Morgan Toney is a Mi’kmaw fiddler and singer from Waqmitku’k, Unama’ki, commonly known as Cape Breton. Blending Mi’kmaq songs and stories with Celtic traditions, he’s created a new genre he calls Mi’kmaltic—a bridge between cultures and generations. His new album, Heal the Divide (Ishkōdé Records, March 2024), reflects on the challenges and resilience of the L’nuk (Mi’kmaq people), while celebrating language, culture, and community.
For Toney, music is both welcome and teaching. The opening track, “Pjila’si Piskwa” (“Welcome, Come In”), is inspired by Mi’kmaw talking circles, spaces for learning and sharing songs. Much of his work is rooted in preserving Mi’kmaq language, threatened by the legacy of residential schools. Songs like “The Calling” reflect on loss, while honoring ancestors and traditions.
A rising fiddler, Toney pays tribute to legendary Mi’kmaw musician Lee Cremo and collaborates with the Stoney Bear Singers, blending traditional drum with Celtic fiddle. Recorded live with longtime collaborator Keith Mullins, the album captures the energy of his performances. Toney’s music is both a celebration and a call to action: to bring people together, protect language and culture, and inspire pride among the next generation of Mi’kmaw people.