Nanook, one of GreenlandSA国际影视传媒檚 most popular rock/pop bands, was formed 15 years ago and its members have watched the evolution of Nunavut unfold while taking the opportunity to perform at home and abroad.
"WeSA国际影视传媒檝e been to Kuujjuaq, Inukjuak and, I think, Iqaluit, three or four times now,SA国际影视传媒� said Christian Elsner, lead guitarist and vocalist for Nanook, speaking in the backroom of Atlantic Music Shop, his music store in downtown Nuuk. Elsner and his brother performed acoustically at the Alianait Arts Festival in Iqaluit after being invited for Alianait Arts Festival 6th to 9th of July.
SA国际影视传媒淪ix years ago we were there for the second time. The whole band. This year some of the [other] band members couldnSA国际影视传媒檛 go, but we went anyway, my brother Frederik and I. It was very good. People were happy.
SA国际影视传媒淭he first time, I remember we were very surprised how similar people are, there to here. We have the same humour; the language, we can almost understand. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 like 70-80 per cent [that] we can understand each other. If there are some words [we donSA国际影视传媒檛 understand] we just switch to English for a little bit, but we try to speak in Greenlandic, and they speak their Inuktitut to us, and it feels pretty good. So that was very surprising to me, that you kind of felt home when you tour in Nunavut.SA国际影视传媒�
Similar people, similar problems
The Elsners' father is Inuk.
SA国际影视传媒淚 remember one of the band members, one of his first impressions were the Inuit take a lot of pride in the culture, and they want to speak their language. I think thatSA国际影视传媒檚 a good thing... here, itSA国际影视传媒檚 very European, mixed with Greenlandic... that is a huge difference I think, in good and bad.
SA国际影视传媒淥ne of the bad sides [of] Nunavut, you have the same problems as here with drugs, alcohol abuse, suicide," Elsner said.
Greenland, which is within the Kingdom of Denmark, considers suicide to be one of its most significant national social issues as well. Until 2012, it had the highest suicide rate in the world, rising steadily from the 1970s until 1994, with an observed rate of 107 suicides annually per 100,000 people. The rates, it was noted, were similar to those observed in Canadian Inuit. It now accounts for eight per cent of total deaths in Greenland, and is the leading cause of death in young men in the 15-29 demographic. However, there has been an improvement in the last decade.
Both jurisdictions also suffer from a housing shortage but it's more pronounced in Nunavut, Elsner remarked, SA国际影视传媒淚 think thatSA国际影视传媒檚 one of the sad parts, compared to here. I think [housing here] is more developed, in that case. The saddest thing, I think, I told everyone I met over there as well, itSA国际影视传媒檚 such beautiful nature, but so much garbage all over the place. I donSA国际影视传媒檛 understand why. We went fishing with some of our Nunavut friends, and there were cans all over the place, bags of rubbish, just all over the place. It seems accepted over there... it was normal just to throw a can on the road. Where here, you would be told by the guy next to you, SA国际影视传媒楬ey! Pick that up!SA国际影视传媒� Where as in Iqaluit itSA国际影视传媒檚 fine.SA国际影视传媒� SA国际影视传媒� SA国际影视传媒淚 hope they will get a return system with cans like we have here SA国际影视传媒� it really helps."
Elsner, who spent nine days in Iqaluit for the Alianait Arts Festival, is quick to point out that, SA国际影视传媒渙ne of the good things, over there, [is that] they are very open-hearted. They welcome people home. WeSA国际影视传媒檝e been welcomed into several homes SA国际影视传媒� we have new friends. They want to share, especially the hunters, they want to share food. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 a very common thing over here as well, so I like that a lot. The people who drink a lot, and do drugs, thatSA国际影视传媒檚 a very visible thing in the streets, but there are also many people who [have] another life, have very responsible family [lives] over there, who [donSA国际影视传媒檛] drink much. WeSA国际影视传媒檝e met those as well. So there are both sides, of course, like in Greenland...
