logo
Elisapie's Juno-nominated album: Promoting Inuktitut through music

Elisapie's Juno-nominated album: Promoting Inuktitut through music

Yahoo29-03-2025
Singer Elisapie's fourth album, Inuktitut, has been nominated for album of the year at the 2025 Juno Awards being held this weekend in Vancouver.
The album features covers of 10 pop and classic rock songs, including the Rolling Stones's 'Wild Horses' and Metallica's 'The Unforgiven,' re-imagined in Inuktitut. Inuktitut is the first language of 33,790 Inuit in Canada, according to the 2021 Census.
Elisapie's nomination offers a good opportunity to reflect on the situation of Inuktitut and how creative work, including music, helps promote it.
Our work touches on the inter-generational transmission of Inuktitut. We share perspectives as a Qallunaaq (non-Inuk) linguist (Richard) and as an Inuk school teacher (Sarah) in Nunavik, with Sarah's personal experiences in the community highlighted.
Together, we have co-taught courses for Inuit teachers in Puvirnituq and Ivujivik. We are also both affiliated with a research group focused on Indigenous education based at Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue.
Sarah notes that:
I was amazed that [Elsipasie] could make the long words in Inuktitut fit with the rhythm of the music; she did it so precisely. It took me back to the 1980s, when I was growing up. It would have been nice if songs like these had been interpreted back then. It's been a long time coming, but it shows that nothing is impossible. The songs sound so natural in Inuktitut.
On the day we talked about this story, Sarah remembered:
I was at the Snow Festival yesterday [in Puvirnituq], and some of the teenagers knew all the words to her songs and were singing along. We didn't have that when I was growing up.
She remembers first seeing Elisapie sing in the early 1990s at one of the first snow festivals in Puvirnituq.
Elisapie's album has also sparked interest outside of Canada, with stories in such venues as Rolling Stone, Vogue and Le Monde.
Beyond how Elisapie beautifully interprets the songs, creative choices like using throat singing on the first track, 'Isumagijunnaitaungituq (The Unforgiven),' and stunning music videos showcasing life in the North brings the language to a wider audience.
The album's cover art features the word Inuktitut, ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ, in syllabics — a writing system originally use for Cree and adapted to Inuktitut, where the individual symbols represent consonants and the way they point represents vowels.
The word Inuktitut itself means 'like the Inuit,' and is the name for part of a wider language continuum spoken across the North American Arctic. This language continuum includes Iñupiaq in Alaska, Uummarmiutun, Sallirmiutun and Inuinnaqtun in the Western Canadian Arctic, Inuktitut in the Eastern Arctic, Inuttut in Labrador and Kalaallisut in Greenland.
This abundance of names reflects a diversity of varieties, each with their own pronunciations and differences in grammar and vocabulary stretching across Inuit Nunangat, the Inuit homeland.
Speakers in each community look to their Elders as models of how the language should be spoken. While this multiplicity of dialects poses challenges for translation and creating teaching materials, each variety marks local identity and links generations.
This diversity also fascinates linguists, as each variety attests to a different way of organizing the unconscious rules of grammar in the human mind.
For instance, Inuktitut has a rich system of tense markers on verbs, signalling events that just happened, happened earlier today, before today or long ago. Inuinnaqtun, to the west, lacks most of these tense markers, but instead allows more complex combinations of sounds.
Sarah stresses the importance of Elisapie's music for the language:
It's so impressive that people like Elisapie are doing such amazing things with the language. She grew up around the same time as me and when I was in school there were so few teaching materials in Inuktitut, and we focused more on speaking than reading and writing. Even if her main goal might not have been to promote the language, she's doing it, because kids listen to her. More teenagers are willing to sing in Inuktitut now because they have role models like her and Beatrice Deer.
Deer is an Inuk and Mohawk musician from Quaqtaq, Nunavik, who also sings in Inuktitut, as well as English and French.
In Canada, all levels of government have failed to provide adequate access to education in Indigenous languages, even in regions where Indigenous Peoples form the majority.
In Nunavik, where Elisapie is from, 90 per cent of the population (12,590 out of 14,050) identifies as Inuit and 87 per cent (12,245 out of 14,050) report Inuktitut as their first language. And yet Inuktitut is only the primary language of instruction up until Grade 3.
About promoting Inuktitut, Sarah says:
We're lucky that in most of the villages in Nunavik, the language is still strong. But it's still concerning that some people have started speaking in English to their kids. What we really need to promote it is to have school in Inuktitut from kindergarten to the end of high school [secondary 5 in Québec]. That's why a group of Inuit teachers, including me, visited Greenland to learn more about their education system. They've had schools in their language for almost 200 years. We just started in the '50s.
While bilingualism may bring economic benefits, the lack of support for Indigenous languages often results in a situation where bilingualism robs children of the chance to fully develop in their first language.
In addition to violating Indigenous Peoples' inherent right to get an education in their language (see the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples), current education policies also go against recommendations of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
UNESCO recommends that Indigenous minority languages be taught as the primary language in school for the first six to eight years, as this has been shown to contribute to children's well-being and self-esteem.
Unfortunately, Canada's official language laws continue to place the two colonial languages of English and French above Indigenous languages, particularly in education funding.
Read more:
New challenges have also emerged for maintaining and extending the domains in which Inuktitut is used. Once cut off from high-speed internet, new satellite technology has brought access to more Inuit communities, along with new economic opportunities.
However, this connectivity also brings an avalanche of English content, from viral videos and streaming platforms to social networks and mobile games.
It is in this changing linguistic and media landscape where Inuktitut language and cultural production, like Elisapie's album, are vital for promoting Inuktitut.
Children and teenagers need content that speaks to them — things they see as new, fun, cool and representing their generation. This includes music, comic books, novels, video games and even Hockey Night in Canada in Inuktitut.
So whether Elisapie's music is being played in community radio stations, featured in an episode of CBC's North of North or streamed as a music video on social media, it serves the added role of taking up a little more space for Inuktitut in people's daily lives.
This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organisation bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Richard Compton, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) and Sarah Angiyou, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT)
Read more:
Canada should provide Indigenous languages with constitutional protection
Ancestral languages are essential to Indigenous identities in Canada
Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto designers are showcasing resistance and resurgence
Richard Compton receives funding in the form of research grants from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. He holds the Canada Research Chair in Transmission and Knowledge of the Inuit Language.
Sarah Angiyou does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Today in Chicago History: ‘Boy orator' William Jennings Bryan delivers ‘Cross of Gold' speech
Today in Chicago History: ‘Boy orator' William Jennings Bryan delivers ‘Cross of Gold' speech

