MacEdward Leach and the Songs of Atlantic Canada

Abstract

MacEdward Leach made the earliest ethnographic recordings of folksong on both Cape Breton Island and Newfoundland, recordings that remained largely unknown for over 50 years. This essay describes the history of the MacEdward Leach and the Songs of Atlantic Canada website and the efforts to provide context for the songs for two key audiences: the academy in general and the local community who understand the songs as a cultural inheritance.