2024 Honourable Edward Roberts History Book Awards Shortlist
Avanimiut
A History of Inuit Independence in Northern Labrador
By Carol Brice-Bennett, revised by Lena Onalik and Andrea Procter
Called the Northlanders by the Moravian missionaries who sought to colonize them, Avanimiut were Inuit who maintained traditional lifeways, autonomy, and spiritual beliefs in northernmost Labrador. Despite the attempts of the Moravian Mission, the Hudson’s Bay Company, and the Anglican Church to bring them into their Christian and commercial trading worlds, the Avanimiut often held on to their independence. Avanimiut: A History of Inuit Independence in Northern Labrador is the story of a people often displaced by relocation who survived and thrived despite the hardships they faced.
The first version of Avanimiut, a 1996 report titled “Northlanders,” was commissioned by the Labrador Inuit Association and written by Carol Brice-Bennett. Lena Onalik and Andrea Procter have modified the original manuscript to incorporate historical Inuit writing and interviews, including the Inuit voices that had previously been almost entirely omitted. Avanimiut presents these voices alongside the colonial accounts of Inuit families who continued to live in their ancestral territories of Labrador, providing a glimpse into their lives, families, and relationships.
From the earliest interactions between Inuit and Europeans in Labrador to the final eviction of Inuit from their northern homeland, this book illustrates the dignified history of Avanimiut families and honours the strength, resilience, and survival of their ancestors in the north.
The Newfoundland Constabulary, 1871 - 1949
Much More Then Police
By Terry Carlson
Terry Carlson’s thoroughly researched history offers a detailed account of the activities and evolution of the Newfoundland Constabulary from 1871, when the force was founded, to 1949, when Newfoundland became the tenth province of Canada. It is a compelling portrait of the responsibilities and experiences of Constabulary members of all ranks in St. John’s, across the island, and on special assignments in Labrador—and, importantly, shows the influence on police operations of the tumultuous political, economic, and social conditions that prevailed during these years. The Newfoundland Constabulary was formed and led by a series of inspectors—all profiled here—and each put their own stamp on the organization. Their work guided the rank and file who not only enforced the law on land and sea but provided health, welfare, and social services to the public—roles that extended well beyond those of traditional police work. Encompassing a detective division, a mounted unit, and the fire department in St. John’s, the Newfoundland Constabulary also kept the peace in outports such as Botwood, Brigus, and Bonavista and the industrial centres of Bell Island, Corner Brook, and Grand Falls. Few people today are aware of the breadth of the Constabulary’s contributions. As in our own era, the Constabulary was forced to respond to ever-changing demands beyond even the vagaries of politics, including massive fires in St. John’s, epidemics, the Depression and two World Wars, the appearance of new technologies, and the advances and events of—even integration with—other contemporary law enforcement agencies. Much More than Police collects this remarkable history in one place. It comprehensively documents the impressive challenges and achievements of the Constabulary during the relatively unknown pre-Confederation years, promoting a legacy of solid policing that deserves to be celebrated.
Called Upstairs
Moravian Inuit Music in Labrador
By Tom Gordon
A silent clapboard church on a barren Arctic landscape is more than just a place of worship: it is a symbol that can evoke fraught reactions to the history of Christian colonization. In the Inuit homeland of Northern Labrador, however, that church is more likely to resonate with the voices of a well-rehearsed choir accompanied by an accomplished string orchestra or spirited brass bands. The Inuit making this music are stewards of a tradition of complex sacred music introduced by Moravian missionaries in the late 1700s – a tradition that, over time, these musicians transformed into a cultural expression genuinely their own.
Called Upstairs is the story of this Labrador Inuit music practice. It is not principally a story of forced adoption but of adaptation, mediation, and agency, exploring the transformation of a colonial artifact into an expression of Inuit aesthetic preference, spirituality, and community identity. Often overlaying the Moravian traditions with defining characteristics drawn from pre-contact expressive culture, Inuit musicians imbued this once-alien music with their own voices. Told through archival documents, oral histories of Inuit musicians, and the music itself, Called Upstairs tracks the emergence of this Labrador Moravian music tradition across two and a half centuries.
Tom Gordon presents a chronicle of Inuit leadership and agency in the face of colonialism through a unique lens. In this time of reconciliation, this story offers a window into Inuit resilience and the power of a culture’s creative expressions.
When Giant Squid Ruled the Northern Sea
Devilfish
By Jenny Higgins
The world did not truly believe in giant squid until the 1870s, when record numbers of the mysterious creatures appeared in the waters and beaches around the island of Newfoundland. Photographs that appeared in international newspapers and physical specimens sent to ivy league laboratories accomplished what eye-witness accounts had been attempting for centuries: to prove beyond doubt that giant squid are real.
Thrilling tales and images of “devilfish” spread around the globe and shaped the animal’s public image as a delightfully terrifying enigma suspended at the boundary of fable and fact. As a newly acknowledged member of the animal kingdom, the giant squid was an object for scientific study. At the same time, though, the public imagination playfully cloaked the mollusc in mystery; a real-life sea monster who had acquired many of the attributes of the Kraken and sea serpent.
Devilfish contains more than 130 images and 10 pull-out facsimile documents. They are meant in equal parts to inform and delight―to explain the remarkable history of the giant squid while building a sense of wonderment and fun. Also include are dozens of bite-sized sidebars. Consider this a pop-up book for adults, grounded in research and reaching for the wondrous.
The Life and Times of Sir Richard Squires
Mischief in High Places
By Ted Rowe
Mischief in High Places examines the spectacular career and personal life of the man who, in 1919, first became elected prime minister of Newfoundland.
The political successes of Sir Richard Squires’ career are overshadowed by a legacy of scandal and deceit that paved the way for Newfoundland’s loss of democracy in 1933.
Perhaps best known for slipping out of the Colonial Building during the 1932 riot, Squires had survived three corruption-ridden terms in office in the final decades of responsible government while living a high-flying lifestyle with his wife, Helena..