For our final song share I have decided to write about Traditional Inuit Throat Singing. I decided to find an example of this type of music because first of all, I know this music to be primarily preformed by women, and second I think it is extremely interesting. Inuit Throat Singing is a type of singing that originated as a “playful contest” between women in Inuit tribes. It is said to mimic the sounds of nature and animals that surround their communities. The specific sounds are produced by the singers using their “throat, belly and diaphragm” to make the sounds. The sounds they produce are very unique and can be surprising the first time you hear it.
I first heard of this music from a girl on social media who makes videos to bring awareness to her culture and specifically the art of throat singing. The first time I heard it I did not really understand the sounds being made, but after hearing it a few times, the things these women do with their voices became very fascinating. I can not imagine that it is easy to produce the sounds they do, so there must be a lot of time put into perfecting their art. I also appreciate the fact that this music is primarily performed by women. I feel it is very rare for types of music to be solely played by women. Something else that is cool about this music is that it seems to be very low pressure and relaxed. Often when the women finish singing they laugh or talk joyfully. This can be seen in the video I have shared, and it makes the music even more fun to watch.
I think it is very important to respect Native American culture and music because it has gone through so much over the years. It is amazing that it has still been able to survive in some form based on the hardships of colonization and abuse their cultures and people have had to deal with. In my eyes Native American culture can be extremely fascinating and I wanted to use this song share to help show that.
Also with this being my last song share, I wanted to think back on all the music I have discussed over the past semester. I am very proud of the work I have done to find the pieces of music I did and am happy I was able to spot light some great female musicians and performers. I hope those who have read my song shares were excited to learn about new music and the people who create it and I hope we all continue to support female musicians from all around the world.
The Video:
Provide Feedback