There’s really, truly no other place on earth like Newfoundland. The world’s 16th-largest island, stretching to the easternmost point in North America, is rugged, dramatic, and beautiful. Just the names alone—places called the Wreckhouse, ridges named the Blow Me Down Mountains, towns like Bay Bulls and Grand Falls-Windsor—evoke powerful imagery of gorgeous remoteness, dark clouds sweeping the horizon, jagged peaks, thunderous waves, and winds so strong they’ll tear almost anything apart. Nature, endless, is all around you.
Over the course of several visits, I’ve come to love the place with all my heart. On a trip here, every day brings a new kind of magic. Beluga whales will play with you if you just come down to the dock. Seafood—crab, lobster, mussels—is served hot on your plate, fresh out of the bay. People became accustomed to helping one another over the centuries, and they extend almost unbelievable warmth and friendliness (and help, when needed) to people from “away.” And yet, Newfoundland remains a lesser-known travel destination for Americans. So, here is a quick introduction.
Newfoundland’s history within Canada is completely unique. Together with its mainland portion (Labrador), it didn’t join Canada until 1949. Prior to that, it was a British colony and then a Dominion—much like Canada at the time. Newfoundlanders voted in a very tight 1948 referendum. With 52.3 percent of the vote approving the decision, they became the 10th and last province of Canada.
Finding Newfoundland
History here runs long and deep. While proud Canadians, Newfoundlanders maintain a distinct identity in their accents, dialects, humor, and songs. And it is one of the oldest parts of Canada in terms of European settlement.The first Europeans to settle here were the Norse, who arrived on the tip of the Great Northern Peninsula around 1000 AD. They created a settlement of sod houses that is now known as L’Anse aux Meadows. It’s now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a National Historic Site. But, for reasons unknown, they packed up and left. And it wasn’t until the second half of the 18th century that Europeans began settling here in earnest.
Initially, there was one reason men braved the treacherous North Atlantic, crossing a tumultuous ocean in search of a single thing: fish—specifically, cod. Arriving in the late 15th century, the Italian explorer and navigator John Cabot (Giovanni Caboto), under commission from the English crown, set foot on the island. His crew reported so many fish offshore that you didn’t even need a net—you could simply scoop them up in a basket.
A hundred years later, fishermen said the cod remained so thick, you could scarcely row a boat through them. In an age before refrigeration, “salt fish” was king, a method to dry and preserve them for long voyages. Ships came from all over Europe—France, Spain, Portugal, and England. These sailors and fishermen left far-flung-sounding names all over the island, such as Rose Blanche, Quirpon, and Channel-Port aux Basques. And language, too.
Driven by political upheavals and wars that had disturbed their regular fishing patterns, many migrated to Newfoundland from the west of England and southeastern Ireland. They established “out port” communities, connected to the rest of the world only by water. Their livelihood was dependent on the cod. Living in isolation, these communities preserved accents and dialects that were lost back in the old country.
A Close-Knit Community
Life wasn’t always easy for those in the out ports. Long winters and harsh conditions persisted, even in the summer. But over the decades and centuries, a strong community culture developed. Neighbors needed neighbors. Without radio, television, or video games, you had to make your own fun, too.So people would gather around a warm stove for “kitchen parties.” If you could sing or play, you’d perform a song. If you couldn’t, you would recite a passage of poetry or tell a rollicking story. Everyone contributed something to the gathering.
Life Today
On July 2, 1992, life in Newfoundland changed forever. Cod stocks—long the lifeblood of this island—had been dwindling for decades. In response, the federal government announced a total moratorium on fishing for them. In a single moment, nearly 30,000 people in Newfoundland and Labrador lost their jobs.It’s a place everyone needs to experience at least once. Cruise through an inland fjord at Western Brook Pond, where waterfalls tumble from impossibly high cliffs on both sides. Visit the tapestry in Conche, which, inspired by the priceless Bayeux Tapestry in England, tells the story of Newfoundland’s French Shore. See the mantle of the earth’s crust thrust to the surface at the Tablelands in Gros Morne National Park.
