Our Time - Our Story Battle Harbour Literacy Council Our Time - Our Story Seniors Profiles and Oral Histories Excerpts from Lodge Bay - Paradise River Battle Harbour Literacy Council This book is a project of the Battle Harbour Literacy Council with acknowledgment of funding from Human Resources Development Canada. Copyright 1999, Battle Harbour Literacy Council P0 Box 142 Mary's Harbour Labrador AOK 3P0 Layout and Design: Christine Rumbolt Collectors: Alison Normore, Christopher Poole, Ruth Burden, Marilyn Parr - Penney, Mildred Keefe and Charlotte Dyson Photo Credit: Eldred Poole, St. Lewis, Labrador James Poole (right) and Elijah Strangemore (left) holding up a porcupine. Taken at St. Collin's Camp in the Labrador Interior in Winter, 1937. Words From Project Sponsor As 1999 is International Year of the Senior, we thought it appropriate to pay tribute to our ever growing population of seniors along the southeast coast of Labrador. We chose the area of Lodge Bay to Paradise River as it represents the economic boundary of Zone 4. The people of these communities carry many cultural differences but in more ways are strikingly similar in the way they lived and through the deep commitment to the land and the communities that they have built. It is through the labor, toil and constant striving of these strong willed people that our communities have continued to survive. You will see as you read through the profiles and excerpts, many people's fondest memories are of the simple things in life: family, love, religion and the tasks of daily living. We hope that their words are an inspiration to all who read not to take these things for granted. Enjoy!!! Bonnie Rumbolt Program Coordinator FOREWARD As we move forward in our communities, we do so reflecting on our past and with the knowledge of those who have paved the way - our seniors, the "Pioneers of our Past." With 1999 being the International Year of the Older person, I am pleased to honor the many seniors from across the district who play an integral role in our society. You help shape the views of our youthful population, you teach us morals and values to live by and you have guided us through some of the most difficult times in our history. This book is dedicated to each of you in recognition of the tremendous contributions and many sacrifices you have made as early pioneers. The last of a generation to have traveled this land by foot and fished our great ocean by hand, you have instilled in us a way of life that today is unknown in most cultures. I would like to extend my gratitude to the literacy groups in the district for doing such a great job with this project and reaching out to so many seniors. Also, I would like to recognize Bonnie Rumbolt for organizing and coordinating this project. Literacy groups in the district have been instrumental in documenting the oral histories of our people and preserving the culture of our communities. Yvonne Jones, MHA Cartwright - L'Anse au Clair TABLE OF CONTENTS Section 1 Lodge Bay Section 2 Mary's Harbour Section 3 St. Lewis Section 4 Port Hope Simpson Section 5 William's Harbour Section 6 Charlottetown Section 7 Pinsent's Arm Section 8 Norman Bay Section 9 Cartwright Section 10 Paradise River Section 11 Black Tickle / Domino Section 12 Special Tribute Section 1 Lodge Bay Name: Douglas Bradley Community: Lodge Bay Birth Date: November 10th, 1917 Place of Birth: Ship Harbour. Also lived at Indian Cove and Lewis' Bay Livelihood: Fished, Store Owner/Operator Children: Judy Simms, Betty Stevens, Caroline Morgan, Nellie Mercer, Gary Bradley "One interesting thing that happened to me is when I went to England to visit my brother, Max. We went to Dover and got on a hover craft and went to France. That was in 1990." Name: Faith Bradley Maiden name: Pye Community: Lodge Bay Birth Date: September 26th, 1919 Place of Birth: Cape Charles Livelihood: : Housewife, Fished, Service work Children: Melvin Bradley, Perry Bradley, Patsy Rumbolt "One interesting thing that happened to me is that I got married." Name: Paul Bradley Community: Lodge Bay Birth Date: July 12th, 1915 Place of Birth: Indian Cove. Also lived at Hatter's Cove Livelihood: Fished Children: Melvin Bradley, Perry Bradley, Patsy Rumbolt "The most interesting thing that happened to me is that I got married." Name: Charlotte Curl Maiden name: Thoms Community: Lodge Bay Birth Date: September 7th, 1925 Place of Birth: Deep Water Creek. Also lived at Fox Harbour. Livelihood: Housewife, Fished, Worked at Cookhouse Children: Sterling Curl, Jordan Curl, Jeffrey Curl, Wayne Curl, Pierce Curl, Vera Pye, Linda Curl "One interesting thing that