Epekwitk: A People’s History of Prince Edward Island

City: Atlantic
Producer: Ryan McCarvill
Genre: Docuseries

On Epekwitk, presenters from different cultural backgrounds share stories from various eras in Prince Edward Island’s history. Beginning with the Mi’kmaq experience before the arrival of Europeans, the series uncovers the fascinating story of a place and people as ever changing as the tides.

To watch Epekwitk: A People’s History of Prince Edward Island:

If you are already a Bell Fibe TV customer, go to channel 1, or watch it on demand with the Bell Fibe TV App.

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Episodes

Episode 1 - THE PEOPLE

Mi’kmaw knowledge keeper Julie Pellissier-Lush shares stories of life among the Mi’kmaq before “contact.” Also discussed is the arrival of Europeans, the Peace and Friendship Treaties signed with the British government, and the ongoing debate about First Nations sovereignty in Atlantic Canada.

Episode 2 - VIVE L’ACADIE!

After the British forcibly expelled the Acadians in the 1750s, Acadian culture came dangerously close to being wiped out. Thankfully, Acadians worked together to preserve their language and culture, and went on to play a vital role in shaping the history of what would become Prince Edward Island.

Episode 3 - THE HOLLAND EXPEDITION

The modern geography of Prince Edward Island’s towns, roads, and political jurisdictions owe much to one man: the cartographer Samuel Holland. With the British looking to capitalize on their new possession, they hired a Dutch engineer to survey and map the Island — no small feat in the dead of an Island winter and with only the most basic surveying equipment to accomplish the task.

Episode 4 - THE LAND QUESTION

The British Crown carved up Prince Edward Island and awarded 67 “lots” to wealthy absentee landlords. For over a century, the people of the Island lobbied and fought for a government that would stand up for their rights as tenants. The compromise? Joining a new country called Canada.

Episode 5 - BLACK ISLANDERS

Black Islanders have played no small part in shaping Prince Edward Island into what it is today. Learn from Black singer-songwriter Scott Parsons as he shares the fascinating story of the infamous Bog neighbourhood and the Black families that continue to call the Island “home” into the present day.

Episode 6 - BAN THE AUTOMOBILE!

Rudy Croken shares a quirky tale of the infamous Automobile Ban that kept “horseless carriages” off most Island roads for almost a decade. With Island society being a largely rural and horse-loving culture, motorized “instruments of death” tended to bring out the worst in a people who tended to be resistant to change.

Episode 7 - RUM-RUNNERS AND MOONSHINERS: PROHIBITION ON P.E.I.

Storyteller Dutch Thompson recalls tales from the bygone days when alcohol was banned on the Island — for almost fifty years! Even still, Islanders’ thirst for liquor rarely went unquenched. Learn about fishermen-turned-bootleggers and the extreme lengths Islanders would go to in order to have a taste.

Episode 8 - THE SECTARIAN DIVIDE

Learn about the horrible Belfast Riot, which saw one of the worst instances of election violence in Canadian history. Hear from Dr. Callum Beck how Protestant and Catholic Islanders came together to set aside their differences and reimagine a modern Island society in which everyone felt a sense of belonging.

Episode 9 - P.E.I.’S FAMOUS FIVE: WOMEN IN ISLAND POLITICS

Learn about how Island women lobbied for the right to vote and run for public office. Hear from some of the members of the “Famous Five”: a group of Island women politicians who, at one point in the 1990s, held the top five most prominent government positions — a first not just on the Island, but in all of Canada.

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