For Becky Han, children’s songs just have to be funny

Becky Han, who now lives in Brandon, Man., is the 2016 winner of the Government of Nunavut’s Qilaut children’s song contest. (COURTESY OF BECKY HAN)

Although Inuk singer-songwriter Becky Han now lives in Brandon, Man., her songs couldn’t be more Inuk.

Like her song “786,” which, Han recently told Nunatsiaq News, was the number of her mother’s CB radio when Han was growing up in Arctic Bay.

That song is about talking to her mom over the radio while Han hunts narwhal on the floe edge.

Or her song “Qaariaq,” which Han said is a word used by children to shoo away pesky bumblebees, like the one chasing her across Nunavut in the song.

Those two songs, which Han wrote with her sister Tracy May, won first and second place, respectively, in the 2016 Qilaut Inuktitut-language contest for children’s songs, the Government of Nunavut said Nov. 30 in a Facebook post.

Because the songs are for children, Han told Nunatsiaq News Dec. 1 that she wanted them to be funny.

“I want kids to be drawn into the songs, and to laugh and sing along. I hope they enjoy them,” Han said from her home in Brandon.

Nunavut’s Department of Heritage and Culture, which runs the annual contest, also named Han a winner in 2015.

On a personal level, Han said that winning is “validating.”

“Maybe where I’m at right now is where I’m supposed to be going,” she said.

“It’s also heart-warming how supportive all the listeners have been. And to do it in my language makes it that much more meaningful.”

For her first-place song, “786,” Han won $5,000 and $2,500 for her second-place song, “Qaariaq,” the GN announcement said.

“If someone like me, a stay-at-home mom, can do what she wants and enjoys, like making music, then I think anyone can,” Han said.

Award-winning singer-songwriter Looee Arreak also had four songs in the top 10 winners of 2016, including third, fourth and fifth place.