Squid-Jiggin’ Grounds

If there was ever a place with a very diverse history, it is Newfoundland, times were very hard in the years prior to entering confederation with Canada and becoming the tenth province.

My wife Rosie and I love to travel around Newfoundland, especially the outports and little fishing villages, the scenery is fantastic and the history of each community is very distinct.

One such community is Leading Tickles on the North coast of Newfoundland In Notre Dam Bay, as while visiting, we had a stroke of luck because the run between Cull Island and Leading Tickles South had people in several boats out jigging for squid. It was a very picturesque scene that I had to create a portrait off.

It is fitting that I choose to call this portrait “Squid-Jiggin’ Grounds” because since the beginning of Confederation with Canada this has been a symbol of our province. Some may not realize it but the National Anthem of Newfoundland had been “The Ode to Newfoundland” since 1902 but had been done away with on April 1^st, 1949 at the celebration ceremony in Ottawa  when they played the Hank Snow recording of “Squid-Jiggin’ Grounds” instead.

However, in 1980 Newfoundland re-adopted “The Ode to Newfoundland” as our official provincial anthem, having never been done by a province before.

We are extremely fortunate to live in such a beautiful province so get out there and be a tourist in our own home.