Publications

Gu Duthaich Ar Gaoil (To The Land Of Our Love)

The songs and stories recorded on this CD and in the accompanying book are the voices of past and present Cape Breton. Collected from many parts of the Island, they are not commonly heard any longer. Selections are included here for a variety of reasons: some tell an interesting story, a number contain rare and unusual verses, others are included because of the singer's particular style. Above all, these voices have been recorded so that the artistic expression of Cape Breton of Cape Breton Gaelic singers can be made available to all who are interested in this authentic Gaelic tradition. With English translations to aid non-Gaelic speakers, it is the hope of all involved in the project that the heritage of Gaelic song and story be preserved for a new generation.

Lauchie Gillis CD Release

Around the web...

Lauchie Gillis - Butcher and Bard

On Maritime Magazine, the story of one man's musical legacy, and what it continues to mean to his family, and to a new generation of musicians. More

Celebration of a culture, a voice and a language: Lauchie Gillis CD Release More

Failte: Airs and Waltzes

This second CD in the Failte series, Airs and Waltzes, again produced by the Celtic Music Interpretive Centre and its musical director, Kinnon Beaton, is an impressive selection of airs and waltzes previously recorded by many of Cape Breton's signature Celtic musicians. The CD promises its audience a variety of enjoyable Cape Breton styles: remarkable newer compositions alongside memorable older tunes from the Scottish heritage.

Airs and Waltzes is an excellent introduction to the vast repertoire of the Cape Breton fiddling tradition. It's an invitation to learn more about the history, music, and culture of Cape Breton Island and certainly a proper invitation to spend some quality time at the Celtic Music Interpretive Centre itself. There, you might enjoy a ceilidh, enter and view the interactive Tom Rankin Exhibit Room, enjoy a workshop at the Buddy MacMaster School of Fiddling, browse the Centre's gift shop for a souvenir or enjoy lunch, a cup of tea or cold beer before leaving.

The CD features a number of notable Cape Breton musicians including: Andrea Beaton, Kimberley Fraser, Ashley MacIsaac, Winnie Chafe, Colin Grant, Kinnon Beaton, Dave MacIsaac, Leanne Aucoin, Allie Bennett, Sandy MacIntyre, Lisa MacArthur, Scott Macmillan, and Natalie MacMaster.

The project is a joint initiative of the Centre for Cape Breton Studies, Canada Research Chair in Intangible Cultural Heritage, Cape Breton University and the Celtic Music Interpretive Centre with a supportive role from the Municipality of Inverness County. The CD was engineered by Mike Sheppard of Lakewind Studios with graphics and design by Cheryl Smith of OutFront Productions.

One God, One Aim, One Destiny

The story of African settlement in Cape Breton was largely undocumented and on the verge of disappearing. In 2006, the African Nova Scotian community in Glace Bay decided to restore its Universal Negro Improvement Association hall, a vital part of the social life of their community in the early part of the 20th century. They created a museum to recognize and celebrate the history of blacks in Cape Breton.

To share their story, the UNIA Cultural Museum, with the help of the Centre for Cape Breton Studies, at Cape Breton University, and the Cape Breton County Economic Development Authority, created this book and DVD. Tracing a history previously unrecorded and virtually unacknowledged, it begins with black slaves, moves through the 1918 Glace Bay race riots, and ends, for now, with the first black Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia.

Buddy MacMaster: The Judique Fiddler

Sheldon MacInnis
Nonfiction: Biography, Music, Cape Breton
180 pages, Includes Photographs
$18.95, 6"x9" Paperback
ISBN-13: 978-1-895900-90-3
ISBN-10: 1-895900-90-5

Buddy MacMaster, the renowned Cape Breton fiddler, grew up in Judique, Inverness County. He was influenced by some of the giants in the music at that time like Bill Lamey, "Little" Jack MacDonald, Angus Chisholm and Mary MacDonald. In 1949, Buddy began performing at local square dances. By the mid-1960s, Buddy was making regular appearances at dances in Canada and the U.S. that contributed to sustaining the old-time music and the dance tradition. He developed a reputation as a master fiddler and made his first visit to Scotland to perform in 1970.

Through more than 70 years in music, he has travelled extensively to perform and record. His most recent recording was with his niece, the popular Natalie MacMaster. He has received numerous awards for his service to community and culture, including the Order of Canada and the Order of Nova Scotia as well as honorary degrees from St. Francis Xavier University and Cape Breton University.

Buddy's music adheres to the Gaelic fiddle tradition that he cherishes as much as life itself. The story highlights his devotion to family, faith and community, as well as to his music. He is seen at home, at school, on the farm, and at the CNR where he worked for 45 years. The book looks at his visits to Scotland, the land of his ancestors, as well his visits to American-style music camps and festivals. The legend of Buddy MacMaster is also presented in accounts from many friends, relatives and musicians.

Sheldon MacInnes teaches at Cape Breton University and works at the archives of the Beaton Institute. He is the author of A Journey in Celtic Music - Cape Breton Style.

Vernacular Architecture in the Codroy Valley

Vernacular Architecture in the Codroy Valley is the story of a small Newfoundland community as told through its buildings. From adding on a kitchen to constructing a completely new house, the way people build and change their homes says a great deal about their lives, past and present. Richard MacKinnon's insights into the stories revealed by the buildings of the Codroy Valley will have you looking at the buildings in your own community in a whole new way.

Richard MacKinnon is the Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Intangible Cultural Heritage, as well as Director of the newly established Centre for Cape Breton Studies at Cape Breton University, in Sydney, Nova Scotia. He holds both a MA and Phd in Folklore from Memorial University, and his research focuses on Atlantic Canadian folklore, culture and heritage with a specialization in Cape Breton Studies.

The Peopling of Atlantic Canada

The Peopling of Atlantic Canada presents a culturally inclusive history of Atlantic Canada. It begins with the First Peoples more than 10,000 years ago, allowing users to see the importance of the interaction of cultures and the climate of the Atlantic region. This CD ROM provides a stimulating context for users to discover that Mi'kmaq, Maliseet, Acadian, and Black experiences, together with those of other cultural groups, have played a major role in the history of Atlantic Canada.