Album Notes

WHAT IS A BRIEF CANADIAN HISTORY?

A Brief Canadian History is a multi-media music or theatre performance. It is an education package designed to celebrate and promote a deeper awareness of Canada, and Canada's First Nation’s art, culture and history.

A Brief Canadian History’s purpose is to ask the question, "Why are we still searching for our Canadian identity?" to audiences across the country, while encouraging them to arrive at their own answers to this question.

A Brief Canadian History brings a fresh focus and interpretation to historical figures and events that have shaped both our Native and Canadian history. The title was chosen to represent the period, which began when Europeans occupied and commenced their exploitation of Canada. This is indeed a brief period of time, when viewed from the context of native history, which dates back some 10,000 years. This engaging performance takes its audience on a geographical and cultural voyage across Canada, touching on events that have boldly or subtly helped to define our nation.

Our performances highlights legendary Canadian figures and historical events such as: Louis Riel, the Last Spike, Alexander Graham Bell, the Underground Railroad, the Scottish Highland Clearances, the Klondike Gold Rush, Les Patriotes, the Irish Famine, the Blackfoot, Tom Thomson, the sinking of the Titanic, women and the right to vote, John McCrae & WWI, The Depression, WWII & Elsie MacGill, Hugh MacLennan, Canada joining the United Nations, the FLQ Crisis, the Oka Crisis, and the struggle of First Nation’s attaining the right to vote. Please go to our prices section for options, explanations of the performances, and rates. http://www.abriefcanadianhistory.com/prices.html

Throughout the performance our music provides the linking thread, which engages the audience in an age-old storytelling tradition. The narratives and songs are designed to relate the stories of people, events and places, as well as to encourage debate and discussion. While dealing sensitively and without cultural bias with these subject matters, the narratives and songs illustrate the integral aspects of our past and also demonstrate the need to explore these issues so that we, as Canadians, may use their lessons to shape our future.

A Brief Canadian History, a uniquely Native-Canadian performance, is especially geared towards the schools, libraries, embassies, cultural centres and the festival network. It provides a forum for debate and for classroom discussion on subjects, which include Canadian history, music, art, geography, literature, political science, and Native issues.

Following performances we do a question and answer period with the audience and a CD and T-Shirt give-away for correct answers.

Sound files are available on this site and our CD can be ordered through paypal. http://www.abriefcanadianhistory.com/ordercd.html

You can contact us at:

A Brief Canadian History
2319 Hampton Ave. #1
Montreal, Quebec H4A 2K5 Canada
abriefcanadianhistory@hotmail.com 514. 487. 8766