Aengus Finnan is undertaking “The Great Canadian Song Cycle,” an 8,000 km bike journey across Canada, aiming to finish on Vancouver Island by September 15 for Lester B. Pearson College’s 50th anniversary. Traveling with the Song Map of Canada, Finnan is exploring the origins of geography-related songs. Born in Dublin, Ireland and raised in Shelter Valley, Ontario, he describes the map and trip as interconnected adventures. Aengus Finnan is an Irish-born Canadian singer-songwriter, schoolteacher, arts administrator, and avid cyclist from Shelter Valley, Ontario.
Canada has many songs that celebrate local places, such as “Alberta Bound,” “Runnin’ Back to Saskatoon,” “Sudbury Saturday Night,” “Farewell to Nova Scotia,” and “Bobcaygeon” through which artists from various genres tell stories about various parts of Canada. “The Great Canadian Song Cycle” is a bicycle trip across Canada focused on collecting place-based songs. The aim is to create a song map of Canada with contributions from local artists and fans across Canada.
“There are over 100 songs on the map, allowing people to connect with Canada’s geography through place-based songs. It’s about the song, not the artist,” says Finnan. He noted that for every well-known song like “Sudbury Saturday Night” or “Bobcaygeon,” there are many lesser-known songs that reveal intriguing parts of Canada’s history. Finnan is exploring what makes place-based songs evoke a deep sense of connection and ownership.
In Sheppardville, N.L., Finnan discovered an old recording called “Seagull Stew,” which tells the story of a family that lost their parents and how the siblings survived by shooting seagulls for Christmas dinner. Finnan noted that such undiscovered songs offer tourists a glimpse into local life and allow them to imagine life in those places through the poetry of the music.
Aengus Finnan’s journey, which started in St. John’s, N.L., on June 16, has been physically challenging. Finnan rides 80-120 km daily with 100 pounds of gear, often questioning his decision but finding solace in river dips and East Coast hospitality.
Finnan is documenting his trip but does not have a concrete project in mind so far. For him, this journey is a personal meditation after years in the non-profit and music industries. He values the time to think and process life during this physically and mentally intense journey.
Source: Toronto Star
