Perched on the sides of the hills surrounding its harbour, and often
wreathed in the misty fog that drifts in off the North Atlantic, St.
John's,
Newfoundland is home to some of Canada's oldest buildings, and a legendary
nightlife. But is it also home to mystical creatures like ghosts and
fairies?
St. John's-based folklorist and storyteller Dale Jarvis argues yes, and he
plans on bringing some of those stories to Regina, Saskatchewan.
Jarvis is no stranger to the unexplained. He is the author of two books
do***enting the folklore of Newfoundland and Labrador. He is also the
proprietor of the province's only ghost tour, the St. John's Haunted Hike.
Throughout the summer months, Jarvis leads tours of brave souls through
the
dark alleys and laneways in the heart of North America's oldest city.
Jarvis
leads the tours costumed in a nineteenth century clerical outfit,
clutching
a skull-topped walking stick in one hand.
Recently, it is legends of the little people that have caught his
attention
as a storyteller, and he has prepared an hour-long storytelling show
called
"Away: An Evening with the Faerie Folk" which will visit Regina this
September.
"In Newfoundland, stories of the fairies still exist, and are still told,"
says Jarvis. "We tend to think of fairy stories as being mostly Irish,
and
certainly in Newfoundland there is that connection. But some of the
stories
we have in the province can be traced to West Country England and other
places such as Scotland."
The tradition of fairy stories in Newfoundland is most likely as old as
European settlement on the island, says Jarvis,. Be warned however! These
fairies are not of the gossamer-winged, Walt Disney,
pixies-at-the-end-of-the-garden variety.
"The traditional tales of the fairy folk are not really children's
stories,"
explains the storyteller. "These fairies are the unpredictable, quick to
anger, child-snatching fairies of legend."
"Many of the older generation of Newfoundlanders are reluctant to talk
about
them, or even name them directly," Jarvis describes. "In spite of this, a
love for stories of the fairy folk is still part of Newfoundland's oral
tradition."
Jarvis will be telling stories of the little people from Newfoundland,
Ireland and Scotland at the Unitarian Fellow****p Centre, at the corner of
College Ave. and Angus St., Regina, on Wednesday, September 20, 2006. The
session is hosted by the Regina Area Group for Storytelling (RAGS). The
show
starts at 7:30 pm sharp, and tickets are available at the door.
-30-
The Regina Area Group for Storytelling (RAGS) presents Newfoundland
storyteller, Dale Jarvis, with his 65 minute "Away: An Evening With The
Faerie Folk" at the Unitarian Fellow****p Centre, College Ave. and Angus
St.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
7:30 pm sharp.
Adults $7.00, Students $5.00
For information, phone Norm at 522-1917, or e-mail:
normwalker@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Recommended for a young adult to adult audience
Dale Jarvis
St. John's, NL
709-685-3444
info@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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