The Basics
This is the traditional name for the style of singing practiced by the Inuit.
What is Katajjaq?
Most throat singing is performed by this many people at a time.
What is two?
Instead of a song, throat singing is often considered a type of this fun activity.
What is a game?
Historically, throat singing was primarily performed by this gender.
Who are women?
Throat singing often mimics the sounds of this, such as wind or water.
What is nature?
Throat singing originated in this northernmost region of North America.
What is the Arctic (or Northern Canada/Greenland)?
To create the sound, singers use both exhaling and this action of breathing in.
What is inhaling?
The "game" ends when one of the participants does this involuntary action.
What is laughing (or losing breath)?
Women performed katajjaq while the men were away doing this necessary survival task.
What is hunting?
In addition to nature, singers often mimic the calls of these winged creatures.
What are birds?
This body part is the primary source of the deep, rhythmic vibrations.
What is the throat (or larynx/vocal cords)?
Singers often stand very close together, sometimes holding these parts of the body for balance.
What are the arms or shoulders?
This person is declared the winner of a throat singing match.
Who is the person who doesn't laugh/stop first?
For a period in history, this group of people banned throat singing, calling it "satanic."
Who are Christian missionaries?
This rhythmic "instrument" is sometimes used to accompany the voices.
What is a drum?
This term refers to the repetitive, short sounds that characterize the rhythm.
What are glottal stops?
Throat singing relies on "circular breathing," which allows the sound to be this.
What is continuous?
This is the specific reason why most matches end in laughter.
Because the singers are face-to-face and making funny sounds.
The ban on throat singing was officially lifted in this decade.
What are the 1980s?
Some modern Inuit artists mix throat singing with this popular urban music genre.
What is Hip-Hop?
This Canadian territory is where Katajjaq is most prominently celebrated today.
What is Nunavut?
This is the scientific term for the "overtones" or extra notes heard above the base note.
What are harmonics?
A "leader" starts a rhythmic motif, and the "follower" must do this with a slight delay.
What is "following" (or cannon/imitation)?
Throat singing was used as a way to keep these people entertained and quiet.
Who are babies (lullabies)?
This province's cultural heritage department was the first to give Katajjaq "cultural property" status.
What is Quebec?