Chicago Tribune

time12 hours ago

  • Chicago Tribune

Today in Chicago History: ‘Boy orator' William Jennings Bryan delivers ‘Cross of Gold' speech

Here's a look back at what happened in the Chicago area on July 8, according to the Tribune's archives. Is an important event missing from this date? Email us. Weather records (from the National Weather Service, Chicago) 1896: William Jennings Bryan stepped onto the podium at the Democratic National Convention inside the Chicago Coliseum at 63rd Street and Stony Island Avenue, and demonstrated that reformers could profit from working within the system rather than fighting it. Stretching his arms wide, he mimed Jesus' crucifixion. Chicago's history with hosting Democratic and Republican conventions dates back to 1860'You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns!' he thundered. 'You shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold!' Bryan played third-party politics to his advantage. He won the nomination but lost to William McKinley. 1978: The Rolling Stones headlined at Soldier Field for the first time. The stadium was filled on a steamy summer day with 80,000 fans, with opening acts Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, Peter Tosh and Journey, featuring new vocalist Steve Perry. The Rolling Stones in Chicago: A timeline of the band's 55-year fascination with the city's bluesThe Stones' set list included most of the songs on the quintet's latest release, 'Some Girls.' Later that night Jagger dropped in on a Lefty Dizz set at Kingston Mines. 1989: Nirvana played Club Dreamerz on Milwaukee Avenue. A 1973 Fender Maverick guitar that lead singer Kurt Cobain played during the show sold for almost $500,000 during a 2022 auction. Subscribe to the free Vintage Chicago Tribune newsletter, join our Chicagoland history Facebook group, stay current with Today in Chicago History and follow us on Instagram for more from Chicago's past.

'Our final song ... ever': Legendary metal singer performs at huge send-off concert
'Our final song ... ever': Legendary metal singer performs at huge send-off concert

Yahoo

time20 hours ago

  • Yahoo

'Our final song ... ever': Legendary metal singer performs at huge send-off concert

