Music’s an almost alchemical force to Cape Breton-Unama’ki Mi’kmaw fiddler and singer Morgan Toney. In just a short amount of time, Morgan has invigorated both the Atlantic music communities and Mi’kmaq communities by bringing together the fiery fiddling of Cape Breton Island with the old songs of the Mi’kmaq, some dating back up to 500 years. He calls this fusion Mi’kmaltic (Mi’kmaq + Celtic) and it’s his way of celebrating his language and heritage. With the immediate accolades and attention, it’s easy to forget that Morgan has only been playing the fiddle for a few years. But there’s something deeper at work here. His great-grandfather and three great-uncles were all Mi’kmaw fiddlers of renown in the community. Toney’s award-winning debut album, First Flight, celebrates language and heritage in Toney’s transformation of traditional songs like the “Ko’jua” and the “Mi’kmaq Honour Song” alongside highly original songcraft. His 2023 release, Resilience, was nominated for a 2024 Juno award, and won two East Coast Music Awards. Morgan has been featured on CBC radio, and had a mini documentary made about his music at the International Indigenous Summit. Combining his Mi’kmaq roots with his love for Cape Breton Celtic tunes, Morgan has made a fresh new connection between the two traditions.