The Inuksuk High School drum dancing group is representing Nunavut as cultural delegates at the Arctic Winter Games 2023 in Wood Buffalo, Alta, this week.
The group was created in 2008 when music teacher Dr. Mary Piercey-Lewis, started working at the high school. Many drum dancing groups led by Dr. Piercey-Lewis have represented Nunavut at the AWG in the past, but itSA国际影视传媒檚 the first time the current high school drum dancing group is attending.
The high school teacher has been bringing performers to the games since 2002.
SA国际影视传媒淭he experience is very spectacular. Our group will perform at least five times throughout the week. We will do pop-up performances in community centres, like the mall or at an Elder centre. And at the end of the week, on Thursday and Friday night, we participate in a big gala concert at the Arctic Cultural Centre,SA国际影视传媒� says Piercey-Lewis.
SA国际影视传媒淲hat is special about the event,SA国际影视传媒� explains the teacher, SA国际影视传媒渋s that cultural delegates teams from all across the circumpolar North, all bring something unique to the cultural delegation park.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淭hey hire an artistic director who pulls in all these different types of music and dances together. We all work in workshops all week long to create these big collaborative pieces to perform at the gala concert. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 very exciting to work and perform with people from other parts of the world who have a completely different way of expressing their music and their art. The creation becomes the final number at the end of the gala. ISA国际影视传媒檓 excited for our choir to meet the other teams,SA国际影视传媒� Piercey-Lewis says.
The drum dancing group comprises six performers: Taiga Las, Ella Estey, Kristy Kanayuk, Mackenzie OSA国际影视传媒橠ell, Aura Kwon and Mia Maurice.
SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 most excited about all the performances that we will be doing and perfecting as a group, as well as the final performance. ISA国际影视传媒檓 also eager to meet all the people from Wood Buffalo and learn new things,SA国际影视传媒� says Maurice.
SA国际影视传媒淲e have been preparing for this, ISA国际影视传媒檓 looking forward to showing everyone what we can do,SA国际影视传媒� says OSA国际影视传媒橠ell.
SA国际影视传媒淎t the gala, weSA国际影视传媒檒l be collaborating with the other groups across the North which is very exciting, I canSA国际影视传媒檛 wait to show our culture and what we do,SA国际影视传媒� says Estey.
SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 excited to see all the other provinces, countries and nations perform in their sports and games and give their best,SA国际影视传媒� says Kanayuk.
SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 most excited about the closing ceremony when all the delegates from every region will be combined in one show,SA国际影视传媒� says Las.
The group will present three main drum dancing/throat singing arrangements.
SA国际影视传媒淭he first big drum dancing choreography, SA国际影视传媒淚mmaqaaliSA国际影视传媒�, features the innovative choreography of Siobhan Arnatsiaq-Murphy. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 a very beautiful piece where the group starts as an Inuksuk. We mix throat singing and drum dancing to present an elaborate story, itSA国际影视传媒檚 my favourite one to perform,SA国际影视传媒� says Estey.
The second piece is composed of three different sections SA国际影视传媒� a combination of songs creating something SA国际影视传媒渟pectacular and exciting,SA国际影视传媒� says Piercey-Lewis.
SA国际影视传媒淭he three part harmony is named SA国际影视传媒淗anga/Katajjausiit Extravaganza/Mittimatilik.SA国际影视传媒� The first section of this song, SA国际影视传媒淗anga,SA国际影视传媒� was written by Pura Fe, Layla Locklear, and Charley Lowry from the Tuscarora-Iroquois family. The second section is a throat singing/drum dancing extravaganza where the choir members improvise enchanting throat singing rhythms and melodies while Kristy and Mackenzie embark on a drum dancing duel. The last section of the piece is a beautiful harmonious rendition of Susan AglukarkSA国际影视传媒檚 song SA国际影视传媒淧ond Inlet-Mittimatilik.SA国际影视传媒�
Their final presentation is called SA国际影视传媒淚nngiqtuqSA国际影视传媒�. This new drum dance song was written by Mark Sirett and members of the Inuksuk Drum Dancers back in 2015.
SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 a very beautiful piece that involves slow and then fast drumming, and vocals that sound like echo,SA国际影视传媒� explains Maurice.
During their pop-up performances around the community of Wood Buffalo, the group will try something new by presenting a variety of contemporary songs. With the addition of a guitar, the songs will be more SA国际影视传媒渇olk basedSA国际影视传媒� explains the teacher.
SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檒l be doing songs from Susan Aglukark, Paul K. Irksak, Charlie Adams, Twin Flames (Chelsey June and Jaaji Okpik), The Jerry Cans, and RIIT. There is also an original from the Inuksuk drum dancers group called SA国际影视传媒淐ourageSA国际影视传媒�, encouraging athletes to do their best,SA国际影视传媒� says Piercey-Lewis.
The group usually practices for months to be able to master the choreography and songs.
The Inuksuk drum dancers are known for their impressive performances and have participated in key events all over the country.
This year, the group has performed at the Anglican Church for the Queen Elizabeth memorial, opened for a ceremony at the Frobisher Inn, and at the Alianait festival they took part in the Inuksuk Christmas concert. They also performed at a vigil at IqaluitSA国际影视传媒檚 museum on the subject of SA国际影视传媒淒anger and violence against womenSA国际影视传媒�, in Ottawa for the SA国际影视传媒淭ruth and reconciliationSA国际影视传媒� ceremony on September 30th, and in Toronto with Susan Aglukark.
SA国际影视传媒淭hey even flew us from Toronto to Ottawa, where we performed in front of the prime minister,SA国际影视传媒� says the teacher.
SA国际影视传媒淒uring our performance for Truth and Reconciliation, we experienced a feeling of relief. As the kids got to carry cloths with the names of children who were missing from residential schools written on them. A lot of people cried and it was very nice to see everybody come together and honour the victims,SA国际影视传媒� explains Maurice.
