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Jack Conway recalls dances he altended while \\orking in the whale factory in
Grcady Ilarbour:
Some Sunday nights Mauricc I-lair from Harbour Gracc, \\he was looking
after the whalc factory,loaned us thc house. (Wc would) have the big
dance, break 'cn do\\n. till about 12 o·clock. Thcn comc home and get an
hour or two's rest and then stan thc fishing:,m
The only description I collected ofdancing \\ith the n3tivcs and Inuit comes from
Paddy (Fly) McGrath:
The n3tive houses were the real place for dances, square dances. swinging.
They had anolher way to do it. They was nice. All they want was dance,
dancc, could sing in lheir own languagc. You wouldn't nevcr know \\hal it
would be. ever used to wash. Happy, hcalthy. Couldn't go ncar for the
smell ofthe clothes. Girls put hands around you, couldn·t be rude. had to
gct another way to make them knock it ofT. Wc was rottcn ourselvcs but
thcy was too as roued. AJI thcy wanted was the fcllas and thc beer, thc
girls. Oh boy. How could you do it? Lots ofmoonshinc, lots ofdances.
The girls on the Labrador never covered up, only a skirt on, that's all.
nothing under. ever cut a hair. When they sit down 10 dance Ihcy cut
[cocked] up their legs. Get halfdnmk. I could tell you hundreds ofslories
aboutlhe Labrador and the roughery. The SlomlS force you in and you gel
in contact wilh them people. The way lthc natives) talk "youse and I:' say
"I and he for the night'"I was a perfect dancer, get the girls out dancing.
They want you to take them home. Only footpaths and rocks (?). They go
to kiss you, there must have been an inch of blubber on thelll. All they
w