Newfoundland and Labrador

(Newfoundland amma Labradorimi, Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador)

General Information:

Location: Eastern Canada
Capital: St. John’s
Language(s): English, French, Irish, Inuktitut
Population: 520,437
Total Area: 405,212 sq km
Curious Alcohol Fact: Alcohol consumption in this province is the highest in the country.
Most Popular Drink(s): Local beers, screech, berry wines
What You Must Do in Newfoundland & Labrador: Eat the Jiggs dinner made only on Sundays.

Newfoundland and Labrador Travel Video

Video Courtesy: NewfoundlandLabrador

The People

Unlike what obtains in other provinces of the country, one thing I noticed with Newfoundland and Labrador is that it is somewhat homogenous and most of the residents have roots in the United Kingdom. Thus, majority of the people are English, Irish, Welsh and Scottish. That also explains why English is the most widely-used language in the province. A small fraction of the Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are aboriginals. These are the Inuits (Eskimos), Micmacs and the Innus (Montagnais-Naskapi). However, with a tinge of regret, I learnt that another indigenous group, the Beothuk is no longer in existence. Fortunately enough, there is a museum where you can learn about their culture and tradition. Christianity is the most important religion in the country and the popular denominations are the Roman Catholic Church, United Church of Canada and the Anglican Church.

Food in Newfoundland and Labrador

The best way to enjoy this province is to explore the cuisine. The residents of this province are known for preparing some of the finest dishes in the country. As expected, fish is a very important component of the local diet but it is important to state that the people there are fond of codfish and if you do not specify a type of fish, you will soon have a bowl of steaming codfish on your table. One meal that I will always remember each time the name of the province is mentioned is fish and brewis. As a matter of fact, this is the traditional meal in the province and is made from codfish (yes!) and hard bread, which has been soaked for days. My hosts were generous enough to serve my fish and brewis with pieces of salted pork fat known as scrunchions.

Drinking

The province has some of the most enchanting bars in North America and local beers are easily purchased (you need to be 19 and above). You also need to try out a bottle of screech, a rum that originated in the Caribbean.

The Province

This province is located in the easternmost part of Canada. It is made up of Newfoundland, which is an island, and Labrador, which lies on the mainland. Of all the provinces in the country, this is the youngest as it was admitted in 1949 and adopted its current name in 2001. Originally named the New Found Land by explorers, Newfoundland and Labrador is located on the Atlantic Ocean and that makes it a very important hub of commerce, fishing, communications and transportation. Once colonized by Britain, the province has the city of St. John’s as its capital and center of administration. The name Labrador is thought to have originated from the name given to an explorer from Portugal. The history of the area has always been a chequered one and at a time, it was the source of conflict between Spain, Britain and France. Today, manufacturing, tourism, fishing and communications are important activities in the province.

Interesting Facts

The province has the Newfoundland Dog and the Labrador Retriever as its official dogs.
The monarch of the province is the Queen of England.
The official bird is the Atlantic puffin.
Of all the provinces in Canada, this is the most homogenous as far as language is concerned, with about 98% of the people there speaking Newfoundland English.
The name Newfoundland is a rendition of Portuguese words.
Labradorite is the official mineral.

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Adebayo Ahmed Adebola (Ilorin, Nigeria).