Hebron Will Aways be Home

Mission buildings at Hebron

In 1830, Moravian missionaries (German and Czech protestants) established an outpost on a remote section of the coast of Labrador (now Nunatsiavut). They planted a sizeable garden and constructed a large building that housed a church, a school, and a medical clinic, and they set up a settlement that became an important trading centre on the coast. An Inuit community grew up in the hills surrounding the mission. In 1959, without consultation with community members, the Moravians decided to close the mission, forcing the relocation of some 58 Inuit families who had been encouraged to settle here. It was a time of upheaval and sorrow that is remembered by the Inuit of Nunatsiavut to this day.

The main mission building

To visit Hebron is to step back briefly to that time, and to be haunted by the rugged beauty of the sheltered harbour and the embrace of the hills. The main mission building is under reconstruction, since the settlement was named a National Historic Site in the 1970s. Other abandoned buildings on the site have not fared as well, and are in various states of disrepair. I visited on a perfect summer day in 2015, with Adventure Canada. There was time to reflect on the history of the place and on the lives of those who made their homes here, and to visit to the buildings currently maintained by Parks Canada.

The hills surrounding the Hebron mission

In 2005, a formal apology was made on behalf of the province by Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams; in the spirit of reconciliation, a monument on the site is inscribed with the apology in both English and Inuktitut, in combination with an acceptance of that apology. It reads, in part, "What happened at Nutak and Hebron serves as an example of the need for governments to respect and carefully consider the needs and aspirations of the people affected by their decisions."

Many of the buildings have fallen into disrepair

There were eight missions established on the coast; among them were Hopedale, Makkovik, Ramah (closed 1908), Nutak (closed in 1959), Zoar (abandoned 1899), and Okak (abandoned in 1919 as a result of an influenza pandemic). Hebron is a place of great scenic beauty, and even greater cultural significance. In the hearts of many residents of Nunatsiavut, it will always be Home.

Life on the Rocks in Point Riche

Marine gastropod fossil

One of my favourite moments during a visit to western Newfoundland is the "life on the rocks" exploration of Point Riche. The headland lies near the town of Port-au-Choix, on the island's Great Northern Peninsula, and its white octagonal lighthouse with a bright red lantern room is a striking sight. Below the lighthouse, though, is where this spot's treasures are found. In the broad limestone beds on the shore, thousands of marine fossils, mostly cephalopods and gastropods can be seen.  It takes only a moment for the eye to become accustomed to the search; when it has, a scan of the rocks reveals one tight spiral after another, sometimes dozens within a space the size of a small notebook.

Fossils at Point Riche

Among the fossils are tidal pools that evaporate quickly in the summer sun, leaving a rim of salt around their edges. In the cracks of the rock, tiny plants take root in the most challenging of circumstances. Minke whales, seals and dolphins can occasionally be seen passing by, and when there are small fish like capelin or juvenile herring in the area, northern gannets knife into the water. There is a small herd of caribou living in the area, and a few moose can also be seen from time to time.

The limestone barrens on the Northern Peninsula are home to many varieties of calcium-loving plants, some of them found only in this environment, so it's necessary to tread carefully on the plateau above the shore. Just up the road, also part of the Port-au-Choix National Historic Site, is an interpretation centre that concentrates on the area's remarkable human history; a succession of occupations of the area by various cultures go back some 6000 years.

The nearby towns of Port au Choix and Port Saunders are centres for fishing in the area, and there are restaurants, hotels and other services nearby.

A miniature garden among the rocks