Yes. Thanks Dave for starting the thread. For Canadians, Helen Creighton IS the person who has made the most significant inroads into the traditional based singing and storytelling lifestyle available throughout the Maritime region particularly before the advent of radio and television.

She started in the 20s, I believe, going out with a friend and writing down the stories and songs. Later she would take a tape recorder in a wheel-barrow. Note this was during a time when it was not considered proper for a young woman to be going around the countryside. She did this for the love of it. Helen Creighton collected the stories and songs of Maritime life in all of its myriad forms.

The Helen Creighton Folklore Society sent in an application to the Canadian Postal Service to request a stamp some time after her death in 1989. At the time, the authorities said that they could not issue a stamp because she had been deceased for less than their 10 year requirement. BUT they should keep the file on hand for consideration at a later date. Being as how this year, 1999 meets the 10 year minimum, AND as it marks the 100th anniversary of Helen Creighton's birth, I and others think it would be appropriate for them to issue it, or at least announce they WILL issue it.

I am uncertain as to whom we need to write to, but at the very MINIMUM, I think it would be the Postmaster, and the MPs, and the Prime Minister.

If ANY Canadians are among the Mudcat Cafe's readers, please consider sending in a request to these officials asking them to consider celebrating the life of one of Canada's most remarkable women.

Other events are happening in the province to mark this ocassion. One of the plans mentioned is that of requesting the Nova Scotia Government MARK this year by making the Nova Scotia Song its OFFICIAL FOLK Song. Nova Scotia doesn't even have an official SONG but it was felt appropriate to request it to be the Official Folk Song. Nova Scotians, please consider writing your MLA and our Premier to honour Helen Creighton by doing this.

If you're coming to Nova Scotia, and Halifax, please e-mail me for more information on other festivities which have ties to Helen Creighton.