MUN eyes changing lyrics to Ode to Newfoundland, 2 months after scrapping 'dated' anthem
Senate voted to pass on discussion to convocation committee before making final call
Memorial University is reconsidering its decision to scrap the Ode to Newfoundland at its graduation ceremonies after the provincial government urged the school to reinstate it.
The Ode was removed from convocation ceremonies after a unanimous vote by the school's president, Vianne Timmons, and seven vice-presidents earlier this year.
That decision ended a tradition of singing the Ode at convocation ceremonies that dated back to the 1950s.
The presidential council said at the time it dropped the song — the province's official anthem — because it excluded Labrador and made religious references.
But a vote to reopen the matter caused division within the university senate on Wednesday.
A motion by Gerard Curtis, an art history professor, proposed changing the anthem at the province's behest, after politicians penned a letter urging Memorial University to rethink its decision.
"The senate supports the decision to suspend use of the current version of the Ode to Newfoundland, 1902, recognizing problematic nature of certain passages," Curtis said.
"The senate understands the historical importance … and the emotional attachment to them. We also note that the wording impacts the Indigenous peoples of the province and is not inclusive of the diverse people who cross the stage at Memorial's convocations."
Curtis went on to move that the senate look at changing the lyrics the university found problematic, such as "God guard thee" and "as loved our fathers, so we love."
"We encourage the university and government to work together collaboratively to seek a solution to the issues raised by the current dated versions of the Ode, and urge that the composition's wording be adapted … to be more inclusive."
Curtis pointed to the 2018 amendment to the Canadian national anthem, which removed gendered references, as a successful model the university could follow.
Split vote
The motion split the senate on Wednesday, with some supporting the motion and others arguing it needed more discussion in light of the provincial government's request.
"I think we should pay great heed to this," said associate professor Ken Snelgrove. "These are the people that write the cheques to Memorial.… I think it's important to weigh in the balance here the importance of dropping the Ode from the convocation ceremony, compared to the potential harm to the university as a result of going against the wishes of the people of the province.
"I think it's clear they have great sway over the university and it's important we weigh that into our decision here."
Another senator, Jeremy Pridham, wasn't in favour of the motion, suggesting the traditional Ode was "deeply entrenched" in Newfoundland and Labrador culture and could be interpreted as a song about stewardship of the land, and to change the lyrics could come across as elitist.
Catharyn Andersen, Indigenous vice-president, supported the motion, saying the Ode often held negative connotations for people in Labrador.
After debate, the senate voted to refer the discussion to the school's committee on honorary degrees and ceremonial before making its final decision.