Native Sounds - Pamyua

23 August 2012
7:17 PM

Sunrise at	6:05 AM	in direction	61°	East-northeast
Sunset at	9:39 PM	in direction	299°	West-northwest

Duration of day: 15 hours, 34 minutes (6 minutes, 48 seconds shorter than yesterday)

Early each year as the light is past the three darkest months of November, December and January, but before winter has fled, the Native Arts Festival is held in Davis Concert Hall.  They had to put a stop to potlatch BBQs in the Great Hall, but the Native Veteran Honor Guard, days of drumming, singing, and dancing, and crafts for sale more than make up for its loss.  Native dancers of the far north distinguish themselves by emphasis on hand motions and story telling over foot work.

Regional dancers and drummers come to participate, each representing the subtle differences of their village, ethnicity, and cultural history.  Alaska is home to five cultural/regional groups, Northern Bering Sea (Inupiat Inuit ), Southern Bering Sea (Yup'ik Inuit), Interior (Athabascan), the Aleutian Island ring (Unangax & Alutiq), and Southeast Coast (Eyak, Tlingit, Haida & Tsimshian). Eleven languages and twenty-two dialects are spoken among native people in Alaska.

I thought of it today because I noticed NPR had an interview with Pamyua founder, Phillip Blanchett.  When John Baker won the Iditarod in a spectacular and fast run, 2011, he was greeted from Unalakleet on up the coast by Inuit villagers, proud of his achievement.  When he arrived in Nome, Inupiak native drummers were at the finish.  He commented on how good it was to come in and hear the sounds of drums from his people's history.  Phillip Blanchett and his brother developed harmonies based on the drumming tradition and songs of the Inuit.

YouTube excerpts showcase this group's wonderful blend of western harmony with Inuit tradition:

Gathering of the Nations - Stage 49

Intimate Setting & Remarkably Clear Diction - Overtones of throat singing

Behind the scenes view - Notice the stationary placement of feet, and subtle graceful, while vigorous, movements of body, arms and head.

Traditional Inuit Throat Singing - delightful Canadian sisters

Drum Dancing at the Muskrat Jamboree Festival 2010, NT - This video of Northwest Territory group gives you a feeling for the Native Arts Festival.  

Enjoy!