Inuit music

Traditional Inuit music (sometimes Eskimo music, Inuit-Yupik music, Yupik music or Iñupiat music), the music of the Inuit, Yupik, and Iñupiat, has been based on drums used in dance music as far back as can be known, and a vocal style called katajjaq^[1] (Inuit throat singing) has become of interest in Canada and abroad.

Characteristics of Inuit music include recitative-like singing, complex rhythmic organization, a relatively small melodic range averaging about a sixth, prominence of major thirds and minor seconds melodically, and undulating melodic movement.^[2]

The Copper Inuit living around Coppermine River flowing north to Coronation Gulf have generally two categories of music. A song is called pisik (also known as pisiit or piheq) if the performer also plays drums and aton if he only dances.^[3] Each pisik functions as a personal song of a drummer and is accompanied by dancing and singing. Each drummer has his own style and performs during gatherings. One drum is used in the performance of a pisik and often begins in a slow tempo, gradually building in intensity.^[4] The wooden frame drum, called a qilaut is played on the edge with a wooden beater called a qatuk. The performer tilts the drum from one side to another and dances in rhythm of the beats.