Celebrate Our Heritage on Heritage Day, Feb. 18

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR--Celebrate Our Heritage on Heritage Day, Feb. 18

The following is a feature article on Heritage Day from the Office of the Lieutenant Governor.

Nova Scotia's rich culture and history will be the focus of celebrations at Government House on Heritage Day, Monday, Feb. 18. Heritage projects created by young people from across the province will bring to life the stories of their families, communities and regions.

"Discovering our heritage is important for young people," said Lt.-Gov. Myra Freeman. "It helps them better understand who they are and where they come from. Our history and heritage are key to our present and future."

Heritage Day is celebrated every year on the third Monday in February. The focus is on emphasizing the important contribution that each province's heritage makes to the country as a whole.

Young people throughout Nova Scotia are helping to ensure that their local heritage is brought to life and shared. One way they are doing this is through participation in a national program called Heritage Fairs.

The Heritage Fairs program is an educational initiative that encourages young people to explore their history. The program is supported by Historica, a foundation whose mandate is "to provide Canadians with a deeper understanding of their history and its importance in shaping their future."

Schools throughout the province have been involved in Heritage Fairs for about six years. The program has been strengthened through the support and initiatives of the lieutenant-governor.

In July 2001, 15 Nova Scotia students and their projects went to a national Heritage Fair in Kamloops, B.C. Past projects have also gone on to the national fair. Topics of the projects range from the history of ceilidhs in Nova Scotia and the story of the Wentworth ski train, to research on Mi'kmaq legends and tales of ancestry and immigration.

On Feb. 18 these projects and others will be displayed at Government House. Lt.-Gov. Freeman has asked the participants to share their projects with fellow students, as invited school groups come to Government House to learn of our Nova Scotia heritage.

"Young people place a high value on information they receive from their peers. It's my wish that the students who visit Government House on Heritage Day will not only enjoy learning about our shared heritage, but will also be inspired to discover more about their own," said the lieutenant-governor.

She said that involvement in the fairs creates a mutually beneficial situation.

"The students' communities benefit from the new-found interest that is generated in the history of their areas, and the students benefit through learning and creatively telling their stories," said Lt.-Gov. Freeman.

Government House, an important part of this province's heritage, is an appropriate location for a Heritage Day celebration. The cornerstone for the vice-regal residence was laid in September 1800. Materials used to build the house came from across Nova Scotia -- timber from Annapolis and Tatamagouche, bricks from Dartmouth and stone from Cape Breton.

Many "firsts" for Nova Scotia are associated with Government House. The first settlers in Halifax were among those to see the cornerstone placed for the new Government House.

Other notable firsts are the swearing in at Government House of the first responsible cabinet in British North America in 1848 and the installation of one of the first eight telephones in Halifax in 1880. Today Government House serves as the residence of the first female lieutenant-governor in Nova Scotia.

"Government House is a significant part of our heritage. Having the students display their Nova Scotia heritage projects in an institution that has contributed so much to the shaping of this province is a perfect fit," said the lieutenant-governor.

NOTE: The following are some of the Heritage Fair participants who will display their projects at Government House on Monday, Feb. 18.

• Charles Harrington, Debert, Colchester Co. Project: L'explosion d'Halifax
• Ronda Kennedy, Truro, Colchester Co. Project: It's a Ceilidh
• Thomas Lee, Trenton, Pictou Co. Project: In Search Of Gold Mountain
• Joseph Power, Upper Rawdon, Hants Co. Project: Dr. MacLean - A Country Doctor
• Ewan Scallion, Wentworth Station, Cumberland Co. Project: Wentworth Ski Hill
• Claire Delong, Caledonia, Queens Co. Project: Mi'kmaq Legends
• Alicia Maynard, Newport, Hants Co. Project: The Tragic Halifax Explosion
• Mark Deveaux, Sydney, Cape Breton Regional Municipality. Project: Cape Breton Highlanders (A Family Connection)
• Molly Rankin, Judique, Inverness Co. Project: Music In The Blood
• Stephanie MacDonald, Whycocomagh, Inverness Co. Project: History/Future of the Cape Breton Fiddlers Association