St. John's culture has been handed down through its rich folklore and the traditional culture of the early settlers. This folklore is similar to that found in England and Ireland from where many of the immigrants came.

Newfoundland is a province with an unique culture. It was an independent nation until 1949, when it joined Canada to become a Canadian province. The majority of residents speak English as their native tongue, but French is also spoken in some areas. Native languages include Micmac, Innuimun, and Inuktitut. Newfoundland spoken English has unique punctuation, grammar, vocabulary, and expressions, and the province is the only one in Canada to have its own specialised dictionary.

Some traditional foods include cod, salt cod, moose meat, rabbit, seal and canned cocktail sausages. Since the collapse of the giant North Atlantic cod stocks in 1992, cod has become harder to find on the dinner plate.

The city and the province has a lively artistic tradition. A well-known Newfoundland and Labrador song "Thank God we're surrounded by water." reflects a central theme in the province's rich artistic tradition. Through most of Newfoundland and Labrador history, artists expressed themselves primarily through the folk arts, including storytelling, recitations, songs and ballads, traditional dance, and the music of the accordion and the fiddle. If you'd like to explore some more go to the Newfoundland heritage and culture website.

Next: St. Johns Architecture