The British Columbia Historical Federation (BCHF) announces Rika Ruebsaat is the recipient of the 2017 Anne and Philip Yandle Best Article Award. Her winning article “BC History Through Song” appeared in British Columbia History magazine Summer 2017, volume 50 number 2. The article was selected from the 25 articles published in the magazine last year by a panel of 10judges from around the province.
Ruebsaat’s article presents readers with lyrics from BC folk songs such as The Whistle Punk and The Grand Hotel, exploring the words and music through a historical lens. Ruebsaat explores how cultural and social history information can be gleaned from the words and tunes of folk songs. She writes “songs sung by ordinary folk are voices from the past through which we can learn our history”.
The judging panel found Ruebsaat’s article to be creative, interesting and enjoyable to read. One judge remarked the article is “very creative, really well done and one of the most interesting reads I have had in a long time!”
Ruebsaat — a singer and historian — is the President of the Princeton & District Museum and Archives and has been involved in BC song and history for over 40 years. She and her husband Jon are the founders of the annual Princeton Traditional Music Festival.
Hear Rika and Jon Bartlet sing at the Princeton Traditional Music Festival. The song is called “Haywire Outfit” — a BC logging song. Hear it on our website.
Back issues of the magazine are available online.
Each year, the BCHF offers a certificate and cash prize of $250 to the author of an article published in British Columbia History magazine that best enhances knowledge of the history of British Columbia and provides enjoyable reading. Judging is based upon subject development, writing skill, freshness of material, and its appeal to a general readership interested in all aspects of the history of BC. The prizes were awarded on Saturday, May 26, 2018 at the book awards gala event in Nakusp as part of the BCHF annual conference.
About the Award
Philip Yandle was the founder, editor, publisher, printer, binder, and distributor of the B.C. Historical News from 1968 to 1977. His wife Anne Yandle wasalso very active in B.C. Historical News for almost forty years and served as thebook reviews editor until the year in which she died. In 2007, the British Columbia Historical Federation renamed its Best Article Award in honour of Anne and Philip Yandle.
