Disaster Songs as Intangible Memorials in Atlantic Canada

Disaster Songs as Intangible Memorials in Atlantic Canada draws on a collection of over 500 Atlantic Canadian songs relating to disasters from 1891 up until the present, and describes the characteristics that define them as intangible memorials.

Heather Sparling is Professor of ethnomusicology and the Canada Research Chair in Musical Traditions at Cape Breton University in Canada.

Chapter 1 Introduction Chapter 2 Formal Memorials, Vernacular Memorials, and Disaster Songs Chapter 3 Going Down in History: The Story of Disaster Songs Chapter 4 Locating Meaning: The Place of Disasters in Songs Chapter 5 Spontaneity & Ephemerality: The Timing of Memorialization Chapter 6 Social Significance: The Motivation to Create Disaster Songs Chapter 7 Personal Motivations: Relationships & Grief Chapter 8 News & Social Media: Inspiring, Informing, and Disseminating Disaster Songs Chapter 9 Conclusion