Throat Singing
I chose this genre of music as it is something I haven’t deeply listened to before or appreciated it as an art, to me it was just people damaging their throats. Now I have looked at the history of the genre I appreciate why it was made and how it works. Katutjatut throat singing originates from the Inuit communities, which is a unique form of music found in communities across, Canada, Greenland, Arctic and Alaska.
Inuit throat singing was regarded not as a form of musical performance but more as a type of vocal or breathing game. It was invented as a form of entertainment amongst the women of these communities whilst the men were away hunting. I was intrigued to read how the game works, two women face each other they then throat sing once one woman runs out of breath or laughs they are eliminated from the game, the winner is the singer who beats the most people.
I firstly listened to Alacie Tullaugag & Lucy Amarualik- ‘Piararmit Inaquitik’ this is the most traditional style of Canadian Katutjatut throat singing. I was pleasantly surprised about how much it sounded like music, each time I listened to it I heard something new, the rhythmic patterns they were singing and even intertwined the breathes in between as their own rhythm.
The next piece I listened to was actually a TEDX talk with Punk Inuit throat singer Tanya Tagaq, which was one of the strangest things I’ve watched she demonstrated many different throat singing techniques whilst using her body to portray certain parts of the story she was telling. As much as it was unusual I could appreciate her vocal techniques and how much she threw herself into the performance.
The final piece I watched was a live video of the Inuit throat singing game with Kathy Keknek and Janet Aglukkaq, here they demonstrated how well their breathing support works and the different dynamics and ranges they both have whilst throat singing.
Andros Island
Traditional Bahamas songs were originally sung by spongers from Andros Island when they were in the sail boats for weeks at a time. It would include a lead singer/rhymer who begins singing the melody, this is then taken by a group of singers who change the tempos, dynamics and tonal level. The rhythmic patterns throughout the songs are influenced by the movement of the sea, the tempos change because of the unpredictability of the ocean.
The first piece I listened to ‘Round the bay of Mexico’ by David Pryor there were two singers who created very interesting textures and harmonies throughout it, the piece was short but told a story, it was clear the rise and fall of the melodies represented the ocean that the boat was on, I enjoyed the piece as I hadn’t heard anything like it before.
‘Long time ago’ By David Pryor was the second piece I listened to, here there was a distinct leader who would sing the statements all with the ending of ‘Long Time Ago’ here is where the other three men would join in.
The final song I listened to was ‘When the whale get strike’ again by David Pryor this was my favourite piece as the lyrics were beautiful, and the textures where fitting to the story. I feel very relaxed when listening to these pieces as the voices are soothing, and the story is usually of love, spirit or nature.
In conclusion I’ve come to appreciate both Inuit throat singing and traditional Andros island music as an art. After deeply listening to both genres which I had never listened to before, it was interesting to know why they came about and how they’ve evolved throughout the years, and how they’ve influenced other genres.
Shelemay, K. K. (2015). Soundscapes: Exploring music in a changing world - third edition. New York: W.W. Norton.
Inuit throat singing comments:
Q: Even within the game, is there still a level of “performance” or the idea of “excellence” within throat singing?
A: I believe there is still a level of performance and a level of professionalism within the ‘game’, you would have to be trained in this to not hurt your throat. I find the entire musical experience excellent and fascinating, I’m impressed with the lung capacity of I also think it would be a difficult game to do without laughing!
Q: Would it be okay for someone outside of the community to come in and join the game or “judge” the performance?
A: I personally would find it enjoyable to join the game, however I would not like to judge or think I am qualified enough as I am not part of their culture to judge as a spectator.
Andros Songs comments:
Q: I was wondering if these songs created at sea could be compared to any sort of genre of music we are familiar with here in North America?
A: I believe they could be compared to the folk songs that are found in the north of Canada, songs such as ‘Frobisher Bay’ influenced by the sailors and the journey they’re on at sea.
Q: What were your immediate reactions listening to these songs and their changing rhythmic patterns and tempos according to the unpredictability of the ocean?
A: I enjoyed the influence of the sea on the songs and I found it beautiful that the sailors used their natural surroundings to influence their works.