Community Voices and Memories
A Confederation Poem
Tish Trowbridge recites “A Confederation Poem,” an original work written to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Newfoundland and Labrador joining Canada in 1949. Through her own words and recitation, she offers a personal reflection on this important milestone in the province’s history.
Published by Lynette Green on August 1, 2024.
Stories of Confederation
Residents of Hilltop Manor share their memories and personal stories of Confederation. Their recollections preserve individual perspectives on an important period in Newfoundland and Labrador’s history and give younger generations an opportunity to hear these experiences in the residents’ own words.
Published by Lynette Green on July 29, 2024.
Ryan’s Fancy Heritage Concert
This archival video features “Heritage,” a live concert held in the Arnold’s Cove church basement during the late 1970s. The concert was presented as a tribute to the people who resettled in Arnold’s Cove from islands throughout Placentia Bay, preserving the music, memories and community spirit connected to their experiences.
Published by Trevor Hoskins on March 6, 2019.
Journeys Back to the Islands
Returning to the Islands
“Returning to the Islands” documents the remarkable journey of floating a house back to the islands from which it had been moved more than 50 years earlier. The return journey provides a powerful visual reminder of how homes were transported across the waters of Placentia Bay during resettlement and reconnects the house with the place it once called home.
A video by John Tolson of Heirline Films. Published by Trevor Hoskins on February 21, 2019.
Abandoned Communities
““Abandoned Communities” is a moving slideshow featuring photographs of Newfoundland and Labrador communities that were resettled. Accompanied by music, the presentation remembers the homes, landscapes and ways of life left behind while preserving the place these communities hold in the province’s history.
Video published by Elroy Grandy on June 25, 2008.
Songs of Resettlement
The Government Game
“The Government Game” is a Newfoundland folk song written by poet Al Pittman and performed by Pat and Joe Byrne with Baxter Wareham. The song reflects on families having to leave St. Kieran’s and offers a powerful criticism of the government’s resettlement and centralization policies. It was originally released on the 1983 album Towards the Sunset.
Video published by Codo27 on August 20, 2010.
Out from St. Leonard’s
Written by Gary O’Driscoll in 1981, “Out from St. Leonard’s” is a Newfoundland folk ballad about families leaving St. Leonard’s, Toslow and other Placentia Bay communities during resettlement. The song recalls people crossing the bay with their houses in tow and belongings aboard, capturing the upheaval, loss and lasting memories associated with leaving their communities behind.
Video published by N Treasure on August 29, 2013.
Black and White
“Black and White” is the title song from Newfoundland singer-songwriter Bud Davidge’s 2009 album of the same name. Through music and visual storytelling, it offers a moving reflection on the heartbreak of resettlement and the lasting connection people retained to the homes and communities they left behind.
Video published by Bud Davidge on December 20, 2009.
Resettlement on Film
Resettlement in Placentia Bay Newfoundland 1960's DVD
“Resettlement in Placentia Bay, Newfoundland — 1960s” is a two-part DVD collection filmed and produced by John Tolson. Through historical footage, the collection documents the resettlement era in Placentia Bay and preserves an important visual record of the people, places and experiences connected to this chapter of Newfoundland’s history.
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