happened to me was when I got married." Name: Walter Curl Community: Lodge Bay Birth Date: April 29th, 1920 Place of Birth: Deep Water Creek. Also lived at Lewis' Bay and Fox Harbour. Livelihood: Fished, Trapped Children: Sterling Curl, Jordan Curl, Jeffrey Curl, Wayne Curl, Pierce Curl, Vera Pye, Linda Curl "I always loved trapping and was interested in how many animals I was going to get." Name: Alma Pye Maiden name: Pye Community: Lodge Bay Birth Date: August 7th, 1924 Place of Birth: Battle Harbour. Also lived at Cape Charles. Livelihood: Fished Children: Doretha Rumbolt, Edna Ryan, Clifford Pye "One interesting thing that happened to me was when I got married." Name: Elizabeth Pye Maiden name: Ryan Community: Lodge Bay Birth Date: April 2nd, 1927 Place of Birth: Red Bay. Also lived at Battle Harbour for 3 years, Carroll's Cove. Livelihood: Fished Children: Greta Pike, Lily Yetman, Olive Pye, Harvey Pye, Howard Pye, Mary Curl, Nancy Hamel, Donna Smith, Dora Curl, Bruce Pye, Carl Pye, Wanda Pye "One interesting thing that happened to me was when I got married." Name: Gordon Pye Community: Lodge Bay Birth Date: April 26th, 1931 Place of Birth: Cape Charles Livelihood: Fished Children: Thomas Pye, Kirby Pye, Doreen Bridle, Gilbert Pye, Tina Pye, Trina Pye "One interesting thing that happened to me is when I met my wife and started dating her." Name: Lawrence Pye Community: Lodge Bay Birth Date: August 5th, 1937 Place of Birth: Mary's Harbour. Also lived at Cape Charles. Livelihood: Fished Children: Andrea Pye, Evelyn Burden "When I was fishin, I was always interested in how things was going to go." Name: Martha Pye Maiden name: Butt Community: Lodge Bay Birth Date: April 7th, 1937 Place of Birth: Mary's Harbour. Also lived at Battle Harbour, Various Areas of Lewis' Bay. Livelihood: Housewife, Janitor at school for 9 years Children: Thomas Pye, Kirby Pye, Doreen Bridle, Gilbert Pye, Tina Pye, Trina Pye "One interesting thing that happened to me was when I had a twin of girls." Name: Paul Pye Community: Lodge Bay Birth Date: February 10th, 1935 Place of Birth: Lodge Bay. Also lived at Cape Charles. Livelihood: Fisherman, 1955-Churchlll Falls doing survey work, 1956-Sept Isles doing road construction. Children: Garland Pye, Robert Pye, Roderick Pye, Darryl Pye, Prescilla Kippenhuck, Jacqueline Pye. "In 1994, I went to Goose Bay to be chair person for six development associations in Labrador. When I was about 15 or 16, I was responsible for lighting the fire in church when the minister carne around. That was the first time I was in public life!" Name: Stewart Pye Community: Lodge Bay Birth Date: February 17th, 1939 Place of Birth: Mary's Harbour. Also lived at Cape Charles. Livelihood: Fished Children: Gary Pye, Janice Green, Wayne Pye, Warren Pyc, Beverly Holley, Lisa Roberts, Annette Pye, Micheal Pye "When I was trapping, I caught 5 lynx in one day." Name: Violet Pye Maiden name: Pye Community: Lodge Bay Birth Date: March 9th, 1917 Place of Birth: Carbonear, Nfld. Also lived at Cape Charles. Livelihood: Housewife, Store Owner/Operator, Fished Children: Clara Rumbolt, Stewart Pye, Guy Pye, Ward Pye, Lloyd Pye, Roy Pye, Alvin Pye, Valerie Russell "I used to help take the heads off the fish and I headed 50 quintals of fish in one day." Section 2 Mary's Harbour Name: Gordon Acreman Community: St. Lewis Birth Date: October 16th, 1921 Place of Birth: Battle Harbour. Also lived at Mary's Harbour. Livelihood: Fished. I got a job in Goose Bay as a carpenter for a couple of years and I worked as a maintenance man in Port Hope Simpson. In 1948 I opened a general store and that was my occupation until I retired. Children: Betty, Judy, Bruce, Henry, Nancy, Sam "In July of 1965, I owned a general store in Mary's Harbour. At that same time Joey Smallwood was in Labrador doing some campaigning for a fellow in this area by the name of Wilfred Letto. Well, this day they were in Mary's Harbour trying to get some votes. Joey was walking up the road and came into my store and asked me if I had any cold drinks for sale. Well it was almost dinner time and I says to him, "Come on in the house boy and have some dinner." He says, 'No, no, no boy." But I convinced him to come in to get something to eat. We had jigs dinner that day and I sat at the same table of Joey Smallwood. I remember he was a good talker and he was waving his hands trying to get his points across. From listening to him talk I could tell he was a smart man and that he cared a lot for Nfld and Labrador. After the meal was over, he thanked me and he was off again to do some more campaigning. From that day on me and Joey were good friends.