My Historic
Life
Who And When Am I?
My name is Marcio R. A. da Cunha, and I am a Canadian educator, historian, and experimental archeologist based in Ontario. My work brings together academic research, living history, and hands-on interpretation to explore how people in the past lived, worked, fought, and understood their world. I hold a Bachelor of Education and a Master’s degree from the University of Western Ontario, an LLB from the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom, and Honours Bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and History. Before entering education, I worked professionally in law and finance, experiences that continue to inform how I research, analyse sources, and communicate complex ideas clearly to public audiences.
My historical work spans civilian, military, and material culture history, with particular strength in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries as well as the First World War. I am especially interested in everyday life, social behaviour, and belief systems, including winter warfare in the eighteenth century, common life and vice in the Georgian era, and gaming, leisure, and popular entertainment among ordinary people. Alongside this research, I have been deeply involved in living history and historical interpretation, having previously run the 8th King’s Regiment of Foot Light Company and the Civilians of Canada, and worked with groups such as the King’s Royal Regiment of New York and the Canadian Regiment of Fencible Infantry. I have also served in leadership and governance roles with organizations including the Brigade of the American Revolution and the Fairfield-Gutzeit House in Bath, Ontario.
I am currently a member of the South Wales Borderers Regiment Living History Association, interpreting the First World War period. Through my digital platform, My Historic Life, I share interviews, demonstrations, lessons, and travel-based historical content across YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook, creating a space where serious research and accessible storytelling meet. My work supports museums, heritage sites, schools, and community organizations, and I regularly provide lectures, presentations, and private demonstrations for both large and small groups. Those interested in collaborating, hosting an event, or arranging a talk or demonstration are welcome to get in touch.
My Purpose
My purpose is to educate those around us about who we are and where we came from, so that we can better understand those who came before us and the lives they lived. By engaging with their experiences, we become more aware of the sacrifices they made and the ways in which those sacrifices helped shape the world we live in today. Through this understanding, history becomes not just something we study, but something that helps us better understand ourselves.
