Morgan Toney and Keith Mullins will be creating some powerful alchemy on the stage at Kootenay River Theatre in Creston on Sunday, Jan. 21.
The Creston Concert Society is presenting Toney, a Mi’kmaq folk singer-songwriter and fiddler from Nova Scotia, and his musical comrade Keith Mullins. Toney’s music is a blend of Cape Breton Celtic and traditional Mi’kmaq music, which has caused a lot of buzz, especially since the recent release of his first album “First Flight.”
Though Toney has travelled the country previously, he is on more of a deep dive with this tour.
“We’re gone for 10 days,” he said in an interview. “We’re going to have a blast on the road.”
His cohort Mullins is no stranger to that road.
“Keith Mullins has travelled across the country, doing school workshops, performing with other musicians, doing his own thing, so it’s really good to be travelling with him. He knows exactly where to go, where the music’s happening — he’s a pretty good co-pilot.”
The Cape Breton style of Celtic trad is internationally known. Toney, a member of the Wagmatcook First Nation, has fused the firey fiddling of the Cape Breton tradition with the traditions and language of the Mi’kmaq people. These are two worlds he moves within easily.
“The Mi’Kmag language has evolved so much to what it is now,” he said. “One of the songs we do, Ko’ jus — it’s a hit right now, and has been since we released it — what’s really interesting about that song is that there are many different ways to sing it. Many different versions and variations. But we chose that version because that’s the oldest Mi’kmag song to date that we know of. It’s reported to be 500 years old.”
While Toney didn’t grow up speaking the Mi’kmaq language, he was always aware of its importance to the culture — and its nearness. The strength, longevity and depth of Mi’kmag culture, but also the toughness of more recent history —the Indian day schools, like residential schools.
“We come from a family of residential school survivors and Indian day school survivors,” he said. “Some of them were able to keep their language, some not. My mother was unable to keep her language after going through those schools. So I wasn’t able to learn as much as I wanted to growing up. So this is kind of a way I can learn. You can start learning whenever you want, but it’s important if you want to keep the language strong.”
Art and music are powerful tools in the process of keeping languages and cultures vital.
“A song like ‘Resiliance’ ([a great track on ‘First Flight] talks about us carrying the torch,” Toney said. “We can’t see the torch, but we’re holding it. It’s burning bright. But there are always going to be those who want to put that torch out. You can’t let them. That torch is yours, and you have to let it shine. And that message resonates with people.
“And if we can impact one person at one of our shows, then our job is done.”
But as well, Toney is another great fiddler in the Cape Breton tradition. He debuted at Nova Scotia’s Celtic Colours festival (the 2020 pandemic, virtual edition), sharing the stage with Ashley McIsaac, and shares the tight-knit world of Cape Breton musicians, some of whom, including McIsaac, are guests on his album.
“I’m so proud to come from that musical culture,” he said. “It’s a big part of Cape Breton. Even a lot of our Mi’kmaq fiddlers played those Scottish tunes.
“To be a part of that community — a real supportive community of fiddlers and Cape Breton musicians … we all stand together and support each other. That’s what I love about being a Cape Breton musician. We’ve got a big family behind us.”
Morgan Toney and Keith Mullins play Creston on Sunday, Jan. 21, at Kootenay River Secondary School.
The main front doors to the high school will be open 1 hour prior to the performance (1:00pm) and the doors to the theater will open 30 minutes before the show (1:30pm).
There will be concessions available during intermission by the student council.
Ticket Sales options:
Tickets bought in advance are $30 for adults and $15 for youth (age 18 and under). Tickets bought at the door will be $35 for adults and $15 for youth.
Vendors:
Kingfisher Books (cash only) - 131 12th Ave. N., (250) 428-0553
Fly in the Fibre (cash & credit card) - 139 10th Ave. N., (250) 402-6072
Online:
Tickets can be ordered online at https://crestonauditorium.tickit.ca/events/20633-morgan-toney
