Along with being a tribute to her own daughter, Qattuu’s new single Panikuluuk, released Wednesday, is a tribute to her own mother. (Photo via Hitmakerz news release)

Pangnirtung throat singer releases first single as solo artist

Released Wednesday, Panikuluuk is first single from Qattuu’s upcoming debut album

By Nunatsiaq News

Pangnirtung throat singer, songwriter and performer Qattuu has released her first single as a solo artist.

Qattuu Evic, who performs as Qatttu and is currently based in Ottawa, released Panikuluuk on Wednesday. The song title means “little daughter” in Inuktitut.

The song — the first single from Qattuu’s upcoming debut album — is “an emotional, authentic musical expression of the experience of motherhood,” according to a news release from Nunavut record label Hitmakerz.

Along with being a tribute to her daughter, Qattuu’s new single also honours her own mother.

The song begins with the sound of a mother’s heartbeat in an ultrasound, followed by gentle strums on a guitar. It progresses to include Qattuu’s throat singing and Inuit drumming, accompanied by audio clips of her young daughter, Aleah.

According to the release, Qattuu has been singing since she was six years old and is largely self-taught. From 2020 to 2022, she was part of the Juno Award-nominated musical group Silla and Rise, and she has been featured on songs by other artists such as Joey Nowyuk and Angela Amarualik.

As a solo performer, Qattuu has sang in France, Belgium and the Philippines as well as in Canada.

Juno-nominated Inuk artist Looee Arreak was part of the production process, providing guidance and some of the Inuktitut lyrics that will be included on Midnight Sun, Qattuu’s first album which will be released later this year.

The song and album were recorded and released on Nunavut-based record label Hitmakerz with financial support from Canada Council for the Arts and Ontario Arts Council.

Panikuluuk is now available across all streaming platforms, including Spotify.

 

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(29) Comments:

  1. Posted by Paniituumiutauja 37year on

    She’s not from pang she never even lived here.

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    • Posted by Ukiuqtaqtumiutassajaq on

      What does Paniituumiutauja mean? Panniqtuumiutassaja? Your post title.
      It is not grammatical and neither does it make sense. Perhaps you are not from Panniqtuuq either. Just saying.

      Most Nunatsiaq News reporters (often) do not speak Inuktitut and many are newcomers or have not grown up in Nunavut or the north so they sometimes make generalizations or general comments so whatever negative comments are made below may be ill-informed.

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  2. Posted by Simira on

    If you are born and raised outside of Pangnirtung are you from there? Not a dig at anyone nor putting down but I see this often where southern based performers say they are from the north. Is it to give more legitimacy or authenticity in their own eyes? Inuk is Inuk and traditions are just as strong so why embellish? I know of an Inuk performer born and raised in Manitoba but because her mother is from Greenland, says “I’m from Greenland”. I was born and raised in Iqaluit but my father is from Scotland. I am not from Scotland. I would be corrected immediately and asked to give an accurate statement instead.

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    • Posted by Yep on

      I agree, don’t need to embellish where she’s from. It’s not coming from a negative place, there’s a lot of Inuit who grew up south and there’s nothing wrong with saying that – maybe saying she has close ties to Pang would be more accurate? People being born and raised in town are seen as pangniituumiu. Congrats on the album tho!

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  3. Posted by Uvanga on

    Panikuluuk is endearing a daughter. Dear daughter

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    • Posted by speaks other dialect on

      Yes, it is a suffix meaning ‘dear’ but also In addition to the meaning mentioned in the article – small. It depends on the dialect.

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      • Posted by Peter on

        In my dialect Panikuluuk would mean my dear daughters, two of them, with the two u’s, Panikuluk is singular, my dear daughter.

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  4. Posted by Why does the media lie to us? on

    Dear Nunatsiaq, why did you call her a “Pangnirtung throat singer, songwriter and performer” when she is not from there?

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    • Posted by Maq-Pat on

      Her label calls her “an Ontario-based, Inuk throat-singer, originally from Pangnirtung, Nunavut.”

      • Posted by All about the clout on

        Yes, except she never lived in Pang, so she isn’t “originally from” there in any meaningful sense.

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  5. Posted by Igunaaqi on

    Haters will hate…

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    • Posted by Let’s play make believe on

      Pretenders gonna pretend

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  6. Posted by Nunavutmiut on

    I’ve always wondered why people who were born or raised in the south claim to say they are from a Nunavut community. It’s ok to be proud of your roots, but don’t claim to be from somewhere you are not. There’s nothing wrong with saying you are from a southern location with ties/roots to a Nunavut community or Nunavut in general.

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    • Posted by Jimmy on

      You’re right. I have lived over half a century in the same Nunavut community but people would be offended if I said I was from anywhere but where I was born. After all, this is not MY community, I’m just a visitor – a “European colonizer”. Sorry not sorry.

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      • Posted by Honestly though on

        If you’ve lived anywhere for 50 years I would think you have some claim to calling it your home at least.

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  7. Posted by John on

    Lateral violence at its best here. If an inuk was born and raised down south (not of their doing) a visits their community their still seen as an outsider. All the comments are a joke of haters. At least she speaks a knows here language a culture compared to some! If I was born in Rankin a grew up else where I guess I can’t say I’m from Nunavut? May As well can I just say I’m not inuk rigjt according to this comment section knowing everything. Oh wait that’s not how “identity” works.

