Newfoundland Trigger Mittens
IN the world of hand knitting, Newfoundland mittens are special. Isolation of every type haunted us Newfoundlanders in the past, and it certainly wasn’t seen as a benefit, but to the historian, the linguist, and the folklorist, isolation can be seen as a gift. Cultural traditions have stayed intact on this island.
From the early days of colonization, there were civic, military, supply, kinship, and trade links with Britain and Europe. During the Age of Sail, Newfoundlanders skimmed the waves of the seven seas. However, the great wealth of Newfoundland didn’t trickle down much, the domestic economy remained small, and the material culture was thin. The self-sufficient lifestyles of old continued. Lives depended on it.
The quickest glance at a pair of Newfoundland mittens proclaims their origin. The striped wrist, the dark-and-light diamond or wave pattern, the salt-and-pepper top and palm, and the handy trigger finger shout out their birthplace. In other parts of Atlantic Canada and New England, you may find near relatives of our mittens. The same striking two-colored patterns and double construction announce a shared tradition.
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