Morgan Toney is a Canadian musician who blends Celtic and Mi’kmaq music in his fiddle playing. He’s been able to invigorate a variety of communities by bringing together the vibrant fiddling of Cape Breton Island with the traditional songs of the Mi’kmaq. We asked him about his musical journey, his plans for 2025, and why circles are important to him.
You’ve called your music “Mi’kmaltic,” which is a blend of Mi’kmaq and Celtic. Can you describe how your style and your playing have evolved to create this unique musical style?
Growing up I was always surrounded by the songs of the Mi’kmaq People and the sounds of the Scottish Fiddle. In my youth, I took it upon myself to learn Mi’kmaq songs, and six years ago when I started my Major in Music, I had learned how to play the fiddle. It was a cold and snowy day at Cape Breton University when the idea came to blend Mi’kmaq songs with the Scottish style of fiddling. I brought this idea to Keith Mullins, and we recorded our first “Mi’kmaltic” song called “Ko’jua.” The actual title of that song is “Wapikatji’jk” and this song is said to be over 500 years old.
You’re known as a fiddler, but your first musical experiences were with drumming. How did your upbringing in Waqmitkuk Mi’kmaq Nation on Cape Breton Island shape your approach to music?
I grew up in two communities. I spent my childhood years in We’koma’q (way-go-ma) First Nation and spent my teenage years in Waqmitkuk (wogga-mit-gook) but it was in my childhood years that I really got to hear music for the first time. My late Uncle Fabian was a lover of music of all kinds. He told me that it was his job to show his nieces and nephews what true music was. One day after school I went over to visit him. I was maybe seven years old at the time and I remember walking through his kitchen door and hearing instruments, harmonies, and seeing 20,000 people in the audience of a Phil Collins concert. I didn’t know what exactly I was hearing, but it did not matter. I was in love with music in that moment. I sat down on his floor and watched the entire concert without saying a word. My Uncle Fabian’s job was done and then he gave me that exact DVD that I still have today. It was because of him. I love music of all kinds because of Uncle Fabian.
Your music has been nominated for a Canadian Folk Music Award (2022) and a JUNO Award (2024). What does it mean to see your work receiving critical acclaim, in the world of folk music and beyond?
To have our music nominated for awards, it is truly a remarkable feeling, but I could not have done it without my fans, my family, and my community of Waqmitkuk. I am very lucky to have such a strong support circle who just really want people to succeed. I feel that my contributions to the music industry lighted a spark with our Mi’kmaq Youth. I do not want to take any credit, but to see more Music Artists come out of Unama’ki (Cape Breton – oon-a-ma-gee) fills my heart with joy. Because of them, our music will never die.
You’ve said that the earth is a circle, the drum is a circle, and even how people move and greet each other is often in a circle. Why is this important to you?
The concept of “the circle” is a teaching that we often learn in our youth as we attend ceremonies. For example, whenever there is tension amongst individuals, or if there is a serious topic that needs to be discussed, we always deal with the situation by having a talking circle. We sit in a circle, and everyone gets a chance to speak and to be heard. We are greeted into that circle and reminded that within those walls of people, your input is safe. We wanted to bring this concept to the stage. Oftentimes, our audience does not know what they are going to hear and what they are going to see, but it does not matter. With a circle, it is all about learning. We greet our audiences when they enter the venue and welcome them into our circle of love and compassion.
What do you have planned for 2025?
Well, we have a brand-new album coming out on March 7 called Heal The Divide. We released our first single, the title track of the album, and it is available to watch on YouTube. We are heading to Montreal for Folk Alliance International! And we are really excited to come to Alberta! We have 5 shows listed for March.
Morgan Toney will play in Canmore on March 6, Calgary on March 7, Lethbridge on March 8, Leduc on March 14, and Demmitt on March 15. Find info and tickets at morgantoneymusic.com
“Mi’kmaq Honour Song” is from Morgan Toney’s 2021 album, First Flight.
