Documentary of Cumberland County African Nova Scotian Women Premieres
STATUS OF WOMEN--Documentary of Cumberland County African Nova Scotian Women Premieres
Norma Ruddick remembers the day her husband came out of the Springhill mine, after the bump in 1957. It was one of the happiest days of her life.
Mrs. Ruddick is one of six women whose stories are told in Weaving the Story, the Journey of African Nova Scotian Women. The video documentary that celebrates the lives of African Nova Scotian women in Cumberland County will premiere at the Wandlyn Inn Hotel Amherst today, Feb. 15, at 6:30 p.m.
"The stories of women in Nova Scotia are integral to the story of this province, and these African Nova Scotian women played a major role in our community's development," said Doreen Paris, chair of the Nova Scotia Advisory Council on the Status of Women. "This video will give future generations the opportunity to hear first-hand accounts of the struggles and the joys of these women."
Liz Sumbu, executive director of the Cumberland African Nova Scotian Association, and Lorrie Melanson-Jones, Status of Women fieldworker, approached EastLink Television to become a partner. The group sought potential participants, researched black history of the county, collected photos and identified potential locations for filming.
"This documentary is a legacy for all Nova Scotians because it preserves an oral history about our communities," said Ms. Sumbu. "Community records hold very little information about Nova Scotians of African descent, which is an important part of the story Nova Scotia's people."
The women in the video generously share their memories of growing up black in Cumberland County, mostly in rural areas, beginning at the turn of the last century. Their stories reflect a time when women's accomplishments were rarely celebrated, and the contributions of Nova Scotians of African descent often went unrecognized.
Doll (Amelia) Martin, Ruth Henry, Dorothy Jones and Audrey Jones talk about growing up in large families and raising their own children. They also worked outside the home, which was unusual -- rural women in Nova Scotia in the 1930s mostly worked at home, raising children and managing households or doing farm labour.
The stories of the six women reflect rural life in Nova Scotia in the early 1900s as many experienced it. The difference for these women, of course, is that they all recall racism as part of their lives.
Marjorie Elaine Martin was raised to have a positive attitude to life and to just "hop over" obstacles. Her mother's advice on dealing with prejudice was "It's only a problem, tomorrow is another day and it will be different." She dealt with racism in her community by staying away from where she felt she wasn't wanted.
The video detailing the lives of these women came about after the first Black Heritage Tea, held in Amherst during Black History Month in 2003. The Cumberland African Nova Scotian Association (CANSA) and the Advisory Council on the Status of Women brought together 25 women who were members of the black community to enjoy each other's company, and to share good food and memories. Their fascinating stories about families and events in rural Cumberland County inspired the documentary.
The enthusiasm, hard work and dedication of the three sponsoring organizations has generated funding from 12 sponsors and support from many groups, organizations and individuals. Many businesses have donated products or provided other support, and music for the video was composed and performed by local musicians.
"The Cumberland African Nova Scotian Association, the advisory council and EastLink have given us a permanent record of a part of Nova Scotia's oral history," said Carolyn Bolivar-Getson, status of women minister. "I thank them for recognizing the importance of this project and for their dedication to it."
After the premiere, the video will be shown on EastLink Television, beginning on Sunday, Feb. 20. Copies of the documentary are also available in VHS and DVD from the Cumberland African Nova Scotian Association by calling 902-661-1509.