We are now Honorary Newfies!

Friday, June 10, 2011

We are now Honorary Newfies!  We were screeched in last night at Skipper’s Hot Lounge in Straitsview Nfld.  Skipper’s was about 30 km up the coast from our campground.  We left early so we could check out some of the small villages on the way.  A moose was standing right on the side of the highway as we left the campground.  There was a medium sized iceberg in the bay at St. Lunaire.

It was easy to find, didn’t have to use our iceberg chasing skills we had developed earlier in the day.  We had a great time at the bar.  A local band was playing traditional Newfie music.

The Newfoundlanders are so proud to be Newfies and sing songs about their life.  One of the fellas was playing an interesting instrument.  We talked to him later about it.  He called it an ugly stick.  He made it out of fiberglass and it had lots of beer caps nailed to the bottom, and strings of washers that would jingle, and then lots of pieces of metal that a tambourine would be made of, hung on the sides. He would bang it on the floor and tap it with another stick.   It was awesome.  The locals were up doing the jig and waltzing and just having a grand time.  There was one older fella there that got everyone else up dancing.  He would just come and grab you, and haul you out to the dance floor.  It was hilarious, and so much fun.  Doug and I were up dancing lots to the toe tapping tunes.  After the first set it was “Screech In” time.  15 of us were going to be Honorary Newfies, from all over, Whitehorse Yukon, Germany, Syracuse NY, Montreal, London On, France, Connecticut and Norway. It was all very official of course.  First of all they brought out some rain slickers, newfie hats and boots, they handed you one of the articles, which you had to don. 

I was given a pair of boots that you had to wear on the wrong feet.  Imagine, me wearing boots on the wrong feet….didn’t I buy a pair of boots for that were both for the left foot!  Then you had to take a piece of bologna and say a blessing before you could eat it, that went like this “Over the lips, past the gums, lookout stomaching, aarre she comes”.  Then we had a piece of smoked caplin (yuck!!!) and say the blessing.  The lady from Syracuse was having a hard time with the caplin but she had to eat it to get her certificate.  We all encouraged her and down it went.  Then you got to wash that yucky stuff down with a piece of Lassie bread, and don’t forget to say the blessing.  Now it’s time to kiss the cod!

But you had to say something romantic to it first.  It was hilarious.  And finally you had to down a shot of Newfie Screech (also yuck).  Now it’s official you are an Honorary Newfie!  We got home sometime after 1 a.m.  It was a slow drive home, rainy, windy, faint lines on the road, if any, and of course we were nervous about meeting a moose. What a fun night and awesome day!

The New Honorary Newfies

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