What surprised the Secret Life of Canada team?
Season 4 of the history podcast was full of some eye opening facts
Season four of the Secret Life of Canada has come to a close! We reached out to some of the team behind the show to find out what Canadian history facts surprised them during the making of the series.
Find out what they said below.
1. "The parachuting beavers come to mind first." — Falen Johnson, Host
Episode: Crash Course on Beavers
Falen's pick is the episode on beavers which looked back at the story of the animal who was almost wiped out to build the early Canadian economy. As the beaver was reintroduced back into the ecosystem across North America, there were some interesting reintroduction methods. And yes, parachutes were involved.
2. "I had no idea a printing press in Vancouver was part of efforts to fight off the British Raj." — Roshini Nair, Digital Producer
Episode: The Punjabi Market
With the help of guest Naveen Girn from The Nameless Collective Podcast we learned how the neighbourhood of Kitsilano became home to Vancouver's first South Asian community and how many activists continued the fight against British rule in India even after they immigrated.
3. "Puffed wheat squares. I grew up on them, and yet did not know that easterners didn't eat them, or how they were invented…" — Yvette Nolan, Story Editor
Episode: Crash Course on Puffed Wheat Squares
Our episode in May raised a lot of eyebrows as many westerners found out that their beloved puffed wheat squares did not seem to be well known in the east side of the country. We looked into why that was with a deep dive into the history of cereal and the big surprise subject — sexual abstinence.
4. " The realization that the 'before' picture of Thomas Moore Keesick was set up." — Leah-Simone Bowen, Host
Episode: The Boy in the Picture
When the Secret Life of Canada investigated the history behind one of the most referenced images connected to the Canadian Residential School system, the goal was to get more details about the child in the photo. Records revealed that his name was Thomas Moore Keesick and he was from Muscowpetung Saulteaux First Nation but also that the images of him may not be exactly as they appear.
5. "Edmonton loves donairs as much as Halifax." — Braden Alexander, Editor and Sound Designer
Episode: The Halifax Donair
When we started off researching the history behind the Halifax donair, we had no idea it would lead to Alberta. Guest Omar Mouallem told us that Alberta produces the most donair meat in the country and that he may be the person responsible for spurring Halifax to declare the donair its official dish.
6. "Jimi Hendrix's familial bond to Canada. I had no idea his grandmother, Nora, was such a fixture in Vancouver's Black community in the early 1900s." — Tina Verma, Senior Producer
Episode: Crash Course on Nora's Place in Hogan's Alley
When people think of Vancouver, legendary electric guitar player Jimi Hendrix may not be the first person that comes to mind but the Hendrix family were part of the once bustling Hogan's Alley neighborhood. Nora Hendrix, the matriarch, was a fixture in Black Strathcona until her death in 1984 at age 100. We learned how her legacy still impacts Vancouver's Black community to this day.
Thanks for listening. Check out all of our other episodes and seasons here!
