Hazel Yake
1907-1991, active in Toronto, Ontario
Hazel Yake's life journey began in the charming town of Stouffville, Ontario, in 1907, where she was born into a family with deep historical roots. Her father's ancestors, originally hailing from Alsace, Germany, had embarked on a remarkable journey to North America in the 1770s as indentured servants. Fleeing the turbulence of the American Revolution, they found refuge in Canada, becoming United Empire Loyalists and eventually settling in Dundas County, in the Stouffville area, by 1804.
Hazel's father, Hiram Yake, was a devout Baptist with a strong work ethic, plying his trade as a teamster. Her mother, Isabella Henderson, was a skilled baker, and it was likely through her Scottish heritage that Hazel's fascination with Gaelic languages and culture blossomed. Evidence of her eclectic interests surfaced in a typewritten letter she penned to the local CFRB radio station in 1937, expressing her curiosity about the "Old Customs and Legends of Ulster," a program broadcast in Toronto at that time.
Yake's professional life led her to a career in teaching, specifically in speech correction, in Toronto. It was during this time that her path intertwined with that of Pádraig Ó Broin, and a profound friendship began. Together, they embarked on a journey of learning the Irish language. This companionship endured until Pádraig's passing and marked a significant chapter in Hazel's life.
Her contributions to Pádraig Ó Broin's ‘Irisleabhar Ceilteach’ and their collaborative publication ‘Teangadóir’ showcased Yake's literary talents. Unlike traditional Irish compositions, her works consist of prose pieces that vividly depicted life in a small Canadian town. Within these pages, readers also caught glimpses of Hazel's candid sense of humor, as when she quipped in one untranslated line, "Tá mothú uaighnis orm, tá's agat, is mé i bhfuailsheomra gan rud ar bith agam le léiú." (also here intentionally left untranslated)
Another instance of her wit came when she received a flattering poem from an admirer in South Africa, who praised her as "sneachda geal an Fhaolich” (bright February snow). Hazel's straightforward response read, "Maidir le faoileáin agus sneachta na bhFaoilleach - mo bhrón, tá breicní orm.” (As for seagulls and February snow - I'm sorry, I have freckles.)
Unfortunately, the records of Hazel Yake's life beyond the cessation of the Teangadóir journal in 1960 are scant. However, she did leave behind an elegy for Ó Broin, penned in 1988. The final chapter of Hazel's life unfolded in February of 1991 when she departed this world, leaving behind a legacy that enriched both Canadian Gaelic literature and the humourous understanding of life in small Canadian settlements.
For citation, please use: Ó Dubhghaill, Dónall. 2024. “Hazel Yake.” Na Gaeil san Áit Ró-Fhuar. Gaeltacht an Oileáin Úir: www.gaeilge.ca
