: 113; Eastern Chronicle February 25, 1886). for tradition bearers of various ages. Fieldwork in These same histories are also replete with stories Cape Breton and Eastern Nova Scotia has yielded about the local men and women who performed a vast reservoir of oral information, abounding daily pioneer tasks of noteworthy endurance, with details about ordinary farmers who once such as hauling sacks of meal or salt over vast mowed fields with hand scythes as effortlessly distances. According to M. D. Morrison, author as “walking down the road,” blacksmiths who of the April 1904 Blue Banner article, “The Early used their hands like wrenches, female forebears Scotch Settlers of Cape Breton,” who hefted bags of flour as easily as sugarloafs, It was nothing unusual to carry a burden powerful men who carried barrels of salt of 150 pounds [68 kg] for six or seven ashore with as little effort as bags of wool, or Revue de la culture matérielle 82-83 (automne 2015/printemps 2016) 27 miles [10-11 km] in the depth of a cold physical strength and endurance. In his history and stormy winter with snow knee deep of Antigonish County, Father MacGillivray stated every step.