'Do something about it'

Culture shock -

How does the Viking Site at L'Anse aux Meadows relate to National Flag Day in Canada?

A resident of St. Anthony told me, " When I was a kid, we used to go up to the Viking site-we didn't know what it was then, it was just mounds-I remember how we used to ride up and down over the mounds just to pass the time. Back then the Viking site was called the Indian Burial Grounds. But what a beautiful place-that whole Point. The grass would grow up, and in the summer it blew in waves like the waves on the sea. We'd ride our bikes through it, or up and down the mounds; it was one big playground. The wind would be so warm blowing out of the bay. What a beautiful, beautiful place!"

Later, in the 1960s, Helge Ingstad, and his wife, Anne Stine Ingstad, an archaeologist, discovered the burial grounds were much more than mounds covered in grass: their team unearthed evidence of a Viking Settlement dating back 1000 years, and for that reason, L'Anse aux Meadows has become a World Heritage Site. They found the remains of eight buildings, proving the existence of an iron smithy, a carpentry work shop, and a boat repair shop. There was a stone oil lamp, a whetstone, a bronze fastening pin, a bone knitting needle, and part of a spindle.

Not only did the Vikings have customs and traditions, but they left evidence of their visit to northern Newfoundland. People on the northern peninsula are rich in customs and traditions, too, but are those traditions in danger of being lost due to apathy? What are traditions anyway, and why are they important?

A tradition is a specific practice of long standing, and it is usually handed down from one generation to another. To some people, the word tradition can suggest something old and stagnant, but at its best, tradition represents a rich link to the past; it shows us we are part of something greater, bigger. We are treading on the same ground that generations upon generations have walked, whose roots go back centuries.

Our Canadian flag has a tradition, too. According to many historians, the maple leaf began to serve as a Canadian symbol as early as 1700, and the inspiration for a red and white flag came from Dr. George Stanley, Dean of Arts at the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario. On October 29, 1964, the committee recommended to the House of Commons that the single-leaf, red and white design be adopted, and at 2:15 in the morning on December 15, 1964, the motion to adopt the National Flag of Canada was carried and approval of the Senate came on December 17, 1964. On January 28, 1965, the National Flag of Canada was proclaimed by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, to take effect on February 15, 1965. That was 45 years ago.

Our flag is symbolic of our country's history and traditions. At sports events and celebrations, the beautiful red-and-white emblem of our country is raised as we stand and sing the National Anthem. The flag waves proudly at Parliament Hill and is lowered to half-mast when a public demonstration of sorrow is called for. Our Army, Navy and Air force personnel wear the flag on their uniforms. On Remembrance Day, we remember those who carried the flag into battle, especially those who died serving their country. Today, our troops are fighting a war in Afghanistan and are part of the Disaster Assistance Team in Haiti, as well as serving in various places around the world.

Perhaps you've seen the repatriation ceremonies when a soldier or member of the RCMP is returned to Canada for burial. A beautiful Canadian flag is draped over his or her coffin.

We all know-like those 'mounds' spoken of at the 'Indian Burial Grounds'-northern Newfoundland is a beautiful place. The scenery and history and traditions of this area attract tourists from all over the world. But, how much more beautiful would our communities be, if people flew the red-and-white flag of Canada in all its pristine beauty, rather than the tattered, torn and faded flags I've seen hanging from many flagpoles in rural Newfoundland?

Drive or walk around your town or community today, look up, and ask this question: if any of our sons or daughters on a foreign mission were repatriated to the northern peninsula for burial, could even one decent flag be found worthy to adorn their coffin as a memorial to their sacrifice?

If not, then do something about it.