The Yukon and Northwest Territories are in Canada’s north and border above British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan. The Indigenous peoples in the Yukon and Northwest Territory are the Dene, Southern and Northern Tutchone, Tlingit, Tagish, Kaska, Tanana, Han, Gwich’in(1), Inuit and Metis.
Music in the Yukon and Northwest Territory go back to chants and drumming that have been shared since the beginning of time with diverse drum designs throughout different Indigenous regions. The grant writers, Common teachings conveyed with drumming and chanting are traditional beliefs and values of living a good life and learning how to live off the land. Private ceremonies include songs filled with blessings for plentiful hunting trips; while public songs are for celebrations, births, weddings and the like to entertain and rejoice in respective communities.
More modern music among Indigenous groups in the Arctic region are influenced by Christian hymns that have been translated into several different native languages. With the influx of Irish and Scottish settlers, fiddle music accompanied by fast paced jigging, two-step and square dancing are common throughout the north. Contemporary Indigenous music festivals in the Arctic region are an excellent way to showcase modern country and western, rock and rhythm and blues to celebrate and evolving representation of music in the north(16).
This article is a non-comprehensive and living document that provides an overview of artistic activities in the region. It will be revised as necessary as part of our ongoing process of continuous updates.
1) http://travelyukon.com/aboutyukonterritory/firstnations/
16) http://www.spectacularnwt.com/whoweare/thearts/music