Sisters Tiffany Kuliktana Ayalik and Kayley Inuksuk Mackay, also known as PIQSIQ, have released their first Christmas album titled Quviasugvik: In Search of Harmony. (Photo courtesy of PIQSIQ)
Throat-singing sisters PIQSIQ reimagine Christmas carols in new album
“I see this album as sort of a reclamation for us”
Growing up, Tiffany Kuliktana Ayalik and her sister Kayley Inuksuk Mackay loved listening to Christmas music during the holidays.
But with the celebrations also came complicated feelings for the two Nunavut Inuit, who grew up in Yellowknife.
“It’s a jovial time for a lot of communities in the North. But there was also some Christian context that was confusing when mixed with our understanding of our colonial history. So it was hard to feel more than one way at once,” Mackay told Nunatsiaq News.
“I think in our adulthood what we’re doing is looking back and feeling back over those years, and stitching together a complicated fabric of many feelings at once, and making sense of them and pursuing our feelings around those memories together as sisters.”
The sisters, also known as Inuit throat-singing duo PIQSIQ, decided to create their first Christmas album where, as their album description says, “each track is an eerie and mournful tribute to the complicated relationship many Indigenous Peoples have with the tradition of Christmas.”
That album, called Quviasugvik: In Search of Harmony, was released on Nov. 25. It has five tracks of throat singing, including four covers and one original composition.
Each song on Quviasugvik, which is the Inuktitut word for Merry Christmas, is a reimagined Christmas carol, Ayalik explained.
“We wanted to find a way to honour some of our very favourite songs that we have for this time, but do it in a way that we were able to stay true to what we believe, and leaning into the complexity of it was one of the ways we were able to stay really authentic in this process.”
PIQSIQ’s cover of the classic Christmas tune Carol of the Bells, for example, features the sisters’ a capella harmonies laid over a throat-singing beat.
Ayalik said that track is one of her favourites because it’s a bit darker than a typical Christmas carol.
“It’s just such a beautiful song and it’s been done and redone so many times. And to be able to put our spin on it, this song I think is my favourite because I’ve always loved it ever since I was a kid. It has that Tim Burton, sort of creepy side of Christmas feel,” Ayalik said.
Mackay said although she could not choose just one favourite track, she enjoyed Qimuksiq, which is an original composition on the album.
“It’s the one sort of joyful tune on the album. Especially moving into December, seeing a lot of Christmas lights. That one brings me right back to Christmas lights as a child. We had to have a bit of joy in there,” Mackay said with a laugh.
The sisters said the feedback they have received so far has been very positive, with the album resonating with both Inuit and non-Inuit.
“I think that Christmas is complicated for everybody, whether you’re Inuit or not, so that has been a really beautiful response and a really unexpected response. Giving people a space to feel that confusion and honour that struggle has just been so beautiful,” Ayalik said.
“I see this album as sort of a reclamation for us of an amalgamation of cultures and experiences. And as a carving out of a place for us to sit and to be able to not just endure, but enjoy the season,” Mackay said.
The duo were also highlighted recently on social media when Nunavut MP Mumilaaq Qaqqaq posted a TikTok, or a short video clip, of her and NDP leader Jagmeet Singh dancing to PIQSIQ’s song Tuktu Strut.
Mackay said she was in line at an airport about to board a plane when she saw the video.
“I literally laughed out loud when I saw it. It was so funny,” Mackay said.
“We thought it was awesome. It was so special,” Ayalik added.
Quviasugvik: In Search of Harmony can be purchased on PIQSIQ’s Bandcamp page. It can also be bought digitally and sent as a gift.
I really appreciate this article. It’s true that Christmas is a complicated time for some of us, non-Inuit included. An understanding and awareness of the true origins of the holiday is eye opening and transformative. Ultimately the religious or Christian layers of meaning to Christmas were imposed on the holiday by the Roman church in order to subvert thousands of years of pagan celebrations around solstice. Inasmuch as Christianity subverted Inuit belief systems it did the same to ancient European belief systems as well. Still, there is a magic to this time of year that, on the one hand, is a function of our imaginations, animated through personal family and community histories, but remains ultimately artificial and contrived. Nonetheless, it is enjoyable and ritual is important to us as humans. We should enjoy the holiday. So, is it preferable to do that with eyes wide open, or under the spell of fantasy? I prefer the latter.
Correction: I meant to say I opt for the former. Ops..
Aboriginals are more religious than mainstream Canucks, not less. Aboriginal communities make an exponentially bigger deal of Christmas than mainstream communities do (festivities in many remote communities on a daily/nightly basis from Dec 24 until early January, that a large proportion of town turns out to, in addition to their own gatherings at home). It’s kind of hard to claim “colonialism” when something has been embraced so enthusiastically. More Christmas music is a great thing, but it’s a total shame that everything has to be framed as “reclaiming” it. Inuit love Christmas, so there’s no need to reclaim anything that has been so freely shared between multiple cultures.
Why is it hard to claim, or maybe more accurately point out that something is ‘colonial’ when it has been embraced enthusiastically? When Christianity was introduced to Inuit it was an alien religion, it was also subversive of traditional belief systems and remains a subversive cultural force to this day. That it has been embraced widely and enthusiastically is not really relevant to that point. It only goes to show the power of its narrative and the institutional power that accompanied and reinforced it. None of that changes its status as a colonial relic. Does it?
You would be really hurt if the celebration day of your lord was turned into a government holiday, a commercial day, get drunk and wasred time, and Santa Claus day. Anything but about Lord Jesus the Christ.
Inuit became christians because it was less complicated than living under taboos and curses.
Many Inuit are actually spiritually born again christians.
Christianity took what was an ancient pagan celebration around solstice and quite literally hijacked it and made it it’s own. Why? To subvert non Christian belief systems. When you consider this, consider that there’s really nothing to feel hurt about, if anything you might consider apologizing.
Many Inuit?
I will take the day off work, gladly.
spend time with Family. but I’m not overtly religious.
I have my beliefs. which are mine and my Families. My Family may have theirs, which I respect.
I would rather celebrate Festivus instead of Your Christian Holiday.
speaking of which, I need an aluminum pole and don’t want to be late for the “Airing of Grievances” and the “Feats of Strength”
😉
Apologize over nothing that hurts no part of you?
It is just pointless.
I apologize you people will make heaven.