Archive for October, 2009
After a day packed with explorations and a lovely dinner at the Garrison House I was ready for my final discovery of the day: the famous Annapolis Royal Graveyard Tour. Punctually at 9:15 pm I showed up across the road from the my bed and breakfast at the south entrance of Fort Anne where local historian and expert guide Alan Melanson was ready to give his performance. About 15 people, hailing from places such as North Carolina, California and Saskatchewan, were equipped with candle-lit lanterns and after a brief introduction we were ready to head out.
Alan enlightened us that his outfit was an authentic funeral suit, the black sash and the black scarf tied around the hat were symbols of mourning. We learned that when children died the scarf on the hat would be white. Alan told the group that he has been doing this tour four nights a week, every week from June to October for 15 years and he has only missed one evening. The $7 donation for the tour goes to the Historical Society of Annapolis Royal, and over the years Alan has collected about $60,000 for this non-profit organization. Alan has been a park ranger and guide at the Fort Anne National Historic Site for about 27 years now and in addition to historical interpretation he also does outreach to bring history into local classrooms.
We started walking towards the cemetery, up and down through Fort Anne’s “earthworks”, fortifications constructed from mounds of earth which were intended to protect Annapolis Royal from potential intruders. The cemetery is just a few steps away from Fort Anne, and Alan collected the group at the largest gravestone, an obelisk and started the official tour.
Our first stop was the oldest gravestone in the cemetery, dating back to 1720, which belonged to a 37 year old woman. Alan explained that gravestones feature a lot of symbolism: death was represented for example by a winged skull, young children and babies who passed away would be symbolized by pictures of flowers, lambs or rose buds. Weeping willows were often used to represent death and mourning. Alan also educated us that different types of stone were used as gravestones over the centuries: slate, sandstone, granite and marble were all used to immortalize the dead.
Many of the residents of the graveyard had interesting stories: an 83-year old woman got cheated out of her fortune by a bad husband. Some soldiers were also buried here and Alan shed light on life in the army in the 18th century: out of 100 soldiers only six were allowed to bring their wives with them during deployments from England in the colonies. The wives and children who were allowed to come did not fare well either as they had to share bunk beds with their husbands. Conditions for soldiers only changed during the Crimean War when press coverage made the general public aware of the poor living conditions of soldiers, resulting in general outrage. The power of the press was already in evidence in the 1850s?
We also learned that large groups of volunteers regularly clean the gravestones, carefully using wooden tools and soap to scrape off the moss and then finishing the job with a solution made of vinegar and water. Alan reported that very little vandalism happens here in this historic graveyard since the local residents are extremely proud of their heritage. As a ninth generation Acadian, as a historic interpreter at Fort Anne and as the President of the Annapolis Royal Historical Society, Alan Melanson can personally attest to the importance and appreciation of history that characterizes this area. Annapolis Royal has the biggest National Heritage District consisting of 135 heritage buildings, it features the oldest gravestone and the oldest National Historic Site in Canada.
The pride in local history also includes reenactments of historic events and lifestyles. Alan told us about various historical reenactments which served moose nose soup and smoked beaver tail, dishes very similar to those that would have been savoured in the early 1600s by the settlers of the Port-Royal Habitation, incidentally the place where Wayne Melanson, Alan’s identical twin brother, introduced me to early French history this afternoon.
Annapolis Royal is one of the most historic towns on the east coast and the oldest house in town, just east of the Historic Gardens, dates back to 1708. Alan explained the town’s history was based around shipbuilding and of 13 wharfs only one is still in existence. The Garrison Graveyard houses 234 gravestones and more than 2000 people are buried here. Early Acadian settlers are also interred here, but their graves did not have gravestones ? their wooden crosses have long since rotted away.
Our local expert also informed us that a soldier dating back to the 1780s was found buried in the riverbed. Based on historical accounts and the burial technique, this person must have been a criminal which is the reason why he was buried in the river. Alan Melanson, himself a ninth generation Acadian who can trace his own lineage back to a certain Charles Melanson who arrived in this area in 1664, certainly has a passion for history and it shows. His theatrical voice conveys enthusiasm for the history of this town and he injects his presentation with humour and wittiness. Former Prime Minister Paul Martin also enjoyed his Garrison Graveyard Tour with Alan Melanson.
After the tour was over I returned the lantern and received a certificate attesting that I had attended the Annapolis Royal Graveyard Tour. I came back to the Garrison House B&B and peeked out into the dark cemetery, wondering what life must have been like in this town in the 1700 and 1800s. I laid down to rest up for another full day of explorations tomorrow which would include the Tidal Power Generating Plant, the Bear River Heritage and Cultural Centre and a coastal drive down to Yarmouth on the western tip of this province. Nova Scotia sure has a lot of history, interesting personalities and many fascinating human stories?
For the entire article including photos please visit
http://www.travelandtransitions.com/stories_photos/annapolis_royal_graveyard_tour.htm
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Until roughly 30 years ago, Columbia was a peaceful country. Rebel groups and the influence of cocaine production have changed that. Here’s an overview of Columbia for travelers.
Overview of Columbia for Travelers
The Spanish first colonized Columbia in 1525. Full independence was claimed in 1813. In 1819, Greater Columbia was formed which included modern day countries Columbia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Panama. This conglomeration fell apart fairly quickly.
