The Book

Soundin’ Canaan refers to the code name often used for Canada during the Black migration to Canada. The book analyzes the contributions of key Black Canadian poets, including their poetic styles and their performances. The book has several key objectives, including recuperating the collision of the historical and the Biblically derived figure of Canaan, the promised land of freedom and security for an African American population seeking to leave the shackles of slavery behind and the northern terminus of the underground railroad. Centering around the poetry of George Elliott Clarke, Dionne Brand, M. NourbeSe Philip, Wayde Compton, and rapper K’naan, it delves into how these poets draw inspiration from African American and Afro-diasporic musical genres, such as blues, jazz, reggae and dub, hip-hop, and remix, to reshape the notions of identity and citizenship. Soundin’ Canaan asks: what does Canadian citizenship sound like, especially when voiced by Black Canadian poets who embrace a fluid and multicultural form of citizenship that moves between local and global spaces, much like music does?

Using a DJ Methodology, the author mixes in close readings of poetry, music, cultural and literary history, as well as various interviews with the poets. The book includes an accompanying soundtrack to further enhance the reading experience. Listening to the poets in this book—that is in listening closely to the poems, sounds, and musical samples they bring into the mix—constitutes “sonic citizenship.” This co-performative act of reading, listening, and sounding serves as a reminder of how citizens inhabit and negotiate life in Canada beyond the formal legal framework of the nation-state.

You can read/download the Open Access Chapter (Overture), here.

The Website

Created for readers, listeners, courses, and research and discussion groups, the companion site soundincanaan.com is designed to benefit both readers of the book and anyone interested in Black Canadian poetry, culture, and Black music.

The website features audio and transcripts of interviews with poets from the book, as well as resources mentioned in the book, including newly added materials of interest. You’ll also find playlists from the book (available on both Spotify and YouTube), a section of remixed audio, and additional media and news.

The materials under the Chapter Resources tab are organized by chapter in the order they appear in the book. At the end of each section, you’ll find a few discussion questions. There is even a space where you—the reader/DJ—can remix poetry and audio yourself!

---

Transcript

---

The Author

Paul db Watkins is a Professor of English at Vancouver Island University. He is also a research team member with the International Institute for Critical Studies in Improvisation (IICSI). He has published widely on multiculturalism, hip-hop, Canadian poetry, jazz, DJ culture, and improvisation. Under his DJ alias, DJ Techné, he has completed several DJ projects that explore the spaces between poetry, hip-hop, and jazz.

Research Assistant

Jack Corfield

Jack is a fifth-year Creative Writing and Media Studies student who spends their island time writing novels and creating digital art. In 2023, they were the President of VIU’s Creative Writing Club and co-Managing Editor of Portal Magazine. Their art, script, and poetry appears in Portal and is most prominent in the 2024 issue featuring their digitized “Circuit Girl” on the cover. Jack was the Associated Media Editor at The Navigator from 2024-2025, and also served as The Nav’s very first Podcaster from 2022-2025. Jack’s audio journalism has also appeared on CHLY 101.7’s Midcoast Morning in the summer of 2024 while filling in for Joe Pugh.

---

I would like to acknowledge that a VIUFA-assisted leave and a VIU Amplify Grant made this companion website possible.