Video 1, Aijakko Mitiq: single drum-dance

Abstract

Aijakko Mitiq a 67 year old former hunter from Neqi, a now abandoned settlement in north-west Greenland, performs a traditional drum-dance at his home in Qaanaaq. Aijakko is one of the last Inugguit who is able to remember these ancient drum-songs. The song was passed onto him by his grandfather when he was a small boy growing up in one of the tiny hunting settlements. This collection is a record of the last drum-dancers, traditional singers and story-tellers of North-West Greenland. The collection comprises over 50 audio and visual recordings of elderly Inugguit telling their life stories and recounting survival strategies in one of the world's most hostile environments. The songs and drum-dancing are an ancient tradition that few now remember.