Misplaced Pages

#479520

31-758: The Dartmouth Natal Day Road Race is one of the longest running road races in North America. The event is part of the Natal Day festivities in the Halifax Regional Municipality . The first Natal Day Road Race took place in 1907. Dartmouthian Chris Wolfe ran the Boston Marathon that year, finishing 23rd. This spurred the Natal Day committee to add a road race to the festivities for that year. Natal Day Natal Day

62-702: A Call to Action. On July 1, 2017, a mourning ceremony was held at the Cornwallis statue site in Halifax. It was a ceremony to remember the missing indigenous women. It was disrupted by five members of the Canadian Armed Forces , calling themselves members of the right-wing Proud Boys . The five were suspended from the Forces and the Forces' leadership apologized. The incident was used to amplify Dan Paul's allegations against Cornwallis and to support

93-493: A fighter for the rights of the Mi’kmaq people. The statue has been a site for protests since as least 2008, when several Mi'kmaq youth gathered at its base to mark the second annual Aboriginal Day of Action . Historian John G. Reid asserts that the statue reflects the imperialist, colonial times of its creators in the early part of the twentieth century. Reid writes that the creation of the statue "was governed not by history but by

124-616: A militia of 840 men and established a public school for orphans. His administration also established the first Jewish community, the first German community and the first protestant dissenting congregation in present-day Canada. The arrival of Cornwallis in 1749 was during a period of armed resistance by the indigenous Miꞌkmaq , who objected to the founding of Halifax and the British colonization of Miꞌkmaꞌki , their traditional lands. The Mi'kmaq militia executed raids upon British settlements and Cornwallis responded with orders to bring back

155-410: A potent mixture of imperialism, a racially-charged triumphalism based on the savagery-civilization binary, state promotion, and an economic agenda." He writes further, "The ideology that had underpinned the raising of the statue had offered a strong and positive answer to any such concerns [of imperialist conquest] - the establishment of Halifax was a triumph of civilization over savagery, and Cornwallis

186-467: A touch of sternness in it which is usually to be found in the faces of all men who achieve – all leaders of men and all pioneers." The Mi'kmaq militia had executed armed resistance throughout Father Le Loutre's War, preventing the British from establishing a stronghold over Mi'kma'ki. The speeches at the unveiling of the Cornwallis statue played down the Mi'kmaq armed resistance, simply giving passing reference to

217-569: Is marked by events across Nova Scotia including parades, picnics, concerts, local markets, street performers, fireworks, and a local road race. The National historic site Fort Anne in Annapolis Royal hosts encampment reenactments of 18th century British military camps over Natal Day weekend as well as a historic parade. Since 1907, Dartmouth has hosted the Dartmouth Natal Day Road Race making it one of

248-565: Is not a mandated or paid holiday in Nova Scotia. City services are often reduced and employers may opt to close without paying employees, in addition, employees who are scheduled to work do not have the right to refuse. Nova Scotia ties P.E.I. and Newfoundland & Labrador for the lowest number of public holidays in Canada with six. In 1931 a statue of Edward Cornwallis was unveiled in downtown Halifax over Natal Day weekend to commemorate

279-520: The Halifax Regional Council , citing safety concerns and concerns about the statue being vandalized and placed in storage. In 2021, the park was renamed "Peace and Friendship Park". During Cornwallis' term as Governor of Nova Scotia, he oversaw the founding of Halifax and Dartmouth, established the first law courts (court of General Sessions, County Court, and Supreme Court), erected forts at Grand Pre, Chignecto and Halifax, organized

310-709: The Monarchist League , was awarded the Governor General's History Awards for her students' proposal to retain the statue in Cornwallis Park. Her proposal was to include the Cornwallis statue among three other statues of Acadian Noël Doiron , Black Nova Scotian Viola Desmond and Mi'kmaw hereditary grand Chief John Denny Jr. The four statutes would be positioned as if in a conversation with each other, discussing their accomplishments and struggles. The joint Halifax-Mi'kmaw task force on

