#47: Andrew MacLean on travel, Atlantic Canada history and why storytelling matters

Andrew MacLean (BA’07) writes the weekly Atlantic Canadian newspaper column Backyard History and hosts the podcast and TV show of the same name. He has also written 3 books about the forgotten stories of Atlantic Canada’s past. Andrew received a degree in history at UNB and then a master’s at Dalhousie University. But before beginning writing, he had already lived a far ranging and eclectic life: he has backpacked through 37 countries on 5 continents, visiting over 200 different cities around the world. He has travelled from Nunavut to the Florida Keys doing aerial surveying using lasers to track rising waters of global climate change.  

All that world travelling was brought to a screeching halt by the global pandemic, which brought him back home to New Brunswick. Inspired by recalling the local lore he heard from his grandfather in the tiny village of Tide Head, Andrew began digging deep into obscure moments in Maritimes history as a pandemic passion project. It turned into more than he could ever have imagined. 

Hosts Kayla Ossachuk (BA’15) and Andrew Martel (BCS’15) chat with Andrew about stories he’s uncovered, and why storytelling and history matter.  

Highlights from the episode:   

• A glimpse into Andrew’s travel stories 

• What he brought back to Atlantic Canada 

• Why he transitioned to telling stories of history from our own backyard on the East Coast 

• Why storytelling is important 

• Why understanding our history is also important 

Links and resources:   

• Backyard History 

Thanks to:   

• Our alumni hosts Kayla Ossachuk (BA’15) and Andrew Martel (BCS’15)
• Music by alumni artist, Beats of Burden 
• Our alumni Affinity Partners, TD Insurance and Manulife 

  To listen to past episodes of UNBeknownst and for more info on the podcast, the hosts and how to subscribe to new episode alerts, visit our website.