Katajjaq, also know as Inuit Throat singing, Iirngaaq, Piqqusiraarniq, Qiarvaaqtuq, or Nipaquhiit, is a practice found among the Inuit people. It is practiced almost exclusively by women and originates as a form of musical entertainment among the women while the men were out hunting.
Katajjaq is a form of game or competition as well as music. Inuit women try to outlast each other in throat singing, the first to run out of breath or laugh is the loser. In some instances, the women move closer and closer to each other, using one another's mouths to resonate the sound; this variation of the game has become uncommon. However, the Katajjaq practiced today still requires two people to share close proximity with eachother and for them to be in harmony. Even to learn to throat sing, one must be taught by another, usually an elder. Throat singing is therefore a useful cultural tool for strengthening relationships.
Banned by christian priests until relatively recently, Katajjaq has been revived among both young and old Inuit people. It is seen as a piece of tradition in a culture that has been lost and changed by both time and oppression. The practice has been brought into popular culture mainly by Tanya Tagaq, an inuit woman who has developed a style of solo Katajjaq and has sung with notable artists such as Björk and Mike Patton. Hopefully, this beautiful form of art will continue to have a place in modern music, promoting harmony and creativity in our global culture as it has done for the inuit since long ago.
That is really neat, I have never seen or heard of this before. I wish I could see how they do it because the singing is so strange! I would like to actually see someone attempt it rather than on videos! The third video is good though, I wonder how someone came up with this!
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