341-402: The 150th anniversary of the founding of Halifax. Once more we greet thee, Natal Day, The claim to greet thee ours alone; With blithesome songs and banners gay, The joy that stirs our hearts be shown. An hundred years and fifty more Thy morning light hath blest our eyes, And still with ever-widening roar Our voices to thy praises rise. We hail thee as the dawning sun Illumes

SECTION 10

#1732783182480

372-577: The 182nd anniversary of the founding of Halifax. In July 2017, protests surrounding the removal of the statue - due to Cornwallis' treatment of indigenous people, the 1749 scalp proclamation , and it's general homage to colonial history - demanded the city remove the statue by Natal Day. While city officials, including mayor Mike Savage , initially disagreed, the statue was subsequently removed and place in temporary storage in January 2018 in consultation with local First Nations after threats were made to tear

403-528: The Cornwallis Memorial Committee compared the founding of Halifax to that of ancient Rome, praising Cornwallis' "sterling manhood" and considering him an example to "men of English blood the world over [who] are accustomed to give voice to a just pride in the achievements of their race, as a colonizing power..." During one of the speeches at the unveiling of the statue, Cornwallis was described as "a virile, strong, stand fast face with

434-412: The Cornwallis Memorial Committee in the late 1920s to erect a statue to recognize Edward Cornwallis as the "Founder of Halifax" and to promote tourism. The statue was made by J. Massey Rhind and unveiled on June 22, 1931, on the 182nd anniversary of Cornwallis' arrival to Halifax as Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia . It was positioned in the center of a paved area within the new Cornwallis Park, across

465-462: The Mi'kmaq being obstacles to settlement. Since the 1980s, the most notable advocate for the removal of the Cornwallis statue from a public space has been Daniel N. Paul , author of the 1993 book We Were Not the Savages . Paul has suggested renaming the park Donald Marshall Jr. Memorial Park and replacing the statue with one of Donald Marshall Jr. , wrongly convicted of murder in his youth and

496-483: The argument that, despite the wording of the Halifax Treaties , the Mi'kmaw never surrendered to the British and that Nova Scotia is unceded Mi'kmaq lands. On July 15, a group of protesters arrived at the site with the intention of removing the statue. City of Halifax workers arrived and covered up the statue with a black tarpaulin. The shroud covered the statue for the duration of when the protesters were at

527-426: The colonial period, and up to the present day. To many other Nova Scotians, the statue represented the founding of the city and had local historical value. According to historian John G. Reid , the conflicting viewpoints centred on the issue of historical memory , that is, "how the past should be publicly remembered." In 2018, after several public protests at the site, the statue and pedestal were removed on order of

558-483: The colonial process. In April 2017, the city council voted to appoint an expert panel which would include Mi’kmaq representatives to recommend a way forward to deal with commemorations of Cornwallis in the city. During the Halifax Regional Council meeting, on July 18, 2017, an account from the group called Removing Cornwallis was read by Mayor Mike Savage, with respect to the group's Declaration for

589-412: The darkness with his ray, And though his course be but begun We know 'twill be a glorious day. So, till a thousand years have rolled, May every circling hour increase The strength of ties that ne'er grow old, The love of liberty and peace. By 1906, Halifax declared a half-holiday on the same day as Dartmouth’s Natal Day, solidifying the tradition of an August celebration. Natal Day weekend

620-522: The drunk and disorderly - with those completely unable to celebrate due to drunkenness being referred to as jubilous. The first official Natal Day celebrations were held in August 1895 to mark the arrival of the new branch railroad line connecting to Dartmouth . While the rail construction was delayed, Dartmouth moved forward with a regatta and fireworks display. In 1897, Natal Day celebrations corresponded with Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee . During

651-543: The oldest road running races in North America. The event was added to celebrate Dartmouthian Chris Wolfe running the Boston Marathon . Natal Day's status as a non-statutory holiday or retail closing day is the source of some controversy. While the Civic Holiday is recognized as a statutory holiday by government offices, many unionized employers and several other provinces (including British Columbia, New Brunswick, Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Saskatchewan) - it

