‘Ammalu! Atiluu!’
Alianait Arts Festival crowds call for encores
Sume Tribute, a politically charged Greenlandic hard rock band that formed in 1972 as a call for Indigenous sovereignty, brings the audience to its feet Saturday night. After the set, the audience cried out ‘ammalu’ and ‘atiluu’, Inuktitut for ‘again’ and ‘more.’ (Photo by Daron Letts)
Some imperceptible hiccups notwithstanding, Alianait Arts Festival 2025 was a success in its organizers’ eyes.
“So many hiccups,” said festival co-organizer Andrew Morrison, in a text response to Nunatsiaq News shortly after 2 a.m. Monday, a few hours after the festival finale wrapped.
Issues with an Air Greenland flight and plenty of rain, drizzle and fog required some schedule rejigging on Saturday. But they were not serious enough issues to hamper the crowd’s unflagging energy and enjoyment of the festival, gauged by audience numbers and applause decibels.
An estimated 1,400 people attended the festival events, which was driven by the work of approximately 40 volunteers.
The more than one dozen circumpolar musicians in the Alianait lineup shared a diversity of culture, altogether bringing seven different languages to the stage.
“All main stage shows were hosted exclusively in Inuktitut,” Morrison said of the emcees’ hosting and banter.
In the end, small challenges were eclipsed by big successes, he said, as the festival shifted close to 80 per cent of its contracted work to Inuit-owned or Nunavut-based businesses.
“We wanted to make Alianait the premiere stage for world-class Inuit artists and we are so proud of what took place this weekend,” he said.
Lifelong friends Selena Flaherty-Kipanik, left, and Nicotye Alaimga take a moment Sunday while volunteering together throughout the festival weekend. The pair served bannock, painted children's faces, distributed hand sanitizer, supervised the children's craft table, and helped clean up the festival grounds at the end of each day. (Photo by Daron Letts)
We as uvagut want to get invited to the festival next time. You can reach me at the address given or call Norman ishulutak !🙏
You can also apply to play in the next festival
We have been waiting for years for Uvagut to play in Iqaluit. The nostalgia and lyrics that are so powerful to this day is something we could all experience. I think there should be an entire show just for the Uvagut band and believe me, we will all show up!