09/06/2024
Hello All,
Our author Mercedes Benoit-Penney wrote this post to share with everyone:
Since 2018, I have published the following 4 books through St. Clair Publications: 1) Back of the Pond, Revised Edition. 2) Je Suis Jackatar (English). 3) Not a Hope in Hell for Newfoundland and Labrador. 4) Stories From Our Neighborhood, South Western Newfoundland. They are all local books originating from Ernest Harmon Airforce Base, Stephenville, Newfoundland.
All of my books have a common theme, that of our unique population. In 1940, during WW2, Ernest Harmon Air Force Base was established in the small French farming community of Stephenville, Newfoundland. That community went by the nickname “Back of the Pond” (Stephenville Pond), thus the name of my first book. In order for the base to be constructed, about 200 people had to be expropriated from their homes, farms and livestock and relocate themselves elsewhere throughout the district, a move that had everlasting effects. Those same families were Acadian Mi’Kmaq, from which much of my writings have evolved.
Book 2, “ Je Suis Jackatar”, reflects the fact that I am Jackatar (Acadian / Mi’Kmaw). Jackatar is a Newfoundlander of mixed French and native descent, a word once widely used in a derogatory way, as a despised and neglected race believed to be of a lawless nature, a race of an impure dialect, half-breeds of mostly dark complexion, lazy, indolent, addicted to thieving, destitute runaways and deserters, definitely not a term of endearment, don’t you think?
Book 3, “Not a Hope in Hell for Newfoundland and Labrador” talks of the history of our area, South Western Newfoundland, both past and present. It speaks of how our Provincial Government believes and portrays to the world that our capital, St. John’s and its surrounding eastern region are, in itself, Newfoundland and Labrador. As a result, Labrador and other remaining parts of the province are, for lack of a better word, ignored, monetarily and otherwise.
My most recent book ”Stories From Our Neighborhood”, South Western Newfoundland, continues to exemplify pride, not only in our Acadian and Aboriginal populations, but in the numerous dialects that make up our South Western region, such as English, French and a Jersey Island mix. In fact, before 1904, there were a splash of up to 24 mega languages on our part of the Island, a group so unique as to be labeled “ The Tower of Babel”. We want our readers to know that we also exist and are proud of our unique heritage. We want readers to know that we are also an integral part of Newfoundland and Labrador and should be treated as such. Yet, we remain under a class system that has always been, and continues to be, indifferent to our needs.
Here are the links to her books:
Back of the Pond: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1947514024
Je Suis Jackatar: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1947514458
Not a Hope in Hell for Newfoundland and Labrador: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1947514563
Stories From Our Neighborhood: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1947514733
Stories from our Neighborhood Many potential tourists will never hear about the beauty of our neighborhood and our people, west of the rock cut in Corner Brook. All media, television, radio, newspapers, even our airport have been stripped away from us and are monopolized by our Capital City, St. ...
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