SA国际影视传媒淚 remember when we were there in 2018. ThereSA国际影视传媒檚 been a lot of changes. There are more people from outside [Canada]... I kind of think that this has done something. Just like here, I think some people people feel like they are alienated in their home.
SA国际影视传媒淸ItSA国际影视传媒檚] the small differences... the construction of buildings, looks very similar to our international airport Kangerlussuaq... but you see people are drunk, without partying, outside several places all night. And you donSA国际影视传媒檛 see that as much here as you do there...It was more visual this time I think, maybe because there are more people from outside [Nunavut] suddenly and in a small town like Iqaluit, it can really have some consequences on the people trying to re-adapt to their own home... but thatSA国际影视传媒檚 a whole world issue.SA国际影视传媒�
Bringing people closer together
Nunavummiut and Greenlanders are enjoying a summer of cross-cultural pollination with the new Canadian North/Air Greenland route.
SA国际影视传媒淚 think this flight will do a lot to bring people [in Greenland] closer to the people in Iqaluit, or in the rest of Nunavut," said Elsner.
"Also this year, thereSA国际影视传媒檚 a huge step in music where all Greenlandic music [is] available in Canada and the rest of the world, and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 the first time ever. We have about 500 music productions in Greenland. Now they are available on Spotify and Apple Music.
SA国际影视传媒淭hat will also bring us closer to the people over there, I think, because they like Greenlandic music... itSA国际影视传媒檚 developed a lot for the last 15 years.SA国际影视传媒�
Elsner credits developments in music production technology with allowing artists more freedom to experiment and produce new sounds with this boom.
SA国际影视传媒淵ou donSA国际影视传媒檛 need like $100,000 to make an album anymore, so people get more creative at home, and you can sometimes hear it when people have spent many hours on their productions.
SA国际影视传媒淢e and [my] band Nanook, weSA国际影视传媒檝e had problems trying to get music out in Canada... so itSA国际影视传媒檚 a huge step that people can now hear us on Spotify. Not only us, but other bands. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 really nice... I think weSA国际影视传媒檒l get more listeners in Canada.SA国际影视传媒�
Their latest album is entitled "Ilutsinniit Apuussilluta (Bringing the Message From Within)". The single Saliutitani is available on YouTube: .
"The song is about how the quick development in Nuuk also has had its consequences," says Elsner. "Nuuk, being the smallest capital in the world, has many big city tendencies with skyscrapers and construction all over. [The] few rich people get [richer], owning half of Nuuk, while more and more people are struggling with paying the bills. Inflation has been going fast and is not stopping soonSA国际影视传媒�
So the video is quite urban with animation and footage from Nuuk SA国际影视传媒� showing it can be difficult maintaining the true culture and the ancient values in such [an] environment. When people donSA国际影视传媒檛 adapt [to] these new times, it can sometimes make them feel alienated and result in alcoholism and other kinds of abuse as some kind of comfort. [Men] feel un-needed in the community, and if that spreads it can end tragically.
"So, the songs is quite heavy and comes from a perspective in Nuuk seeing it all from beneathSA国际影视传媒�"
Speaking specifically about the influence Inuit artists have on each other, Elsner says, SA国际影视传媒淲hen we perform at festivals, we see a lot of other artists SA国际影视传媒� the way they perform, they sound and the way they write music. So of course we get influenced. And I hope we influence them as well. So it goes both ways. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 the good thing about these festivals: many different kinds of artists meet and collaborate.
"I think itSA国际影视传媒檚 beautiful how much support Nunavut gets for cultural events. Inuit get good opportunities to express themselves through art and performances. It is clear that budgets are huge compared to here, and maybe that have also been an important part of getting the people coming together and obtaining their original roots. Through songs, spoken words, art it sometimes become [ok] to mention subjects you sometimes canSA国际影视传媒檛 in the everyday."
