Throat Singing In Inuit Culture

Originally, Inuit throat singing was a form of entertainment among Inuit women while the men were away on hunting trips. It was an activity that was primarily done by Inuit women although there have been some men doing it as well. In the Inuit language Inuktitut, throat singing is called katajjaq, pirkusirtuk or nipaquhiit depending on the Canadian Arctic region. It was regarded more as a type of vocal or breathing game in the Inuit culture rather than a form of music.

Inuit throat singing is generally done by two individuals but can involve four or more people together as well. In Inuit throat singing, two Inuit women would face each other either standing or crouching down while holding each other's arms. One would lead with short deep rhythmic sounds while the other would respond. The leader would repeat sounds with short gaps in between. The follower would fill in these gaps with her own rhythmic sounds. Sometimes both Inuit women would be doing a dance like movement like rocking from left to right while throat singing. Sounds produced can be voiced or unvoiced and produced by inhalation or exhalation. Both Inuktitut words and meaningless syllables are used in Inuit throat singing songs. However, when words are used in throat singing, no particular meaning is placed on them for a song. When meaningless syllables are used, they are often portrayals of sounds the Inuit hear in their natural environment such as animal sounds or even water running down a creek. Popular Inuit throat singing songs are usually identified by the first word or sound that is produced in each song.

Inuit throat singing is a skill that has to be taught and developed. Inuit throat singers try to show their vocal abilities in a fun competitive manner and the first one to either run out of breath, stop or laugh is declared the loser of the game. Each game usually lasts from one to three minutes. In a group of Inuit women, the overall winner is the one who beats the largest number of her competitors in this fun filled activity.

Unfortunately, there is no written record of when the Inuit first developed their form of throat singing which differs from the type found in Mongolia and other parts of the world that has some form of throat singing. The Inuit did not keep any written records and history was simply passed down from generation to generation orally. It was reported that at one point in time, Inuit women would actually have their lips almost touching while using each other's mouth cavity as a sound resonator. This technique is not used anymore.

Inuit throat singing was actually forbidden by Christian priests for almost 100 years but since this religious ban was lifted, there has been a resurfacing of this traditional activity in the Inuit communities during the last 20 to 30 years. Interestingly enough, there has been a lot of interest among the younger Inuit generations in this revival in addition to the Inuit elders who are trying to bring throat singing back as part of present Inuit culture. Many of the young Inuit women who have taken up throat singing claim that it is a way for them to express their Inuit identities in the modern world where many Inuit traditions have already been lost. The revival of Inuit throat singing has been so popular that in September of 2001, the first throat singing conference was held in Puvernituk, Nunavik where different types of Inuit throat singing from different Arctic regions of Canada were demonstrated and shared. There has even been a small number of Inuit throat singing CDs produced.

Clint Leung is owner of Free Spirit Gallery http://www.FreeSpiritGallery.ca, an online gallery specializing in Inuit Eskimo and Northwest Native American art including carvings, sculpture and prints. Free Spirit Gallery has numerous information resource articles with photos of authentic Inuit and Native Indian art as well as free eCards.

---

Right Hand Guitar Playing Tip

This lesson can open for you a secret of high-speed... Read More

CD Mastering using Har-Bal

Feel free to download the entire manual detailing the mastering... Read More

The Downfall Of The #1 Southern Gospel Station

Back in the 90's we had a local Southern Gospel... Read More

Beginner Guitar Tips: How to Get a Feel

"I don't like to go into the studio with all... Read More

An Interview with Jon Bon Jovi ? 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Cant Be Wrong

The idea originated with singer Jon Bon Jovi. Jon kept... Read More

Independent Music Promotion on the Web: 3 Steps to Success

Let's face it, the wildfire spread of web-based portals designed... Read More

Guitar Practice - Make It Your Priority!

Every student realizes that guitar practice is important if they... Read More

The Time Machine Exist!

We call it music, ever noticed how vividly music triggers... Read More

Bagpipe Lessons In Your Own Home !

Bringing Bagpipe Tuition to Everyone, Everywhere.I have been teaching music... Read More

Music & Citizenship: Can Playing a Musical Instrument Help Your Child Become a Better Citizen?

Disregard the popular image of rappers with their ghetto blasters,... Read More

Things To Know When Shopping For A Guitar Amplifier

Guitar amplifiers are a major part of your tone. Some... Read More

Songwriting - The Art of Writing a Good Song

Did you know that good songwriting is often the key... Read More

Guitar Performance - Make The Most of It!

Getting ready for any type of guitar performance can be... Read More

Piano Chords and New Age Music

There are basically two ways you can compose a piece... Read More

Creating Within Limits

When I first started playing the piano I wanted to... Read More

Why New Musicians (Rappers) Fail: Three Reasons and Solutions

Despite the title of this article, the purpose of it... Read More

Win Friends & Influence People Through Music -- Is It Possible?

The idea that studying music improves the social development of... Read More

Play Too Loud And Well Cut The Power!

"Turn it down!"How often have you heard that command in... Read More

Establishing Your Mix

Now that you've spent hours and days and weeks and... Read More

How to Start Your Own Band

Every once in awhile a guitar student will express a... Read More

Spectral Muses Revisited: The Channeled Melodies of Rosemary Brown

Rosemary Brown (1916-2001) was a middle-aged South London widow, making... Read More

Story of 50 Cent

G-Units 50 Cent , was born 6th of July 1976... Read More

The Acoustic Guitar

The steel-stringed acoustic guitar is usually credited with being developed... Read More

Internet Jams

Today's technology for the recording musician has been getting better... Read More

Origin of Erik Saties Gnossiennes

The 'trois Gnossiennes' (1890) is a set of dance-like pieces... Read More

The Piano Parent Trap!

"My 6 year old daughter really loves the piano and... Read More

College Radio: The Most Important Radio Level for Musicians

For the self-promoting independent artist, the idea of taking on... Read More

Live Music!

"Live music." That common saying may contain some truth, but... Read More

A Dying Cat And A Nylon String Guitar

"Music isn't just learning notes and playing them, you learn... Read More

50 Cent G Unit

His lockjaw delivery makes him look as gangsta as Marlon... Read More

Setting Up In-House Retail Sales

Now, that you are familiar and likely connected with online... Read More

How to Stop Thinking and Start Playing

Learning how to improvise is confusing for most. The sheer... Read More

Mp3s ? The Future of Music?

Mp3 music is audio that has been digitally encoded and... Read More