The mysteries of drum dancing

I would like to add my two cents’ worth to the photo of a drum dance in Clyde River (Nunatsiaq Online, May 5, 2011.)

Traditionally, an Inuit drum dance was a general community participation event. It wasn’t a spectator sport, as it has now become.

It was usually held when other groups visited the community from surrounding areas and the host community set it up, with the proper etiquettes dictating that local dancers get the event underway, and
as the dance wore on, this allowed the visiting dancers to overcome their stage fright and gather courage to participate.

Each dancer had their own song, which the women sang. If a person without a “pisiq” (song) went to the dancing circle, the women singers of his tribe took over the singing and used a “ pisiq” of the closest relative or song cousin.

The one guaranteed show-stopper would be if there was a group from far away visiting at a meeting place, and the whole audience would be very intent on closely following different dance moves and unfamiliar lyrics.

Now, one of life’s sweet mysteries is why there is no tradition of drum dances in the Qikiqtaaluk region ( Iglulik and Sanarajak don’t count as they’re on the mainland.)

All across the Arctic there are drum dances, from Alaska to Greenland. For example in Greenland it’s an almost-solo participation sport as their drums are very small and portable, while in Kivalliq and Arctic Coast the drums are bigger and heavier.

The transition line runs through the Cambridge Bay-Paulatuk area as past this area to the west, all the way to Alaska, the dancers face the audience with drummers in the back.

Raymond Kaslak
Sachs Harbour

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