Ozzy Osbourne played his final show during a send-off concert called 'Back to the Beginning' in Birmingham, England, the city where the hugely influential Black Sabbath first formed in 1968. The concert served as both a tribute and farewell at Villa Park, and included an all-star cast of bands such as Metallica, Slayer, Guns N' Roses, Tool, Pantera and Anthrax, among others. The event ran for 11 hours and streamed live globally to hundreds of thousands of fans. Osbourne, 76, has faced several health issues over the years and Saturday's show marked the final performance for the singer known as the 'Prince of Darkness.' The singer has not performed live due to health issues, including Parkinson's disease and emphysema, in nearly seven years, according to The New York Times. He took the stage with the original members of Black Sabbath from the 1970s — guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Terence Butler, and drummer Bill Ward — for a four-song set. 'It's so good to be on this (expletive) stage, you have no idea,' Osbourne told the crowd. The legendary singer performed the show while sitting in a black winged throne. The original Black Sabbath line-up played some of their biggest songs: 'War Pigs,' 'NIB,' 'Iron Man,' and 'Paranoid.' In a question and answer with communications agency Premier Comms, the singer said the Back to the Beginning concert was to 'say thank you to my fans for always supporting me and being there for me.' 'I couldn't have done my final show anywhere else,' he said of playing the gig in his hometown of Birmingham. 'I had to go back to the beginning.' When Black Sabbath arrived at their last song of the night, Osbourne struck a grateful tone, the Times reported. 'Unfortunately, we've come to our final song ... ever,' Osbourne said. 'I just want to say to you on behalf of the guys in Black Sabbath and myself, your support over the years has made it all possible for us to live the lifestyle that we do. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I love you; we love you.' Sharon Osbourne, the singer's wife, organized the performances along with Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello. 'I've been doing this since I was 15, and I'm done,' the 72-year-old told Billboard. 'We just want to live our life and do what we want to do and not have to follow an itinerary anymore.' Classic children's brand opens arcade for adults in New England featuring 'historic' animatronic Eggs won't cost more at these 2 popular breakfast restaurants Scoop up nostalgia and a sugar rush at this cereal-ice cream fusion spot in Mass. How to watch the Macy's 4th of July Fireworks Special for free tonight Read the original article on MassLive.

After decades of tension, Axl Rose and James Hetfield meet again at Black Sabbath's final show
After decades of tension, Axl Rose and James Hetfield meet again at Black Sabbath's final show

San Francisco Chronicle​

timea day ago

  • San Francisco Chronicle​

After decades of tension, Axl Rose and James Hetfield meet again at Black Sabbath's final show

Metallica's James Hetfield and Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose shared a quiet reunion backstage at Black Sabbath's farewell concert over the weekend — a rare moment for two metal giants whose infamous 1992 tour ended in conflict and chaos. 'Back to the Beginning' at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, on Saturday, July 5, marked the final performance of Black Sabbath and its frontman, Ozzy Osbourne. The sold-out show, hosted by 'Aquaman' star Jason Momoa, drew more than 40,000 fans and a jaw-dropping lineup of rock royalty, including Metallica, Guns N' Roses, Slayer, Pantera, Alice in Chains, Steven Tyler, Ronnie Wood, Billy Corgan, Sammy Hagar, Fred Durst and others. — Axl Rose (@axlrose) July 6, 2025 The two hadn't been known to share much common ground since their tumultuous co-headlining tour in 1992, which famously derailed in Montreal when Hetfield was injured by pyrotechnics and Rose cut Guns N' Roses' set short, triggering a riot. Reflecting on the debacle in a 2013 interview with Howard Stern, Hetfield didn't mince words. 'Guns N' Roses stood for everything we didn't like,' he said. But on Saturday, old grievances seemed to melt away. Metallica delivered a blistering six-song set, including Black Sabbath covers like 'Hole in the Sky' and 'Johnny Blade.' Guns N' Roses followed with a punchy 25-minute tribute, performing four Black Sabbath tracks as a five-piece — the band's first time playing without keyboardist Dizzy Reed and multi-instrumentalist Melissa Reese in 35 years. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ozzy Osbourne (@ozzyosbourne) Then came the night's emotional climax: Osbourne, 76, took the stage solo for five songs. 'Are you ready?' Osbourne shouted. 'Let the madness begin!' Seated in a black leather throne, the 'Crazy Train' singer, who has been living with Parkinson's disease, rallied the audience with trademark charm. He was later joined by original Black Sabbath bandmates — guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler, and drummer Bill Ward — for a final four-song farewell. It was the first time in 20 years the original lineup had performed together. As the last notes rang out, a cake was brought on stage and fireworks erupted above Villa Park, signaling the end of a historic night. 'This is the last song ever,' Osbourne told the crowd. 'Your support has enabled us to live an amazing lifestyle — thank you from the bottom of our hearts. I love you.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ozzy Osbourne (@ozzyosbourne) 'Wow!! What an EVENT!! Extremely overwhelming!! … MET OZZY!! (Crazy we'd never met b4!!),' he said after the concert. 'Was hard as I imagine for anyone to watch his struggles while at the same time everyone was rooting for him n' massively respecting the challenges he took head on n' HE DID IT!!!!' Osbourne responded in kind. 'My first time meeting Axl Rose,' he wrote on Instagram, 'at my age you don't get to meet many legends, seriously an utter gentleman.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store