Nice to see that there is a movement to return the first flag of Newfoundland - or the Native Flag - to its rightful place, a green white and pink tricolour. The vexillologists tell us that the flag represents the pink rose of England and the green shamprock of Ireland:
The first flag to specifically represent Newfoundland seems to have borne a green fir tree upon a pink field. In use early in the nineteenth century, it is likely that this flag was based on a similar flag, but with a white field, that had been flown by the colonists in New England. Although the pink flag with its tree apparently initially represented all islanders, when a modified version of it was adopted by the Native's Society in the late 1830s, it began to be perceived as the symbol of the English Protestant portion of the community. Irish Catholic immigrants responded by flying a green flag bearing the Celtic harp. In the 1840s, the division between these two groups was exacerbated each spring as up to 10,000 sealers would converge on St. John's before boarding ships for the sealing grounds. During these times, competition was frequently accompanied by religious animosity and a prominent display of opposing flags. In an attempt to defuse the conflicts, a delegation representing the government and leaders of both communities sought the council of Bishop Fleming, who was respected by all. Tradition has it that after pondering the problem, the bishop asked that the pink flag and the green flag of the two factions be brought to him. Then joining them with a white handkerchief, which he said represented the white of peace from the flag of St. Andrew, he handed it to the assembled group and said, "Go in Peace."The photo in the Globe and Mail does a nice job showing a jolly rally that reminds of the storming of the seat of national Goverment a couple of years before the abandonment of responsible government and dominion over itself in 1934.
By the way, I love flags.
Comments
Marian - October 12, 2005 1:15 PM
Um. Isn't that the Italian flag? Okay, I see it's pink, but that just makes it look like a washed out Italian flag. Newfoundland as the home of washed Italian nationalism. It could be worse.
Marian - October 12, 2005 1:16 PM
I meant to say washed *out* Italian nationalism.
Alan - October 12, 2005 1:46 PM
It is pink. Beautiful pink which is appropriate for a people who sing of their love of their land with these words:<blockquote class="smalltext">When spreads thy cloak of shimm'ring white,<br>
At Winter's stern command,<br>
Thro' shortened day and starlit night,<br>
We love thee, frozen land,<br>
We love thee, we love thee,<br>
We love thee, frozen land. <p>
When blinding storm gusts fret thy shore,<br>
And wild waves lash thy strand,<br>
Thro' sprindrift swirl and tempest roar,<br>
We love thee, wind-swept land,<br>
We love thee, we love thee,<br>
We love thee, wind-swept land.<p>
As loved our fathers, so we love,<br>
Where once they stood we stand,<br>
Their prayer we raise to heav'n above,<br>
God guard thee, Newfoundland,<br>
God guard thee, God guard thee,<br>
God guard thee, Newfoundland.</blockquote>This honest and loving anthem and the expereince of watching young ex-pats sing it after a few is one of the things that makes me jealous and wonder what it must be like to have been born a Newfoundlander.
David Janes - October 12, 2005 2:05 PM
It f*ckin' rocks, Al. At my brother's wedding, his wife (also Newf) requested that everyone sings "The Ode to Newfoundland". Afterwards, one of the mainlanders asked my brother "What, are you guys in a cult or something?"
Marian's comments were exactly what I was thinking this morning, funny enough.
As for changing the flag ... I don't like to the current one, but I'm not stirred to strong sentiment either way.
Marian - October 12, 2005 2:09 PM
I know. I shouldn't say things like that. It makes it more likely that I will get beat up, if ever I make it out to that part of the country. Anyway, a lot of the wit and cleverness in Canada has come from there, so I shouldn't make silly comments about their flag.
Alan - October 12, 2005 2:36 PM
The only thing (other than an evening in a Polish yachtsmen's club) better than seeing the Ode sung was being at a pal's wedding, singing all the Nova Scotian songs for hours and then a girl stand up and asks for quiet from the tanked crowd and begings to sing Gaelic lullabyes. Tears welled and the non-bluenosers looked on like they had stumbled upon a group of inebriated elves.
Alan - October 12, 2005 3:03 PM
UPDATE!<p>John Gushue alerted me to this article in the <i>Telegram</i> on the Native flag resurgence.