Karen Mackenzie
Northern News Services
Published Monday, December 17, 2007

GJOA HAVEN - While most Nunavummiut look forward to some quiet days off work over the holidays, for many musicians the season is just ramping up.

Gjoa Haven fiddler Enuk Pauloosie, for one, is getting ready to set toes a-tapping in his community over the holidays with his six-person band, Gjoa.

"We'll be playing a lot of music over the holidays, for all kinds of events, if not every night," he said. "And all kinds of music - two-step, waltz, square dance, anything."

Songs by band favourites John Fogarty and Charlie Major will also likely be on the set list, he said.

Born in Taloyoak, Pauloosie moved to Gjoa Haven in 1982. The band Gjoa, which includes sons John Aglukkaq on lead guitar and Geordie Pauloosie on bass, was initially formed back in the mid-'90s, for a youth band festival in Taloyoak.

Pauloosie helped put it together, "and they were pretty good already then," he said.

The lineup is rounded out by lead vocalist Albert Aglukkaq - "one good hell-of-a singer, just like his late uncle John Anaija" - and talented keyboard player Nathan Komangat. Bass player Jackie Kameemalik recently moved to Taloyoak, Pauloosie said.

Since its inception, the group has played at a number of events in Kitikmeot communities, as well as the Folk on the Rocks Festival in Yellowknife.

Before picking up the fiddle, Pauloosie played rhythm guitar for a number of well known Nunavut fiddlers, including Colin Adjun, Eddie Kikoak and Frank Cockney.

That experience sparked an interest in the instrument, and in his mid-twenties he decided to give it a try himself.

"I tried it out and I liked it, so I just kept going," he said.

He's also been known to pick up the button accordion, bass and keyboard.

In the future, Pauloosie said he'd love for his band to have a chance to play more in the Baffin region.

"We'd really like to come to Iqaluit, whether for Toonik Tyme or Alianait. That would be a great experience," he said.