Jamaican-born Sage Marie builds Canadian arts refuge for Black youth

Jamaican-born arts leader Sage Marie is using dance, drumming and culture in Canada to build support for children and young people, especially Black youth from diaspora families. The founder of Afiwi Groove School said her work is rooted in her own childhood in Jamaica, her migration to Canada at 15, and the healing she found through movement.

Marie described herself as a Juno award recipient, explaining that the Canadian honour is comparable to the Grammy Awards in the United States. She said she received the award in 2023 for using African and Caribbean arts to strengthen communities rather than for performance as a singer. Musician Kevin Drew of Broken Social Scene had earlier donated $25,000 to help the school purchase African drums, then supported the need for proper flooring after visiting the space. Marie said she was later flown to Edmonton and surprised with the award.

The school’s name, she explained, comes from the Jamaican phrase meaning “ours”. In the context of the organisation, she said, it represents a village where people gather, support one another and build confidence.

Marie also spoke about surviving childhood sexual abuse by a family member from age five. She said teachers in Jamaica helped change the course of her life, including Miss Cunningham and her husband, who took her in during summers, and Miss Robinson at Mountain View Primary, who introduced her to African dance. She also attended Mico Primary and Excelsior High School, according to the interview.

After moving to Canada, Marie said she struggled with identity and belonging as a Black Jamaican girl in a predominantly white environment. Travel to Ghana, Cuba and Trinidad and Tobago deepened her understanding of music and dance as sources of healing, she said.

Marie said she started Afiwi Groove School after leaving an unfulfilling banking career and surviving a serious crash during an ice storm. The school now uses African and Caribbean arts to affirm young people, help them connect with culture, and stage an annual “I Am” showcase, scheduled this year for June 28 at the Regent Theatre in Oshawa.