They call me "Newfie"?

I was talking with a friend this evening, and she told me that she was always tought that the word Newfie was a derogatory term, loosely meaning "stupid". Yet, many people from Newfoundland call themselves Newfie and are proud to do so. I am one of those.

Here's a funny story.

Several years ago, I was one of several Newfies working in Fredericton on a large government project. We all proudly declared ourselves Newfies. One day, a lady from Quebec who worked with us mustered enough courage to question me as to why I called myself a Newfie. She was even more confused when I said I was proud of it. I further explained to her that is simply means I'm from Newfoundland. Then the light bulb turned on. She had never associated the two. She told me that growing up, her mother always used the term to mean "stupid". If she stubbed her toe or bumped her head on something, her mother would say "you are such a newfie!".

People are such Newfies!