The Secret Life of Canada's Falen Johnson plays her favourite podcasts, from history to comedy
When Leah-Simone Bowen became our host, were you quietly hoping for a cameo from her Secret Life of Canada co-host, Falen Johnson? Or better yet, a whole episode curated by and starring Falen? It only makes sense! This episode, it's the SLOC crossover event you've been waiting for.
In their new fourth season our favourite playwrights-turned-historians are diving back into the archives to bring you more untold stories from our country's past. If you're a longtime fan you'll love their conversation about how the podcast has evolved since its first season. Plus, you've heard what Leah listens to — now it's Falen's turn to share her top podcast picks. Of course, she's brought some Canadian history — Edmonton's history, to be exact. But that's not all…
Podcasts featured this week:
The Secret Life of Canada: "They are some of the most shared images connected to the Canadian residential school system. A pair of photos from the late 1800s, taken a few years apart, feature a young Indigenous boy. Often published without his name and with the title 'Before and After' because he is wearing what looks like traditional clothing in one and European clothing in the other. Who is this boy? Where is he from and what happened to him after he was taken away from home? We go deep into the archives to piece together the details and find out that not everything in these photos is as it appears. With guests Louise BigEagle and Paul Seesequasis."
Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out: "Filmmaker Sterlin Harjo co-created the smash comedy hit Reservation Dogs for FX about four Indigenous teenagers growing up on a reservation in Oklahoma. Sterlin tells Mike about the time he accidentally taped over someone's wedding video while applying to the Sundance Film Lab. He also discusses Native representation in film & how his new series may represent some sense of hope. Many laughs. Many challenging topics. A little backstrap."
Let's Find Out: "Daniel Emberg wanted to know why green onion cakes (or 葱油饼）took hold in Edmonton when they did. He flew in from Winnipeg to join us for a live panel at the Mercury Room to find out the answer."
Unrooted: Hosts Roaa and Izzy discuss the colonial-era practice of imposing European names on Indigenous people, and the impact it had on their families and communities.
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