Amongst the numerous projects I had the pleasure of filming and editing for Qaggiavuut, is a memorable trip to in Baker Lake in the great company of Annie Petaulassie.
While there, she interviewed elders Winnie Putumiraqtuq and Jean Simailak. We also filmed two young throat singers performed
August of 2018:
A pisiit course was taught by 6 elders and knowledge-keepers from the 3 regions of Nunavut: Sidone Nirlungayuq (Kugaaruk), Bernadette Uttaq (Taloyoak), Madeline Ivalu (Igloolik), Miriam Aglukark (Gjoa Haven), Susan Avingaq (Igloolik) and Francis Qapuk (Rankin Inlet). Over the duration of a week, this course was a gathering of 30 Inuit , emerging and established artists, who participated in this historic course that successfully revitalized these songs that were at a risk of being lost. This ancient Inuit music that includes chant-like songs, called Pisiit are normally accompanied by Inuit drums and touch on resilience, survival, healing and joy mostly. This course delivered in Inuktitut is fundamental to the Qaggiq School of Performing Arts. At the end of the workshop, the group, elders and artists, performed publicly for the delight of the many Iqalumiuits that gathered to see and hear those revitalized pisiits. The objective of the course is for participants to continue to study and share the Pisiit with youth and in their communities.
You can go see some of those Pisiit performed live by the elders accompanied by the artists recorded and edited by yours truly with multiple cameras. If you have never seen or heard one, I definitely recommend taking a few minutes to listen and watch.
Furthermore, you can watch some of the youth who were in the workshop talk about their rich experience learning those Pisiit from the elders:
November 2018: Arctic Song Music Performance Course for established musicians part of the Qaggiq School of Performing Arts launched in July.
20 selected performing artists from all regions of Nunavut took part in a week long course with focus on revitalizing traditional pisiit songs, once banned during colonization.
The course culminated with public performance at the overpacked Francophone Centre. The fact that the venue was not big enough to receive everyone and have a seat for all was yet another unfortunate big reminder of how much Nunavut needs a dearly a performing arts center.
Moreover, another example of this, what the four different limited space locations in which the course and training took part during the week.
You could not be at the show and or are curious to see what a revitalize traditional song looks and sounds like, have a look at he this multi-cameras video I had the pleasure to film and edit.
February 2019: again lacking a proper space to rehearse and prepare, Inuit artists from all region of Nunavut went down to Montreal in order to get ready to showcase their brilliant revitalization of ancient Inuit drum songs at the International Folk Alliance. This what a great opportunity for them to secure performing work all round the world at music festivals and events. They did then went on to tour across Canada and Nunavut to entertain people and teach youth this very special music.
Here below is one of the traditional pisiit song they performed at the Folk Alliance showcase evening:
Want to see how they prepare throughout the week at the National Theatre School and how much fun they had. Here are very fun montage VDOpro filmed and edited on Mr. Lazarus Qattalik's very up beat Inirkukuga song: