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Greeting to our
cousins;
It is with admiration that I read the
Sinclair list emails this morning. The insights of many fine minds is always
refreshing. Rob's piece on the state of the historical appreciation in Nova
Scotia is one which I can readily identify with from my experience. There is
something about the Canadian mind set that shuns recognizing individuals and
historical events even when they are "Proudly Canadian" (the Wallmart
Cdn logo). So until today I had not appreciated the education from Laurel on
early aviation history. This attitude of accepting only what is well known will
take some serious educational efforts to change. So let me underline in a simple
'monotone' that there is information out in the Maritimes to be explored,
studied and analyzed.
I agree the the Government of Nova
Scotia has permitted and assisted in a great deal of cultural destruction
physical and otherwise. Thay are also experts in underplaying and under
serviceing tourist destinations. But there exists bare boned facts of
geographical import. as a challenge for the academic community and for
scientists wanting to increase mandkinds knowledge of itself.
One can offer some examples; Oak
Island is and remains for the academic community something unknown. Factually it
exists, it is and remains a tantalizing mystery that should bring educators
around the world to solve. Engineers, historians and archeologists would have a
field day. Instead it is the subject matter of lawsuits, physical destruction
and even physical artifacts like authentic cannons left to rust in swamps.
New Ross (Reference to the Castle) has
old foundations, a old well and at one point a great deal of interest. It was /
is on private land and owned by retirees. There is physical evidence waiting to
be either destroyed or discovered and the site is quite ancient. Save for the
writing of some authors, there is nothing that links this site to Sinclairs from
an archelogical perspective. But for Ramsey's profession not even a bunch of
summer students were to be found to tackle this project in a scientific way. I
am sure that the Massachussets sites are suffering the same fate.
There is an historical plaque in
Louisbourg attesting to the Sinclair voyage, but I have no appreciation as to
why historically it is there. The cannon identified in Andrew Sinclairs book is
there in Louisburg but is a reproduction model only and while it does does
attest to the existance of cannons before 1400 the importance of cannons of the
1400's to the site is undocumented.
My point is that there is a wealth of
knowledge waiting to be learned about some important cultural and social
history. Even the discovery process would bring wealth to the maritimes. If one
expands this thinking over the great pond, I suspect there are a couple of
doctoral thesis to be had simply by studying Rosslyn Chapel from an archetectual
and engineering perspective, or from a social and religious perspective and / or
from the historians and archeologists perspective.
Now there are two challenges faced by students. One is
that rocks and stone carvings are hard matters to deal with. They can not be
carbon dated and hence when documented archelogists are looking for something
more to authenticate the carving, building etc. Who knows when the New Ross
stone framework was laid? The stones can't tell us.
The second challenge is that there is an academic
arrogance to field study and especially on matters that do not bring research
grants. This has left the field open to "uncredentialed historians and
reseachers who are showing the Academic community in a poor light over and over
as remaining significant players. The disciplines of History and Sociology are
in decline relative to other fields of study. Having said that the scientific
approach may also be a victim in the process when academics and an academic
approach are excluded.
So my thought is this. On the list we have a number of
excellent historians and scientific knowledge workers. Is there a way of
harnessing this global energy co-operatively to advance our family history at
the same time as enghancing the history and understanding of mankind? We have
several avenues. One is publicity and articles to some rather interesting media.
Another is personal appeals to individuals in academic institutions. The third
is government lobbying. Nova Scotia has a new government. I am sure many of you
have good ideas as well. I commend Rob on his new explorations and
insights.
Yours aye;
Neil Sinclair
Toronto/PEI/& Forever Argyll
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