Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

Arviat (June 12/02) - A little more than two years ago Charlotte Kuksuk approached a group of elders at her school and asked them to teach her about a piece of Inuit culture.

Throat-singing was the skill she wanted to learn.

In just a few short years, her talent was such that the 16-year old Arviat youth was invited to perform during the 2002 Arctic Winter Games in Iqaluit in March.

"My late mother's friends taught me and I learned during school," said Kuksuk.

Moving for a brief period to live with her sister in Whale Cove, Kuksuk moved back to Arviat a month and a half ago to be closer to the rest of her family. Since then, she's taught one of her peers throat-singing and hopes to join the local choir if they're accepted to travel to Newfoundland for a music festival.

"I'll be doing some throat-singing and some ayayays," said Kuksuk.

She also receives calls when a local talent show is being organized.

As for how she got her start, Kuksuk said the sound throat songs attracted her from an early age.

"Since I was little, it just sounded so nice and unique. I just went up to those elders during activities at school and told them I wanted to learn," she said. "I wanted to keep my culture strong."

But while Kuksuk enjoys her talent as a hobby, she says she has no intention of taking it to a professional level.

She said she'd rather put her energy into her goal of becoming a social worker or a lawyer.