ARVIAT - The sounds of eastern Canada, usually filled with Irish jigs, will get a Northern touch as a choir from Arviat travels to Newfoundland this month.

Angela Mukyungnik and Katelyn Sulurayok sing during a performance of Arviat Imngitingit Choir at John Arnalukjuak school. The group will be travelling to Newfoundland this month to perform at an international choral festival. - photo courtesy of Gord Billard

The Arviat Imngitingit Choir from John Arnalukjuak school will travel to St. John's from June 28 to July 9, performing traditional Inuit songs and throat singing.

The group of seven students and three graduates will perform at the Festival 500, an international non-competitive festival of choral music.

A group from the school attended the festival four years ago, and have been invited to return once again, bringing their traditional Inuit songs along with them.

"It's important for these students to know their culture, and the contributions they can make," said choir director, and teacher at the school, Jeff van den Scott. "These are songs people wan to hear, and they should be recognized for that."

The students will perform traditional Inuit music, throat signing and songs from Arviat.

A graduate of John Arnalukjuak school, Karen Panigoniak taught the students most of the songs. She picked them up from the Nunavut Sivuniksavut training program in Ottawa

"We're losing our culture these days," said Panigoniak about why she attended the program in Ottawa to learn more about her cultural Inuit roots.

She picked up songs from the Baffin region and throat singing, which she's passed along to the students at the school, working with the choir on a regular basis.

Danny Illungiayok also practices with the group two or three times a week. Having learned drum dancing from his father a few years ago, he'll perform with the group in Newfoundland.

"It's our culture, and we're trying to keep it going," said Illungiayok about why he's looking forward to the trip. "And it's fun to go somewhere and perform."

The students will perform five concerts while in St. John's and will perform at the festival's grand finale.

In addition to taking part in the festival, the students will also be touring around the city. Van den Scott said the students will take a boat tour to visit some of the islands off the main land, and will visit the museum of Newfoundland which holds some a display on the Inuit of Labrador.