The Tradition of Throat Singing Method in Inuit Culture
What is throat singing? Well, in the Inuit culture, throat singing was originally used by women to entertain themselves and each other. It was done while the men were off hunting. It was considered more of a game than music. Throat singing is known by several names, such as pirkusirtuk, nipaquhiit and katajjaq, depending on which region the throat singing is done in.
As far as how throat singing is done, it usually involves two women. It can be done with more than two and, sometimes, by men, though. Generally, the two women would stand or crouch and clasp arms. The throat singing would then be done in tandem. One woman would lead by making short sounds, leaving gaps between each sound. The other would fill the sound gaps with sounds of her own. Sometimes they also sway and rock, as they do the throat singing.
During throat singing, sometimes the women would use Inuit words. The words did not have a specific meaning within the context of the song, though. A lot of times, though, they just used meaningless syllables. Although not words, those syllables were usually reminiscent of noises that the Inuit women had heard. Animals and running water are two popular themes and the most popular of the Inuit throat singing songs usually start with one such identifying noise.
Inuit throat singing takes time to learn. Experts at it love to compete in fun vocal contests. Generally, the games are less than three minutes long. The loser is the one to stop, run out of breath or laugh. If it is a tournament-type format, the winner is whoever beats the most other players.
Inuits didn’t keep records of when throat singing started. In fact, the Inuit culture has relied on oral histories for everything. So, there is no exact way to tell when it started or why it is so different from other throat singing, such as that done in Mongolia. There are also some Inuit throat singing legends, which can’t be confirmed. At one time, supposedly, women sat so close that they could breath in each other’s mouths for the purpose of sound resonating. That is not done in modern times.
Inuit throat singing all but disappeared for nearly a hundred years. Christian priests placed a ban on it, but, in the last 20 or 30 years, the ban was removed and it has become more popular. Even the younger Inuit generation has taken up throat singing as a way to express themselves. The elders are finding that wonderful, too, as many Inuit traditions have been lost through the years. In fact, in September of 2001, there was a throat singing conference in Puvernituk, Nunavik. It allowed different regions to share their throat singing traditions. With tradition meeting technology, in the form of Inuit throat singing CD’s, there’s no doubt that this great tradition will continue to stand the test of time.
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