Sunday, 30 August 2009

Where did the Name "Nova Scotia" come from?

One of the Google searches that brings people to this site is the question,"Where did the name Nova Scotia come from". I am not sure why the search leads them here but I figured I'd answer the question so it wouldn't be a wasted trip.

The Origin of the name of Nova Scotia is that in 1621 King James the First of England, who also happened to be King James the Sixth of Scotland, claimed this land as part of the kingdom of Scotland. Nova Scotia is the Latin translation of New Scotland.

Nova Scotians are also known as Bluenosers. The famous schooner Bluenose, that you can see on the Canadian dime was built here in Lunenburg and was the fastest schooner of her time.

No one really knows why we are called Bluenosers. I've heard that it was because the weather is so damp and cold that your nose turns blue here. Some say it was because of that damp and cold that the sailors would constantly rub their runny noses with their mittened hands and the dye would come off on their noses.

We were the first overseas colony to receive a flag. It is the flag of Scotland with the colours reversed. We also have a very nice plaid tartan and a provincial bird. Our provincial bird is the Osprey, a real beauty and well known to all fishermen.

So there you go, nova Scotia in a nutshell.

I have not been able to post images lately so have not been updating this blog as often as I might. Hopefully Blogger or I will get it figured out soon.

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5 Comments:

Blogger Fish Whisperer said...

Cool history lesson. Do you use Picasa to upload your images Steve? Let me know if you do not and I will help you. It is really easy to do.
Cheers

30 August 2009 at 23:01  
Blogger Andrew Crawford said...

One other little historical note about Nova Scotia and Scotland. In the early seventeenth century, King Charles I was desperate for cash and wanted to encourage settlement in Nova Scotia. He solved both problems by selling Baronetages of Nova Scotia and encouraging those newly-ennobled landowners to populate the territory.

But the ceremony for creating a Baronet involves taking a handful of the soil of the land from the ground, and neither the new Baronets nor the King actually wanted to go anywhere near Nova Scotia themselves. So a unique solution arose.

On the Esplanade at Edinburgh Castle in Scotland is a small area of land which was then declared to be, and still is to this day, legally part of Nova Scotia.

30 August 2009 at 23:15  
Blogger Steve Dobson said...

Hello Fish Whisperer,

My image problem or should I say picture posting problem, 'cause we know my image is tarnished at best.
My picture posting problem is with the FTP side of things rather than my software I think. I appreciate your offer of help though and will keep you posted as I progress.

Cheers,
Steve

31 August 2009 at 22:35  
Blogger Steve Dobson said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

31 August 2009 at 22:38  
Blogger Steve Dobson said...

Hey Andrew,

That is pretty interesting and not something I'd ever heard about before. Wonder if any titles are still available? I would really enjoy being the Baron of Squirrel Town.

Cheers,
Steve

31 August 2009 at 22:39  

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