August 5, 2025 • 5 mins
This episode of Sound Stories features a discussion with three Mitacs Globalink interns at the Centre for Sound Communities: Mariia Chyrva, from Ukraine, Hou Lingxiao, from China, and Mateus Alves da Silva, from Brazil.
The interns detail their professional development and the significant cultural research they have undertaken during their current time inside The Centre for Sound Communities.
Beyond technical proficiency, the episode focuses on the interns' deep engagement with local cultures on Cape Breton Island, also known as Unama’ki.
They describe their meaningful interactions with members of the Mi’kmaq community and the local Ukrainian diaspora.
Ultimately, the interns reflect on how this experience has allowed them to grow as media creators and connect with a deeper understanding of culture and community.
They express a shared commitment to carrying these lessons into their future work, aiming to contribute actively to the preservation of cultural heritage both at home and beyond.
The interns detail their professional development and the significant cultural research they have undertaken during their current time inside The Centre for Sound Communities.
Beyond technical proficiency, the episode focuses on the interns' deep engagement with local cultures on Cape Breton Island, also known as Unama’ki.
They describe their meaningful interactions with members of the Mi’kmaq community and the local Ukrainian diaspora.
Ultimately, the interns reflect on how this experience has allowed them to grow as media creators and connect with a deeper understanding of culture and community.
They express a shared commitment to carrying these lessons into their future work, aiming to contribute actively to the preservation of cultural heritage both at home and beyond.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Hey guys!!! How is it going? Welcome back to Sound Stories, A Centre for Sound Communities Podcast, where we talk about the awesome people we work with
(00:11):
and the exciting work we do at the Centre for Sound Communities at Cape Breton University. I’m Mateus, a research assistant and I’m with my other two friends researchers Mariia and Ling! and in this episode, we’ll be discussing our experiences so far with our internship.
Hi, I’m Mariia, a Mitacs Globalink intern from Kharkiv, Ukraine. I recently completed my degree in Audiovisual Arts, and back home I’ve been involved in a lot of filming and video editing
mostly working on fashion shows, short documentaries, and social media projects. During my time here, I’ve improved my audio editing skills and gained more hands-on experience with professional equipment.
(00:43):
That’s been especially important for me, since my background has been much more focused on post-production editing than on working directly with filming gear.
There’s still a lot to learn, but I’m already starting to understand how to work with professional microphones so the sound quality isn’t completely off.
That’s been actually one of the most valuable parts of this internship
(01:05):
During my time here, I also plan to explore local cultural communities and art scene here — which is basically a networking, and is actually one of the main goals for me during this internship.
That's why I'm planning to host some events here in Sydney to create some kind of community during my 3 months. So tank you very much!
(01:32):
Hello everyone, my name is Hou Lingxiao, and I come from China. I'm very happy to be here on beautiful Cape Breton Island as an intern, learning about and helping to document the rich culture of the Indigenous communities.
As a student majoring in Film and Television Production, my main focus before was on movie production, but I also have experience in video shooting and editing.
(02:02):
During my time here, I’ve been able to strengthen a wide range of technical skills through hands-on practice.
Like Under Peter Verdin’s guidance, we’ve learned how to record and process audio using software tools to transcribe audio;
Also I've become more confident and efficient using DaVinci Resolve for video editing.
(02:28):
What makes this experience especially meaningful to me is not only the skills I’ve gained, but the people I’ve met.
I’ve had the chance to work alongside others who also love visual storytelling and care deeply about culture,
and that has been both exciting and inspiring. Culture is not something that belongs only to the past. It connects the past, present and future.
(02:59):
I felt this deeply when we recorded Starr Paul teaching the Mi'kmaw language to children.
In that moment, I saw the importance of language as a living part of cultural identity, and the effort so many people are making to keep it alive.
Through this internship, I hope not only to gain experience in video production, documentary work, and film festival participation, but also to develop a deeper understanding of Mi'kmaw culture.
(03:30):
and, more broadly, of the value and beauty of cultural diversity around the world.
I also hope to turn what I’ve learned and experienced here into something practical ― to actively contribute to the preservation of human culture in the future.
(03:51):
Both at home and beyond.
Hi everyone again, I’m so excited to share a bit about my experience with you all. I came here from Brazil through the MITACS program and I'm a researcher intern.
Back to my country I’m currently getting my bachelor's degree in Cultural Production, and I've been fortunate to work on film sets, film festivals and collaborate closely with the Guarani Indigenous people in southern Brazil.
(04:14):
Arriving here in Unama’ki has been incredible so far. I’ve learned so much about film and audio production, and having some classes with Ulises García for video
and Peter James for audio was a complete game-changer for me.
But beyond the technical skills, the human connection has been the most powerful part. I had the opportunity to meet members of the Mi’kmaq community and learn about the Indigenous heart of this island.
