Afro-Metis Nation

Anthem

Self-released

We need to begin with a couple of qualifiers. I was informed about his project by a friend and felt it deserved some ink, although the music has been out for a year now. As such, this will read more like a news article than a regular review. I just thought the history and the background would be of interest to those who appreciate ethnic art. Much of the source material is attributed to an article in Beach Metro Community News, written by Matthew Stephens on November 13, 2025.

Anthem is the second album from the Afro-Metis Nation ensemble, original music that celebrates the 250-year heritage of Black and Indigenous people in Maritime Canada. Professor George Elliot Clarke of the University of Toronto is the Executive Producer. He led a group comprised of Leonard “Sugar Plum” Woodworth Croxen, Linda Carvery, Karen Ashton, Sheila White, and Shelly Hamilton. The group’s 2019 Constitution saw the members nominated for Indigenous Songwriter of the Year honors at the 2020 Canadian Folk Music Awards.

In the 17th and 18th centuries in the Maritimes, European settlers frequently formed relationships with Indigenous women as a social and economic strategy to secure trade routes, enhance regional access, and foster alliances between European and Indigenous peoples. A mixed ancestry community emerged with its own unique culture, traditions, and language, forming what is now known as the Metis Nation of Canada. During the same period, African slavery was still ongoing in Canada. Slaves who escaped bondage also formed relationships with Indigenous women, resulting in what Croxen calls the Afro-Metis. Thus, the name of the group.

The mission of the group is to cohesively blend the differences and similarities between the Black and Indigenous experiences in North America throughout history. While most are visibly Black, they are less visibly Indigenous.  Anthem is a collection of songs that reflect this mixed-race experience through themes of oppression, struggle, and perseverance. Examples of such are “Raised in the Lost and Found” and “Surviving the Storm,” among the sixteen tracks on the album.  Clarke’s poetry is on display in the half-spoken word “Homecomin’ Roam-No-More Blues.” Here’s an excerpt – ”The bottle’s been the rival/Of each dive’s take-home Bible/:Gulp chapter and verse/I’ve been to church; snoozed in pews;/Took bread and wine, then strong booze;/My blues can’t get worse!”

 The Afro-Metis Nation’s fight for recognition and equal rights is ongoing. They have been repressed in Canada for various reasons. Clarke says, “According to the Government of Canada, the official definition of Metis is that you have to be a descendant of European and  Indigenous people involved in the fur trade, only as prosecuted between Ontario and British Columbia, which is completely ludicrous.”  Clarke’s spoken word “Letter from Department of Indian Affairs, Ottawa 1921” is a dissertation on how the government frowns on the practice of dancing by Indians on their reserves. There is a section that reads – “The rooms, halls, or other places in which Indians congregate should be under constant inspection.”

Other songs, such as “Beauty is Beauty” and “Elegy for Mona States (1958-1999)” are less overtly topical but rich in poetry and lyricism. Yet, the project is a shining example of how to oppose government injustice by satire and art, which succinctly sums up Clarke’s mission. Fortunately, you can access the album and the complete lyrics via Bandcamp here. You may also visit the website, https://www.theanthem.ca/, for additional insights.

• Jim Hynes

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