In 1978, political disputes and corruption led to rebel groups pursuing violent insurrection attempts. The primary groups were the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the Democratic Alliance/M-19 (M-19). These two entities have subsequently pursued a civil war against the federal government, often controlling parts of the country. Since 2000, the rebel groups have lost much of their ability and no major attacks have occurred.
Starting in the late 1970s, the cocaine industry became big in Columbia. Cartels formed to control production and became rich and powerful in the late 80s. Efforts by the government to control the cartels led to open violence and massive corruption. In the late 90s, the massive cartels were finally broken up. Cocaine production hasn’t really been effected, it is just controlled by smaller, more discreet cartels.
The official name of the country is Republic of Columbia. Columbia covers an area of about 440,000 square miles and is the fourth largest country in South America. The capital is Bogotá with a population of just over 7 million people. Other major population areas include the cities of Medellin, Cali and Cartagena. The terrain in Columbia varies from rugged mountains to coastline on the Pacific Ocean to flat grasslands. Temperatures are generally warm and humid with the exception of cooler climates in the higher mountain areas.
The people of Columbia are known as Colombians. The total population is just over 46 million with a growth rate just under two percent annually. Roman Catholic is the dominant religious faith and Spanish is the language. Literacy rates are 93 percent in urban areas and 67 percent in more rural locations. Life expectancy for a Columbian man is 69 years and 75 for a Columbian woman. Ethnic break down is primarily Mestizo at 58 percent of the population followed by white at 20 percent, mulatto at 14 percent and black at four percent.
As these facts on Columbia reveal, the country is going through a massive period of destabilization with narcotics and guerrilla warfare an overwhelming problem. Only the future will reveal whether Columbia pulls out of the mess.
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Based on my going-on five years of expat experience in the city of Guanajuato, Mexico’s Heartland, I do not think the current expat guides such as Howell, Merwin, and Luboff, apply here. It is so stark in fact, that the difference between Guanajuato and San Miguel de Allende is almost like comparing apples to oranges. Here are two cities, two Colonial Mexican Heartland towns, so close, and so different. What’s changed it? The Gringo presence and the Mexican’s subsequent adaptation (subjugation?) to the Gringo presence.
Is this a bad thing? Is it bad that the Americans have swept into towns such as San Miguel de Allende and with their money effectively changed it from uniquely Mexican to something all together different? My view is that it is a bad thing. My traditional understanding of expatriation, one about which I feel passionately, prevents me from seeing the changes in San Miguel as something good. It prevents me from seeing the Gringos in San Miguel as expatriates. What that city has become is a playground for the rich Gringo. The Mexicans in the town live to serve the Gringos. That is something with which I take great exception. However, for most Americans, living in Mexico would be impossible without a town like San Miguel whose entire infrastructure has been redesigned and functions to serve the American who wants to live there. I cannot argue with the fact that what San Miguel now is, is what it is, and there’s no going back to what it was. The ultimate sadness is that the town’s Mexicans I am not sure ever had a choice in the matter.
Mexico as a Concept
So, what is the Mexico as a Concept that draws Americans to towns like San Miguel de Allende or any Prime Living Location in Mexico? What is the Concept of Mexico about which the popular expat guides, online websites, newsletters, seminars, speak? What Concept or Image of Mexico is attracting the American who wants to leave the U.S. to live here?
Primarily, Americans think they can come and live here because Mexico and her people are just like us. I mentioned this in our first book, The Plain Truth about Living in Mexico. I tried using the phrase, “Don’t forget, Mexico is not America.” throughout the book to try get across the point that is very much lost on Americans: “Mexico is not America.” Americans typically do not hold any depth of cultural awareness and too often think that all that is necessary to live with Mexicans is throw some money or technology at them under the guise of “Now, we gringos are here to help these poor third-world Mexicans” charities and soon the Mexican will jump through America hoops and be “just like us.” I’ve often wondered if Americans would be so willing to move here if they knew in advance that there is not someone “just like me” under that Mexican’s mestizo skin.
Do not think me glib or disrespectful here. This American woman in Guanajuato was once telling me how the Gringo Charity to which she belonged was here so that they might help these “little brown people.” At first I thought I had misheard her until I asked my wife in private who had also heard this hideous remark.
I remain convinced that Americans think they can come to Mexico to live because Mexicans are just like Americans, only in a different wrapper. That seems to be the extent of America’s cultural awareness. I cannot begin to count how many times I have heard the following two statements from the mouths of American expats:
1. I know they understand what I am talking about and are pretending they don’t.
2. If they are going to work for me, they are just going to have to adapt to me and assimilate my ways, including speaking English.
I really wonder if Americans would come here if they really knew what lies deeply layered underneath the surface of the Mexican mind?
Americans, and especially Texans, think that because they’ve eaten tex-mex, attended some cross-border festivals, have driven across the border to go shopping, worked with a few Mexicans in a construction project, screamed at a few of those projects’ Mexican workers, had a few Dos XX beers while camping in Reynosa, can say “Yo quiero Taco Bell,” that they’ve pretty much mastered Mexican culture and living in Mexico will be a cinch. Americans (and don’t forget those Texans) delude themselves into thinking they know Mexicans. They are more willing to admit that there are vast language and cultural differences between themselves and the Chinese than they do with Mexicans.
They are convinced they are cultural experts when it comes to Mexicans and therefore willingly pack it up and move here based on this delusional Concept about Mexico: Mexicans are just like us; Mexico is just like America. They can handle it, they reason, because after all, they are just Mexicans and are just like us.
NEXT: Mexico As a Concept and Not As a Reality part 4
