Track Listing

1. Akulivimiuruvit
2. Uupingasami
3. Ummatinuvanga
4. Sikuliatsiajuittuq
5. Akuni - Takuniangimiranuk
6. Piuq Piuq
7. Inurama
8. Nunarijara
9. Alianarmat
10. Airuq
11. Qujarivarit

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #590176 in Music
• Released on: 1996-04-30
• Number of discs: 1

Album Description
Eleven songs sung entirely in Inuktitut by Tumassi Quitsaq in a bluesy rock style, at times veering into country and western, and at others in a progressive rock style, always enjoyable. Quitsaq's voice is distinctive, and best displayed when he toys with the pronunciation of Inuktitut words, evident to any listener, such as in "Sikuliaqsiajuittuq". This fine collection of songs is well recorded and destined to be a northern classic. "Qujarivarit", the closing track, is a brilliant piece of pop.

About the Artist
Tumassi comes from Niaqungnguuq settlement where he was born august 28, 1948 which was between Povugnituq and Akulivik. By 1976 his family moved to Akulivik where he is now the father of 2 children. Like many of the people there hunting and fishing are the way of life, plus putting to work his carving skills. While attending school in Moose Factory in 1976 a strong interest in music hit him after seeing the Billy Donson band performing which inticed Tumassi to start learning how to play the guitar. To this day still playing and writing songs. While his popularity grew he played and toured Nunavut, Nunavik, Ontario, and Quebec thus attracting attention from CBC in Montreal where his first recording was done then with Boot Records, to then record his first C.D. with Inukshuk Records.

Customer Reviews

Reviewing 8 CDs from the " Eskimo, Inuit " series

I am reviewing the eight CDs that I know of the series grouped under " Eskimo, Inuit " on Amazon.com ( which includes this one). To do it individually would take too long, I'll try & give an overall impression.

First, let me refer you to the site INUKSHUK, where you'll find samples & summaries, and to RAMBLES.net for reviews on each artist. You can't buy the CDs on these sites, but this series of CDs is now also listed in Europe: on AMAZON-DE ( AMAZON'S German branch ) - Good to know, as they are getting scarcer...

Having said that, I find that most of the samples on the Inukshuk site ( only one per CD anyway ) give such little justice to the albums they're supposed to represent, I actually waited a very long time before buying most of them - I shouldn't have: once I could listen to the whole albums, immersed into the northern atmosphere & experience, I was enchanted.

LAINA TULLAUGAK & HENOCH TOWNLEY, I bought first, a few of years ago, and they' re great:
- LAINA's album, all sung in Inuktitut ( Inuit ) like most in this series, is quite short, but chipper & spirited and gives a feeling of positiveness and poise. The first song instantly makes you feel far abroad, the melody being, well,...not anything you'd ever hear made in Europe or the US. Again, the sample given is not typical, as that song is the least zesty of the lot. This album is lovely, but only 7 songs is a bit short - come on Laina, give us more!

- HENOCH's album I think is rather well described in the 3 reviews on Amazon.com. He's the only one in the lot who doesn't sing in Inuktitut, though, which is my biggest criticism for it, even if the northern flavour is there anyway. I hope he makes a second album, and that it will include at least a few songs in Inuktitut, with the lyrics both printed in Inuktikut AND translated in the inserts!...

NOW ABOUT ALL FOUR BELOW BANDS/ ARTISTS ( TUMASSI QUITSAK, UVAGUT, NINGIUK, QIMUTJUIT ):

From the samples, I imagined something more in the lines of plain old rock ( seasoned with Inuktikut ), which it absolutely ISN'T. Of course there is some rock in parts, but it's accessory to the whole effect, and many songs are quite gentle and/ or meditative too. Also, there's a degree of earnestness, a feeling of non-fiction and reality in the lyrics, that elevates them over the usual pop & rock songs - whether you understand the lyrics or not, you can feel it to some extent, pervading the mood: they know what they want to sing & celebrate & share, and make that felt - and that is not your everyday, oh-baby kind of pop stuff.
When it's about people, then ( as I have noticed is the case with most songwriters of the arctic & subarctic, & not just Inuit ), it's about or to a son, a daughter, or all the children of the whole extended family, or even tribe, or even of the whole world, a wife, a grand parent - AT LEAST as much as about sweethearts... Definitely not pop. And I wouldn't call it folk or country either, except perhaps in bits. It's rather in a class OF ITS OWN.

On none of these albums do the instruments seem too loud or do they drown the vocals, who take pride of place - something that wasn't always clear on the samples, so that was a relief to find. The singing is sometimes very slow & there is breathing space, which really suits the style & language. I also found that, unlike when I heard the samples, I tend to focus on the vocals & sound of the language, & forget a bit about the instrumental arrangements.

- TUMASSI QUITSAK ( self-titled album ) I find very relaxing, with the lead vocals so serene & peaceful & ... ' Innuit-sounding' ( how do I start to describe this? I won't ). As a reviewer on Rambles says " the vocals keep their feet soundly on the ground", even though on some songs " the passion in the song blows you away". Pity this band forgot to give us any translation!

- UVAGUT surprises by the high-pitched vocals in many songs - not all: Different leads singers take turns. I would bet some songs also include female vocals ( all names in credits seem male, except " Ooleena" which could be female?); the band has 6 members. Like the others of the series, they sing their love for their land, for their ways & culture, & about their strong & loving family bonds, etc. All the lyrics are there, translated, in the inserts. Nice & relaxing. I especially love track 3 ( one with the high-pitched lead vocals)...

- CHARLIE NINGIUK a reviewer on Rambles.net found " an interesting musical experience", but concluded " Now I can finally say I've heard just about 'everything'. If this album is any indication of true Inuit music, I won't need to travel this road again. It's too weird for my tastes!" Someone's cup of tea isn't another's - that it's unusual, truly different, is part of what I like!
I have now just received C. Ningiuk's second album as well, and think it's even better than his first! Again, I didn't like the sample they give for it, but trusted the album would feel different, and I was right.

- QIMUTJUIT, Just as interesting & pleasing as the others, I appreciate for the particularly skillful lead vocals ( & good vocal backing too) right from the first song - where each sentence ends in a unusual lingering way...

I now would like to try CHARLIE ADAMS - the only reason I am not reviewing him here is I can't yet: I ordered his CD "Inuit & Indians" early in March this year directly from Amazon.com, but I am still waiting for it 3 months later - I have a great fear I may end up hearing it's found to be unavailable afterall...

Just to mention one more of the series: A NORTHERN CHRISTMAS disappointed me. I find I don't listen to it much; the zest & spark ( and foreign sensation ) that I find in the above albums are rather missing, some songs feel even lethargic. After listening, I couldn't really see the point of this CD, even though the songs are sung in Inuktitut. It's always pleasing to hear this language, but even this got lost a little here, perhaps as the songs were not made for it. Not one to start from to introduce yourself to this series in any case. It isn't representative of the above albums at all.

So which album to start with? Ah, this I can't answer... But to conclude, I'll say all these CDs have got me so excited about the language, that I even went on to buy an Inuktitut-English dictionary!