(04:36):
On top of that, we got a glimpse into the vibrant Ukrainian diaspora in Sydney, which was another amazing experience.
I believe that keeping our own culture alive is one of the most important things we can do as people.
Seeing that same passion right here on the island made me feel right at home.
Thank you so much for the opportunity, it was a pleasure to join you on the podcast.
(04:58):
Thank you so much for listening to our stories. As three interns coming from different backgrounds, this experience has allowed us not only to grow as media creators, but also to connect with a deeper understanding of culture, language, and community.
From audio recording to video editing, and from cultural exploration to real human connection
(05:25):
every step of this journey has left a mark on us. Most of all, we hope to carry what we've learned here into the future, continuing to tell stories that matter.
And thank you for joining us on this meaningful journey.
Hey guys!!! How is it going? Welcome back to Sound Stories, A Centre for Sound Communities Podcast, where we talk about the awesome people we work with
(00:11):
and the exciting work we do at the Centre for Sound Communities at Cape Breton University. I’m Mateus, a research assistant and I’m with my other two friends researchers Mariia and Ling! and in this episode, we’ll be discussing our experiences so far with our internship.
Hi, I’m Mariia, a Mitacs Globalink intern from Kharkiv, Ukraine. I recently completed my degree in Audiovisual Arts, and back home I’ve been involved in a lot of filming and video editing
mostly working on fashion shows, short documentaries, and social media projects. During my time here, I’ve improved my audio editing skills and gained more hands-on experience with professional equipment.
(00:43):
That’s been especially important for me, since my background has been much more focused on post-production editing than on working directly with filming gear.
There’s still a lot to learn, but I’m already starting to understand how to work with professional microphones so the sound quality isn’t completely off.
That’s been actually one of the most valuable parts of this internship
(01:05):
During my time here, I also plan to explore local cultural communities and art scene here — which is basically a networking, and is actually one of the main goals for me during this internship.
That's why I'm planning to host some events here in Sydney to create some kind of community during my 3 months. So tank you very much!
(01:32):
Hello everyone, my name is Hou Lingxiao, and I come from China. I'm very happy to be here on beautiful Cape Breton Island as an intern, learning about and helping to document the rich culture of the Indigenous communities.
As a student majoring in Film and Television Production, my main focus before was on movie production, but I also have experience in video shooting and editing.
(02:02):
During my time here, I’ve been able to strengthen a wide range of technical skills through hands-on practice.
Like Under Peter Verdin’s guidance, we’ve learned how to record and process audio using software tools to transcribe audio;
Also I've become more confident and efficient using DaVinci Resolve for video editing.
(02:28):
What makes this experience especially meaningful to me is not only the skills I’ve gained, but the people I’ve met.
I’ve had the chance to work alongside others who also love visual storytelling and care deeply about culture,
and that has been both exciting and inspiring. Culture is not something that belongs only to the past. It connects the past, present and future.
(02:59):
I felt this deeply when we recorded Starr Paul teaching the Mi'kmaw language to children.
In that moment, I saw the importance of language as a living part of cultural identity, and the effort so many people are making to keep it alive.
Through this internship, I hope not only to gain experience in video production, documentary work, and film festival participation, but also to develop a deeper understanding of Mi'kmaw culture.
(03:30):
and, more broadly, of the value and beauty of cultural diversity around the world.
I also hope to turn what I’ve learned and experienced here into something practical ― to actively contribute to the preservation of human culture in the future.
(03:51):
Both at home and beyond.
Hi everyone again, I’m so excited to share a bit about my experience with you all. I came here from Brazil through the MITACS program and I'm a researcher intern.
Back to my country I’m currently getting my bachelor's degree in Cultural Production, and I've been fortunate to work on film sets, film festivals and collaborate closely with the Guarani Indigenous people in southern Brazil.
(04:14):
Arriving here in Unama’ki has been incredible so far. I’ve learned so much about film and audio production, and having some classes with Ulises García for video
and Peter James for audio was a complete game-changer for me.
But beyond the technical skills, the human connection has been the most powerful part. I had the opportunity to meet members of the Mi’kmaq community and learn about the Indigenous heart of this island.
(04:36):
On top of that, we got a glimpse into the vibrant Ukrainian diaspora in Sydney, which was another amazing experience.
I believe that keeping our own culture alive is one of the most important things we can do as people.
Seeing that same passion right here on the island made me feel right at home.
Thank you so much for the opportunity, it was a pleasure to join you on the podcast.
(04:58):
Thank you so much for listening to our stories. As three interns coming from different backgrounds, this experience has allowed us not only to grow as media creators, but also to connect with a deeper understanding of culture, language, and community.
From audio recording to video editing, and from cultural exploration to real human connection
(05:25):
every step of this journey has left a mark on us. Most of all, we hope to carry what we've learned here into the future, continuing to tell stories that matter.
And thank you for joining us on this meaningful journey.
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