Storying home in St. John's, Newfoundland

• Main Author: Read, Heather Anne Creighton
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: Memorial University of Newfoundland 2007
• Subjects: Newfoundland
• Online Access: https://research.library.mun.ca/11321/; https://research.library.mun.ca/11321/1/Read_HeatherAnneCreighton.pdf

Many of Newfoundland and Labrador's master narratives of culture, identity and home celebrate the Irish and English fishing heritage of the province. These narratives, created largely by presentations of history and reinforced through tourism development, are explored here in conjunction with alternatives that have not received the same attention: specifically, stories from ethnoculturally diverse people, disadvantaged youth and people with disabilities. Primarily, these alternative stories are drawn from six residents of St. John's, and their contributions to a community art display about their visions of home, Urban Archaeology, which occurred at The Rooms Provincial Art Gallery in 2006. This thesis suggests that in Newfoundland and Labrador there is too much promotion of master narratives; as a result, those telling alternative stories can experience social exclusion. Additionally, Urban Archaeology's merit as a community arts project is explored, and the importance of such work in alleviating feelings of exclusion is discussed.