    Many people need to learn about lateral violence which there is a ton here I’m seeing you should all be ashamed, instead of being uplifting an supporting you bring people down; heads up it’s people like you whom lead Kelly Fraser to what she did.

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    • Posted by The Age of Fragility on

      ‘Lateral violence’ might be a real thing, but in this case appears as a way of saying, just shut up and accept the fantasies of others, lest they be ‘harmed’ in some way. Even worse, they might commit suicide (imagine thinking you know Kelly’s reasons and taking the liberty to use them for your own benefit).

      This kind of emotional manipulation is frankly grotesque, and appears to be an increasingly comfortable response for people who can’t accept an honest critique.

      John, what do you think about the artist being honest with herself and the rest of us and telling us her truth, whatever than might be? Is that a lot to ask, in your mind? Or would that impose too great a burden?

      Sure, she doesn’t have to respond, but the people who know better have the right to make their points known.

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      • Posted by John on

        I guess you’re also the type of person who would say that urban Inuit shouldn’t be doing tattoos if they haven’t lived up north nor know everything about their culture as well shouldn’t get traditional tattoos. I’m entitled to my opinion as are you.

        This is 100% lateral violence perhaps looming that up would assist you for better understanding. A community is suppose to help one another but here majority are bashing and hating, even when good things are posted there are people like yourself whom bash, there will always be haters sadly and never be happy individuals an I pity them an you.

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        • Posted by The Age of Fragility on

          Valid criticism is not ‘lateral violence’
          No one is saying Qattuu is not an Inuk.
          I don’t care what kind of tattoo you or anyone else on earth wears.

          Isn’t it obvious that a claim to being from a specific community is done for “street cred”? It should be.

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  8. Posted by John on

    ***Revised***

    Lateral violence at its best here. If an inuk was born and raised down south (not of their doing) a visits their community, they’re still seen as an outsider even if they practice their culture a know their language. All the comments here are a joke just of haters. At least she speaks a knows here language a culture compared to some! If I was born in Rankin a grew up else where I guess I can’t say I’m from Nunavut? May As well can I just say I’m not inuk right according to this comment section knowing everything. Oh wait that’s not how “identity” works.

    Many people need to learn about lateral violence which there is a ton here I’m seeing you should all be ashamed, instead of being uplifting an supporting community you bring people down and are just pure toxic. Heads up, it’s people like you whom lead Kelly Fraser to what she did.

    So much for supporting one another or being a “community” right? Fantastic job, you people speaking negatively make me disgusted to be inuk.

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    • Posted by Paul on

      There are many people who are born in one town but raised in another town. If I was born in Iqaluit, but raised in Pang, I’m not going to say I’m from Iqaluit and most people would not either.

      No one is not claiming this people isn’t Inuk. All they are saying is that you should not claim to be from one community when in fact you are from another community. Many Inuit in the south who never grew up in Nunavut claim to be from Nunavut, and in many cases, say they are from a specific town. Which is just false. You can call it “Lateral Violence” but facts are facts.

      I guess if my ancestors were from Scotland, I guess I can say I’m from Scotland? I don’t think so. Is it ok to be proud of your roots, absolutely. But don’t make stuff for publicity.

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      • Posted by Inuk on

        I agree with you Paul, to be accurate it’s where we grew up and know, she is still a Inuk with Pang descendants or ancestry.
        Today we have to be careful when more and more are starting to come out saying they are indigenous when they are not, it’s nothing against this talented Inuk but we have to be accurate and make sure people are really who they are.
        There has been people claiming to be indigenous when they are not, this will only become more of a issue down the road, we should be talking about it now.

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        • Posted by Igunaaqi on

          So you are saying even Inuktitut uqarunnaraluaruma i cant say im from that community cause i moved south? Give your head a shake!

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          • Posted by Paul on

            I think you’re missing the point. It’s totally fine to say where you are originally from or where your roots are from. But when you are currently living in Ottawa, and have lived there for a while, saying that you are a Pang singer is just incorrect.
            You are telling your reader that you are a Pang resident who’s currently based in Ottawa, when the fact is you where originally from Pang, but have since been living in Ottawa. Just say the truth.

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            • Posted by Wait a sec on

              The point, did she ever live in Pang?

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  9. Posted by Mary Poisey on

    SHHHH EVERYBODY! Its an Inuk accomplishing success ✨✨✨✨ ?

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    • Posted by Amen on

      You’re right!

      People love to hate when their fellow inuit get a spotlight

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  10. Posted by Typo on

    Panikuluk**

    Stop depending on a white man to write your Inuktitut for you lol he never gets it right.

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    • Posted by “Panikuluuk” on

      There are multiple terms in a lot of singular inuktitut words. “Panikuluuk” can mean to incline a dear paniks attention in a affectionate way, same as you would call your panik to get her attention “paniiik!”, can also mean 2 dear daughters symbolizing Qattuu as the daughter of her mom but also to her own daughter. Hence “ Along with being a tribute to her own daughter, Qattuu’s new single Panikuluuk, released Wednesday, is a tribute to her own mother.” as the article reads.

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