SECTION 20

#1732783182480

682-698: The scalps of Mi'kmaq persons. The order was not effective and Father Le Loutre's War as it is known now, would continue past the term of Cornwallis, who resigned in 1752 and returned to England. The Mi'kmaq were defeated along with the French and Acadians in the French and Indian War and made peace with the British under the Halifax Treaties . The Mi'kmaq still contest the possession of Miꞌkmaꞌki and land claims actions are underway in New Brunswick and elsewhere. Nova Scotia Premier Edgar Nelson Rhodes set up

713-438: The scene. The City crew removed their covering. However, an orange tarpaulin was attached to the statue to obscure it, later that evening. On January 31, 2018, the statue was removed after City Council voted 12–4 in favour of moving the statue into storage. Both the statue and the stone pedestal on which it stood were placed in storage. On January 28, 2019, Temma Frecker, a Nova Scotia teacher at The Booker School and member of

744-478: The statue down during an upcoming planned protest. Statue of Edward Cornwallis The Statue of Edward Cornwallis was a bronze sculpture of the military/political figure Edward Cornwallis atop a large granite pedestal with plaques. It had been erected in 1931 in an urban square in the south end of Halifax, Nova Scotia , opposite the Canadian National Railway station. Cornwallis

775-434: The street from the train station and the new Nova Scotian Hotel. The CA$ 20,000 (equivalent to $ 383,171 in 2023) statue was paid for primarily by Canadian National Railway . The statue is a 9 feet (2.7 m) tall bronze on a 10 feet (3.0 m) tall stone pedestal. The statue was modelled on Roman examples of statues of emperors, in a form of triumphalism. The design was deliberate. Archibald MacMechan who served on

806-475: The week long celebration which fell over June 21, the 'Jubilee' or 'Nymph' Fountain was unveiled in the Halifax Public Gardens by Ishbel, Marchioness of Aberdeen and Temair, the wife of John Campbell Gordon, 7th Earl of Aberdeen and Governor-General of Canada (1893-98). The name Natal Day gained popularity in 1899 with the publication of Centenary Ode, by Halifax poet laureate John A. Bell on

837-421: Was a frequent issue with reports on Natal Day of 1894 of civilians sneaking beer from the military canteen which ultimately led to a drunken brawl between civilians and soldiers. In 1876 reports from McNab's Island picnic reported "there was not much enjoyment there... for drunkenness and fighting prevailed generally, and there were many bruised faces and black eyes" and a new word 'jubilated' was coined to refer to

868-426: Was just that they were an inconvenient obstacle, but rather was an invasion and – like all invasions – was bitterly resisted." There is also concern about the message the statue sends about Cornwallis. Dr Reid says, “When you have somebody on a pedestal in public place of that kind, then what you are doing essentially is validating that person.” Reid felt that the continued presence of the Cornwallis statue normalized

899-564: Was originally celebrated on June 21, to commemorate the establishment of Halifax . The tradition may have been created by the Nova Scotia Philanthropic Society who inaugurated an annual picnic in 1839 to celebrate the founding of Halifax. Historical celebrations included; pig, sheep, and ox roasts, horse races, regattas, track and field event (hurdles, high jump, foot races etc.), greasy pig contests, and greasy pole contests among others. Public drunkenness

930-551: Was the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia (1749–1752) and established Halifax in 1749. A Cornwallis Memorial Committee was struck in the 1920s and a statue was raised to pay tribute to Cornwallis and to promote tourism. Since the 1980s the existence of the statue has generated significant controversy. To the Mi'kmaq First Nation, the first residents of the area, the statue symbolized the injustices they had suffered through

961-419: Was the city's courageous founder." Reid identifies that Paul's work, along with historians from the 1980s onward, helped to highlight the violence used in the process of colonization. Reid suggests that Paul's work has been part of larger efforts to target Cornwallis in a symbolic manner, "representing the broader reality that colonization was not a benign process in which the significance of indigenous people

Dartmouth Natal Day Road Race - Misplaced Pages Continue

#479520