Iqaluit (Apr 25/05) - Daniel Cambridge has discovered throatsinging is nothing like the football chants bellowed by soccer hooligans in the smoky pubs of his hometown of Southampton, England.

Kerry and Brandon Brazel from Massachusetts try throatsinging at Joamie school in Iqaluit during Toonik Tyme.

Just trying the activity has challenged his idea of what song is.

"It's a really hard concept to grasp," he said, comparing it to "like clearing your throat in the morning."

Cambridge was joined at the throatsinging workshop during Toonik Tyme in Iqaluit by two other visitors, Brandon and Kerry Brazel, from Massachusetts. Together, the three stood out in a crowd mostly comprised of small Inuit children at Joamie school.

After about an hour's practise, others began to pay attention to the three as they huffed away. During one try they lasted about one minute before bursting into laughter.

"That was the best one yet," Kerry said.

The crowd's attention swayed as they boys were shown up by three Inuit girls: Diane Pfeifer, Barbara Akoak and Jenny Ell. Celebrities one moment, the three soon found themselves ignored.

"They put us to shame," Brandon said.

Grade 4 student Natashia Allakariallak probably could have taught the visitors a thing or two. She started throatsinging when she was just four.

"It's fun and challenging," she said.

There was a time when throatsinging was banned in many communities by Christian missionaries. Akinie Sivuarapik counts herself lucky because her home of Puvirnituq in Northern Quebec had an Inuit priest who permitted people like her grandmother to continue singing.

Her grandmother taught her and now she helps keep the culture alive by teaching children.

"We don't want to lose it," she said.

In the past, there were concerns throatsinging could be exploited if practised by non-Inuit. But today, Sivuarapik said, teaching visitors like Cambridge and the Brazels only helps spread understanding.

"We're here to share our culture with everyone."