Digging up the bones of Halifax
Bruce Stewart seems friendly enough, but he immediately refuses to shake hands. When I find out why, I’m glad he did. Stewart has just spent the most of the day on his hands and knees, digging through a 150-year-old privy pit. He’s searching for the intimate details of the lives of Haligonians. Maybe a little [...]
Read moreThe Royal Nova Scotia Tattoo
Ian Fraser’s proudest Tattoo moment came on opening night in 1995, the year of the 50th anniversary of victory in Europe. Under the ethereal glow of blue floodlights two old soldiers, one German, the other Canadian, stood at attention side by side. Both were veterans of the bloody Italian campaign – enemy combatants half a [...]
Read moreClare: A slightly misplaced homeland
The setting sun backlights the low mountains of Long Island on the horizon,turning the water of Baie Sainte-Marie a glistening gold — the perfect night for a stroll along the beach. But it’s hardly a peaceful walk. A few steps in front of us, a group of red-coated soldiers is dragging unarmed peasants away, separating [...]