The best of Atlantic Canada travel, history, culture, food and hospitality.

In 1605, Samuel de Champlain organized a social club called the Order of Good Cheer at the new Port Royal colony in what would someday be known as Nova Scotia. The 15 leaders of the colony became charter members of the order, and each in turn became grand master for the day. The grand master was responsible for the evening’s entertainment and feast and each tried to outdo the others. Many days were spent in preparation, hunting, fishing and trading with the Mi’kmaq to obtain the finest foods the new land had to offer. The Order of Good Cheer was a huge success and it helped keep up moral in the isolated colony for many winters.

Maritimers have been keeping the harsh winters away using similar methods ever since. Successive waves of immigrants perfected the fine art of the kitchen party, adding their own music, folk tails and recipes to the mix. Those who can trace their roots back to Scotland and Ireland refer to it as a Ceilidh, a Gaelic word that means a party or a gathering,  a word that is as Maritime as any other. Whether it’s a Mi’kmaq powwow, an Acadian reunion or a Highland Games, Maritime hospitality  is one of our great natural resources.

Many of the people who settled the Maritimes came from Gaelic countries. Today their culture exerts a powerful influence over us. But there are many other cultures that have added their presence to our region as well. Acadians, freed African slaves,  Eastern Europeans , Greeks and Arabic  people are some of the immigrants who have brought their music, their wisdom , their food and every other aspect of their cultures  to the Maritimes. Each has brought with it its own particular version of home, refined it and fashioned it over the years into something that is uniquely Maritime. 

If there is a common denominator it is the sea. The sea has shaped the way Maritimers live and earn their living for centuries. It is a highway that connected far-flung communities and a larder  that sustained them.  Throughout history, the sea has carried Maritimers to many parts of the world, but no matter where they ended up building their houses, their homes and their hearts remain firmly in the Maritimes.

Maritimers are a well-traveled lot.  Many have a strong urban sophistication, tempered with strong rural sensibilities.  In fact, about half the people in the Maritimes still live in places considered to be rural, much higher than the Canadian average.  We are a people geared to living in small communities and we have a sense of hospitality to match: hospitality that you are sure to experience in healthy doses as you travel throughout the region.