PIQSIQ: Throat Singing Inuit Sister Duo
Kayley Inuksuk Mackay and Tiffany Kuliktana Ayalik are an Inuit sister-duo originally from Nunavut”s Kitikmeot and Kivalliq regions (Canada). They grew up in Yellowknife North Western Territories. Their first introduction to throat singing came from their Nunavut cousins, who would send them cassette recordings of traditional throat singing (katajjag). At first, their throat singing was not serious, rather, it was a way to have fun and pass the time with each other and their cousins. Growing up, the sisters fought frequently, but throat singing was a common bond that could help them resolve their arguments.
As the sisters became adults, they started to learn more about their Inuit heritage and found that it was dark and violent. They learned that before its revision in 1951, the Indian Act created by the Canadian government banned throat singing and other indigenous cultural and religious practices. Throat singing was punishable by a fine, or even jail time, so it went underground. When they learned about the horrible history behind their favorite childhood pastime, something changed for the duo. Throat singing became more than just a fun way to bond, it became a way to reclaim their Inuit culture and resist the colonialism that almost caused throat singing to go extinct.
Once they started to take throat singing seriously as a professional pursuit, the sisters had trouble figuring out how to incorporate a traditional practice into the modern world. At first, they were very strict on only performing their songs in the traditional manner, exactly as they had been taught by their cousins from Nunavut. But, they eventually realized that they were not the Inuits of 100 years ago, or even 50. They began to see their identity as 21st-century Indigenous women as a strength that could help them create a new form of music unique to them, by using technology to enhance their songs.
Both of the sisters grew up participating in church choirs, where they learned the value of singing in a large group of people. This connection also applies to their Indigenous heritage, as throat singing traditionally could be a form of group ritual used for religious purposes. Even though they are just two women, by using modern technology and recording devices, they are able to create a symphony of throat singers that makes it sound like a 100 artists at once. The sisters love this because they are able to create a new world that previously only existed in their imagination. They hope that one day they will be in a room with 100 throat singers, and won’t need to use the computer to create it.
I would describe PIQSIQ’s songs as haunting, powerful, and beautiful. Sometimes, during the songs, I can’t tell which sister is singing because they often sing the same song, just at different stages. Their songs utilize repetition and a mix of low, throaty sounds, and high-pitched melodic screeches. Although there are no lyrics that I can understand, the combination of sounds that the sisters make are the lyrics. They imitate ordinary sounds and combine them to make songs that are enchanting, magical, and dark.
Works Cited:
https://www.cbc.ca/music/meet-piqsiq-inuit-style-throat-singing-sisters-and-inventors-of-a-new-instrument-called-the-death-harp-1.6062520
https://www.inuitartfoundation.org/iaq-online/act-resistance-interview-piqsiq
https://www.nanaimobulletin.com/entertainment/inuit-throat-singing-sisters-to-perform-at-indigenous-sun-festival-in-nanaimo-7116879
It’s telling that both of the artists we chose only slowly reclaimed their traditional practice of making music a bit later in their lives. The sisters of Piqsiq who were first around throat singing over cassettes and Terry Uyarak who grew up as his elders also grappled with the trauma from the Indian Act of 1951. It puts the time scale of this violence into a different context when you hear from adults whose grandparents were threatened or forbidden from singing or speaking their native language. Most elders you talk to Alaska have a similar story to tell, it makes the work of these artists all the more powerful. I also found the sister’s music mesmerizing. Despite the technology they blend in, the sounds are natural, strong, and memory-inducing. Like the sisters, I would absolutely lose my mind to hear a symphony of throat singers (or realistically any in person)!
One of the most interesting things about this assignment is the larger purpose of the music. In recent history, the trend in popular music has shifted away from meaningful lyrics exploring the significance of one’s life and more towards relatable ballads that can sell. However, what is interesting about a lot of the indigenous music that I have come across is that regardless of when the band existed, each of these musical groups seem to have the same drive of broadcasting and preserving their culture. In this duo, they are reclaiming throat singing from the Indian Act of 1951. They are trying to show the broader public the importance of this tradition and honoring their ancestors affected by the horrifying law. Similarly, the artist I studied, John Angaiak also used music as a way to preserve his culture. While he published music decades before PIQSIQ, he had the similar motivation of holding on to his ancestry and its language/tradition.
I was very drawn to this duo because of their relationship as sisters. I thought it was compelling how you gave the background about how throat singing has had an impact on their relationship and it made me appreciate their music more when I listened to it to hear the beautiful synchrony they made together. They musicians I wrote about were a husband/wife duo and I feel like it gives an added weight to the songs when it comes from people who share a lot of love for each other or even just important life experiences in general. I agree that their music was very haunting and almost felt like a reclamation of power when listening to it. I also find it very interesting how they were able to modernize their music and how that in itself kind of sends a message of “we will not be forgotten.” I admire their efforts to continue this traditional art form and continue to share it and with that share the history, beautiful and tragic, behind it.
I would agree that the best way to describe PIQSIQ’s music is “haunting.” I believe that the haunting sound, and the message that the music wishes to portray goes hand in hand. The idea of reclaiming tradition and agency as an indigenous person seems to be a poignant message, and one that traverses most indigenous artists in one way or another. For example, my artist, John Angaiak, used much more lighthearted and simple tones, yet with his lyrics he wove together a tapestry describing the beauty of untouched indigenous life, and the sadness he felt regarding the fact that his people were disappearing. I had never heard of the Indian Act of 1951, but I would imagine that it played a major role in inspiring many indigenous artists to reclaim their sound. I wonder, given Angaiak’s having released music back in 1971, if this act partly caused the more modern, less unique sounds of his music, despite his lyrics being full of symbolism. Really interested to learn more.