People and Culture
Our welcoming way and genuine spirit are as much a part of our culture as our art or natural scenic beauty. It is often said the people make the place in Newfoundland and Labrador. It's a cultural background we are proud of and proud to share. It is also growing and developing a vibrant multicultural community with people immigrating to the province from all over the world.
People are starting to discover the province and are realizing the potential opportunity to build a wonderful life here while also contributing to the province's social and economic diversity.
There are many opportunities to experience our unique culture or take any number of outdoor adventures in Newfoundland and Labrador. From watching seabirds and whales to skiing down a 1700 foot slope, from seeing fun live music to having “Jigg's Dinner”, from visiting one of our two UNESCO World Heritage Sites or enjoying the craftsmanship of a local artist, Newfoundland and Labrador is about a special relationship between people and place.
In Newfoundland and Labrador you can experience the richness of local as well as international arts. The Rooms, located in St. John's, is the province's newest world-class facility. It is home to the provincial Art Gallery, Museum and Archives and also plays host to traveling exhibitions and artists from across the province and the world.
A province of Canada since 1949, Newfoundland and Labrador was first inhabited by aboriginal people thousands of years ago, was visited by the Vikings in the year 1000 and by John Cabot in 1497, and became Britain's first colony in 1583.
The majority of people in Newfoundland and Labrador today come from English or Irish descent. There are several indigenous groups to the province, including the Innu, Inuit and Metis in Labrador and the Mi'kmaq in parts of the central and western regions of the province. In recent years, increasing numbers of people have come to live in Newfoundland and Labrador from various other parts of the world.
French-speaking people can be found throughout Newfoundland and Labrador, but most are located in the eastern and western regions of Labrador and on the extreme eastern and western reaches of the island portion of the province.
You can visit these sites to learn more about the culture and heritage of Newfoundland and Labrador:
- Newfoundland and Labrador Arts and Culture Centres
- The Rooms (Art Gallery, Museum and Archives)
- Newfoundland and Labrador Folks Arts Council
- Resource Centre for the Arts
- Fédération des Francophones de Terre-Neuve et du Labrador
- A summary of Francophone activity and history in Newfoundland and Labrador is provided by Heritage Newfoundland and Labrador
- Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage
- Provincial Historic Sites
