the hidden island

there and back again - part 1

the hidden island

Show Notes

We start off season two at the beginning: the creation of Epekwitk told by Mi'kmaq legends. Skipping centuries here and there, we learn about the many people this island became home to and follow their patterns of migration. Whether expelled by the English in the mid-1700s, looking for work, or yearning for somewhere new, not all islanders stay on PEI. We explore what that looked like, and more importantly, what it meant for islanders to have to leave home throughout the centuries.

Features guest interviews: Riley Bernard, Georges Arsenault, Dr. Ed MacDonald.

More from the hidden island

Oct 19, 2026

Gather 'round the campfire, bundle up nice and warm - what you're about to hear is a chilling, spine-tingling tale submitted by one of our brave listeners, and narrated by our good friend the Grave Digger! Thank you to Jason Lund and The Island Paranormal Seekers for submitting their story. Stay tuned next week, we'll release one more haunting listener-submitted story on Monday, then check out the full episode on Halloween Saturday, October 31! The full episode will include four listener-submitted stories and an interview with Cameron MacDonald, AKA the Grave Digger (and many, many other characters!), where we explore the question: "What makes a good ghost story?" Season six of the hidden island podcast is kindly brought to you by our sponsors: Munn Architecture Inc., Confederation Centre of the Arts, Provincial Credit Union, PEI Mutual Insurance Company, Liam Gauthier of RBC Dominion Securities Wealth Management, and The Gray Group.

Oct 13, 2026

Season 6, Episode 1, "Lost for Words: PEI's Forgotten Gaelic History." Special guest Rob MacDonald joins us to explore the Island's Gaelic roots, and the stories that have nearly been lost to time.

Sep 28, 2026

Welcome back! Join host Rafe Wright for an all-new season of the hidden island exploring the people, places, and stories that shape Prince Edward Island. With help from our wonderful suite of guests, let's journey through stories and legends together! This season, we'll...

Feb 6, 2025

Join our guest, Dr. Josh MacFadyen, as well as podcast host Matthew McRae as they go subterranean into the world of Prince Edward Island's terrain! Director of the GeoREACH Lab at UPEI, MacFadyen shares a wealth of knowledge and know-how into the methods and beauty of laying out and mapping out the island's landscapes. Whether it's historical chartmakers you're interested in, modern methods of map-capturing or even some emerging and bleeding-edge methods and technologies in the world of mapping, you're bound to learn all about how our beloved Island takes shape - on paper - in our season finale episode of the Hidden Island Podcast! Josh is Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Geospatial Humanities at the University of Prince Edward Island in Canada. His research focuses on energy transitions and traditional energy carriers in Canada, and he teaches Digital Humanities in the Applied Communication, Leadership, and Culture (ACLC) program in UPEI’s Faculty of Arts. His most recent monograph is titled Flax Americana: A History of the Fibre and Oil that Covered a Continent. He also published an edited collection in the same series titled Time and a Place: An Environmental History of Prince Edward Island (McGill-Queens and Island Studies Press, 2016). Josh has held postdoctoral positions at the Historical GIS Lab at the University of Saskatchewan and at NiCHE: Network in Canadian History & Environment at the University of Western Ontario. Most recently he was also an Assistant Professor and remains a Sustainability Scholar at Arizona State University’s School of Sustainability.

Jan 23, 2025

PEI's rich history in architectural expression has captured the hearts of many - including but not limited to this week's guest! Joining hosts Matthew McRae and Lesley Caseley, housing enthusiast and creator of the Old Island Homes social media pages, Heather Harris, takes them on an enthusiast's tour through the captivating sights and constructs of PEI's most famous and interesting buildings, as well as outlining her own experiences with building restorations and her doting admiration for renowned historical architect, William C. Harris - no relation, of course! Heather Harris is an old house and heritage enthusiast who runs the Instagram and Facebook account “Old Island Homes”. Heather uses her account to share all things about historic houses and buildings on PEI, and she hopes to make information about these historic buildings accessible, interesting, and entertaining for her audience.

See all episodes →