Return of the drum
Sanikiluaq youth recover drum dancing tradition repressed by missionaries
Casey Lessard
Northern News Services
Published Monday, November 24, 2014
SANIKILUAQ
When missionaries came to Sanikiluaq, they helped eliminate a local tradition: drum dancing.
"The missionaries came here earlier than most (Nunavut communities)," said recreation co-ordinator Kelly Fraser. "We lost drum dancing a long, long time ago."
Bonnie Cookie, Megan Kowcharlie, Betsy Appaqaq, Ida Emikotailak, Suvvaki Novalinga and Elijah Oqaituk perform for the public at an Inuit Day event in Sanikiluaq Nov. 8. - photo courtesy of Sanikiluaq Recreation |
But now, it's back. Fraser, who learned drum dancing from David Serkoak while at Nunavut Sivuniksavut, recently received $1,000 in funding to buy three drums to train local youth how to perform. She picked the drums up in Ottawa while stranded en route home from a conference in Iqaluit earlier this month.
After a one-day workshop, the youth showed their new skills for the first time Nov. 8 at an Inuit Day celebration.
"I wanted to show Inuit pride, and I wanted people to see kids do Inuit games and sing Inuit songs and drum dance," Fraser said, noting the way the event encouraged Inuit traditions.
Elders told stories on the radio, there were Inuit games demonstrations and a best traditional dress contest.
"I wanted the community to feel we're still close to our culture. I also wanted people to come and wear their best traditional Inuit clothing so we can say, 'Look, it's not lost. It's still very strong.'"
The drum dancing resurgence will grow as Fraser leads a weekly after-school program for young children on Mondays and teens on Wednesdays.
"I'd never seen it, maybe once," said Betsy Appaqaq, who enjoyed performing for the public.
"It's exciting and fun," said Ida Emikotailak.
"It is very important because of our culture," said Sappa Cookie, one of the participants, noting his approval for the after-school program. "There's not a lot to do in Sanikiluaq. (Drum dancing) looks hard, but it's kind of easy."
Cookie can say that he caught on to the idea quickly. At the Inuit Day event, which attracted more than 100 people to the community hall, the teens performed a song from the High Arctic that allowed him to show his abilities.
"It's a dance for boys that women sing, and they go faster and faster, and whoever is the last one wins," Fraser said, noting Cookie was the winner. "He was the last one dancing."
For Fraser, the workshop gave her momentum to continue her work supporting youth and strengthening their cultural heritage.
"It gave me a lot of pride to teach kids here because they were so proud, and they were on beat," she said. "They learned so fast. People just loved it. You could taste the pride in that room."
