Below you will find MUNFLA's past news and events archive.

Please click for current news and upcoming events.

Research Week Open House (2024)

Are you researching climate change? Health care policy? Local history and culture?

Our collection includes audiovisual, photographic, manuscript and other materials devoted to the culture and traditional knowledge of the diverse groups who have called this province home over the course of its history.

Memorial University of Newfoundland Folklore and Language Archive (MUNFLA) held an open house as part of Research week on November 25, 2024 to showcase what we have to offer.

Feel free to pop in anytime our door is opened to meet our dedicated staff, peruse some of our most interesting and unique holdings, and learn how our collection could strengthen your own research.

We look forward to seeing you!

"Traditions Within: Crafting Material Culture" pop-up exhibit (2024)

Dr. Kelley Totten’s winter 2024 Folklore 3850 Material Culture class were the curators of this pop-up exhibit. They explored culture through the lens of objects and materials - Why do objects matter? How can we understand others and ourselves through our materials?

Using folklore and interdisciplinary approaches, they considered how objects communicate, mark difference, represent individuals and groups, and connect people to one another - past, present, and future. Through their research, the students each learned to think about and with objects to better understand people and their creative, expressive environments.

This exhibit took place in MUNFLA’s reading room from Wednesday, April 3 to Friday, April 5, 2024.  Click the gallery below to browse some photos of the exhibit.

Folklore 50th Anniversary Celebration (2018-2019)

The 2018-2019 academic year marked the 50th anniversary of the creation of the Department of Folklore and the Folklore and Language Archive (MUNFLA). We created this page to share photos and memories of events held throughout the course of the year; if you have a story, a photograph, or a memory to pass along, please email us! 

Current PhD (Folklore) candidate Ehsan Mohammadi, with editing assistance from the HSS Film Unit's Derek Norman, created the above video to help celebrate and commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Department of Folklore and MUNFLA. The video features current Department Head, Dr. Holly Everett, and music by the late Dr. Peter Narvaez; permission to use "Vitamin C" was granted by Dr. Everett. We hope you enjoy!

Food, Stories and Songs of This Place: Celebrating 50 Years of Folklore Education in Newfoundland and Labrador (June 2019)

Details regarding this event can be found here.

Event memories: 

Some of our fabulous volunteers and committee members: (Top, L-R): Donna Norvey, Joy Fraser (both seated), Mohammad Ainul Haque, Janet Harron. (Bottom, L-R): Shannon Bateman and Matthew Liberty. 

A delicious spread was put on by Rocket Bakery! 

Our event was very well attended; we were delighted to see so many former and current faculty, staff, and students, as well as numerous FSAC delegates and members of the general public!

The celebration was capped off with a terrific concert organized by the folks at the St. John's Storytelling Festival. Performers included Sophie Angnatok, Anita Best, Tama Fost, and Kelly Russell. The concert was hosted by the province's Intangible Cultural Heritage Development Officer - our very own Folklore alumnus - Dale Jarvis.  

Annual Tribute to Dr. Peter Narvaez (November 2018)

The 7th Annual Tribute to Dr. Peter Narvaez: Wednesday, November 14th, 2018, 9:00 pm - 11:30 pm, The Ship Pub. Hosted by the Folk Arts Society; for further information, click here.

Folklore 50 (October 2018)

Inaugural event: A conversation with Hilda Murray and Margaret Bennett - Tuesday, October 2nd, 2018 

Click the gallery below to view more photos from the event:

REGULARLY-SCHEDULED CLOSURE (2017)

Effective Wednesday, September 27th, 2017, MUNFLA will be closed to all researchers on Wednesdays in order to facilitate work on backlog reduction. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

DOORS OPEN (2015)

On September 12th-13th, 2015 MUNFLA participated in the Newfoundland & Labrador Historic Trust’s annual ‘Doors Open’ event – an opportunity for visitors not necessarily familiar with the Department of Folklore or the Folklore and Language Archive to drop by for a tour of our facility and to gain a better understanding of our holdings and what we do. We had a wonderful turnout over the two-day period and look forward to participating again!

Click the gallery below to view photos from the event:

Presentation of Newfoundland National Convention Recordings (2014)

On Wednesday, December 10th, 2014, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) presented CNS, The Rooms, and MUNFLA with over 200 hours of recordings from the Newfoundland National Convention. These recordings were originally broadcast on radio between 1946-1948 and gave listeners unprecedented access to the debates that would lead the Dominion of Newfoundland into Confederation with Canada.

Many thanks to Christine Davies, Associate Producer with CBC Radio, for her tremendous efforts in reformatting these files and to the Corporation for this most generous gift. Prior to this presentation, MUNFLA held 60 of these recordings in both 1/4” reel and CD format; the gift of the external drive will now mean researchers can have easier access to all the recordings.

Present for the presentation: Denise Wilson, CBC Atlantic Managing Director; Joan Ritcey, Head – Centre for Newfoundland Studies; Greg Walsh, Provincial Archivist – The Rooms; Pauline Cox, Archivist – MUNFLA; Christine Davies, Associate Producer – CBC Radio. 

CEFT Online Collection Launch (2013)

Meet Memorial (2010)

Wednesday, June 9th, 2010 saw MUNFLA participate for the first time in the third annual Meet Memorial campaign. Close to thirty faculty, staff, retirees, and other friends of the University visited the Archive, browsed our displays, went on guided tours throughout our facility and, afterwards, enjoyed some delicious locally-baked goods and refreshments.

Click the gallery below to view photos from the event:

Open House (2009)

On Tuesday, November 24th, 2009, MUNFLA hosted a two hour Open House as part of the provincially-designated Archives Month celebrations. Our thanks to all those who helped facilitate this successful event and also to those who took time out of their busy schedules to come join in the festivities.

Click the gallery below to view photos from the event:

Herbert and Violetta Halpert Research Fellowships

MUNFLA Research Opportunity

Beginning Winter 2025, MUNFLA is piloting the Herbert and Violetta Halpert Research Fellowships, a new funding stream for visiting scholars, students, artists, and community researchers to conduct independent research in MUNFLA. The fellowship is open to individuals who are not affiliated with Memorial. MUNFLA will award up to $6,000, which may be divided among more than one recipient, to support up to 10 days of in-person archival research. Fellowship funds can be used to offset travel, lodging, childcare, or any other expenses associated with conducting in-person research at the Archive. Fellows will receive guidance on integrating archival materials into their project, and will have the opportunity to present on their findings and experiences of working in the Archive at a reception at the end of their Fellowship term.

Timeline:

• Applications are due March 31^st, 2025
• Notification of results by April 30^th, 2025
• Fellowships can begin May 1^st, 2025
• Fellowships must be completed by February 28^th, 2026

To apply: Please send an email with the subject line “MUNFLA Fellowship” to munfla@mun.ca by March 31 st, 2025 with the following information:

• A cover letter introducing yourself and the research you plan to complete in MUNFLA
• A budget and timeline for your proposed project
• An up-to-date CV or resume
• An optional sample of scholarly or artistic work, if applicable
• Names for two references if you are an undergraduate or graduate student

Please note: MUNFLA is unable to assist with procuring international visas for research or study. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.