Minds On
Today’s vocabulary
Press the following tabs to access today’s vocabulary.
Let’s get started
Programme music is instrumental music that describes something or tells a story.
Explore the following clip of programme music from a composition called “Take the Dog Sled: No. 1, Tundra.” by Alexina Louie.
Brainstorm
Brainstorm
In the piece, instruments are used to tell a story.
- What were your first thoughts while you explored the song?
- While enjoying the performance, what stood out to you? What did you notice or wonder?
- What emotions did you feel while exploring this song?
Press ‘Hint’ to access a clue.
Sadness, excitement, anger, happiness.
Record your answers in a method of your choice.
Action
Get ready, get set…
Canada is made of many diverse geographic regions. The people in these regions have inspired composers and visual artists. As a result of this inspiration, the artists express themselves by telling a story through their creations.
Artwork and compositions can help to tell a story about Canada and the people who live there.
Did You Know?
About Pudlo Pudlat
Pudlo Pudlat was an original contemporary Inuit artist, who often used imagery and symbols in his artwork. Pudlat used paints and coloured pencil sketches to create his art. In his life, he completed 4500 drawings, of which over 200 were turned into prints and sculptures.
Pudlat’s work is inspired by his own hunting and fishing experiences in his Inuit community of the Kimmirut region.
Explore the following artwork by Pudlo Pudlat, titled A Good Catch.
As you explore this piece of art, consider the story that Pudlat is telling in his work.
Pudlo Pudlat, A Good Catch, 1980, Lithograph, 56 x 76cm. Reproduced with the permission of Dorset Fine Arts.
Brainstorm
Brainstorm
How does the title, A Good Catch and the images in Pudlo Pudlat’s work tell the story of Inuit life in the tundra?
Record your ideas in a method of your choice.
Both Alexina Louie’s composition, “Take the Dog Sled” and Pudlo Pudlat’s artwork A Good Catch take place in the tundra climate region. It is important to understand this climate region in order to understand these pieces of art.
The tundra is a climate region in Canada. Explore this map of the climate regions of Canada to locate the arctic tundra.
Did You Know?
Facts on tundra
- Tundra comes from the Sami word meaning “Barren Land” or “treeless land.”
- It is a region known for its many lakes, rocks land flat stretches of snow- and ice-covered land.
- The tundra has short summers that have continuous daylight and long winters without any sun.
- In the wintertime it is covered in strong wind and blizzards.
- The Inuit mostly travelled traditionally by dogsled, kayak and umiaks (larger watercraft made of wood and covered in seal skin.
- The tundra is home to 100,000 people who identify as First Nations, Inuit, and Métis.
If you were to create a picture of the tundra, what would you include in your work?
Record your ideas in a method of your choice.
Inuit music
What is throat singing?
The Inuit are original people from the Arctic and northern regions of Canada, Alaska, Russia, and Greenland. In Canada, the Inuit homeland, Inuit Nunangat, encompasses Nunavut, Inuvialuit (the Northwest Territories and the Yukon), Nunavik (Northern Quebec), and Nunatsiavut (Newfoundland and Labrador).
As we work towards Truth and Reconciliation, information about lands and territories is constantly being updated. This map was created using information available as of March 2022 from the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami.
Throat singing is a vocal game played by the Inuit. It is a friendly competition usually played by two women facing each other and standing very close together, sometimes holding each other’s shoulders. The game stops when one of the women runs out of breath or laughs. Certain sounds are created to imitate the sounds found around them like animals and tools of nature. Modern throat singing is now being included in modern Indigenous music.
In the following video, Papatsie, an Inuk child who lives in Ottawa, Ontario, shares the art of throat singing.
How does your understanding of the meaning of throat singing help you appreciate it?
Record your answer in a method of your choice.
Learning check!
Use your learning to answer the following questions about throat singing.
Select the correct answer, then press ‘Check Answer’ to see how you did.
Reading Time
Alexina Louie
The Arctic Tundra was an inspiration for Canadian Composer and Governor General Performing Arts Award winner, Alexina Louie.
Alexina was inspired by the environment but was inspired even more by the Inuit. She found inspiration in their lives, the challenges they face living in the tundra, and the perseverance and resilience they show every day by continuing their traditional way of life.
In an interview about her composition, “Take the Dog Sled: No. 1, Tundra.”, Alexina Louie discussed how the movements in the composition are snapshots of life in the North.
Composer Alexina Louie and Throat Singers Evie Mark and Akinisi have commented that this composition blended 2 great traditions – Classical Music and Throat Singing.
Alexina Louie wondered how to do this project and honour both traditions? It is important to not do anything disrespectful or dishonouring. This piece uses throat singing in a way that would show respect to Inuit tradition. Her music was written around the music of the Throat Singers.
It is important when someone is inspired by someone else’s culture and traditions to not only have permission to share what you’ve learned but it is also important to work alongside people from that culture in order to create a new piece like Alexina Louie did with the “Take the Dog Sled: No. 1, Tundra.”
Pause and Reflect
Reflection
How might Alexina Louie’s work be different than the work of Pudlo Pudlat in this way?
Press ‘Let’s Check’ to reveal a possible answer.
Pudlo Pudlat's piece was inspired by his own life in his Inuit community. Alexina is not from an Inuit community so had to be sure to honour someone else’s life by working with people from that community.
Go!
Explore the composition “Take the Dog Sled: No. 1, Tundra" by Canadian composer Alexina Louie.
Now that you have explored the clip again, what stands out to you this time?
We have made some connections with the tundra and its environment.
Were there any moments in the piece that reminded you of sounds one could find in this environment?
At the beginning of the piece, Alexina Louie used something very different as a musical instrument to represent the environment.
What unique item was used by the percussionist?
Press ‘Let’s Check’ to reveal a possible answer.
They appeared to be rocks.
Why do you think this item was used as part of the composition?
Press ‘Let’s Check’ to reveal a possible answer.
To sound like feet moving across the ground.
Task
Create a brainstorm list of everything that comes to mind that Alexina Louie creates through her composition. You may add to this later as well.
Complete the Brainstorm List activity in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable document. If you would like, you can use speech-to-text or audio recording tools to record your thoughts.
Press the ‘Activity’ button to access the Brainstorm List.
Activity
(Open PDF in a new window)
Explore the following clip to learn more about the unique musical item Alexina Louie used during her conversation with throat singer Evie Mark.
What other sounds did Alexina Louie and Evie Mark speak about in the interview?
Press ‘Let’s Check’ to reveal a possible answer.
Sleigh bells, throat singing that make the sound of sharpening the runners of the sled.
Consolidation
Putting it all together
Painters like Pudlo Pudlat and composers like Alexina Louie have been inspired by particular environments in Canada and the people who live in these environments to create beautiful creative works.
Explore the clip of Alexina Louie’s “Take the Dog Sled: No. 1, Tundra” movement again.
Express your personal response to the piece in one of the following ways.
Press the following tabs to access the different ways you can express your personal response.
This could be a story about the tundra, about throat singing, about the sounds in the composition, or another story that you have been inspired to share.
This could be a piece of visual art, a song, a poem, or another piece of artwork about the tundra, about throat singing, about the sounds and music in the composition, or anything else that inspires you.
This can be a specific movement for one portion of the composition or for the entire clip.
Use your Brainstorm organizer from the Action section and think of any information you have learned throughout this learning activity to inspire you in your response.
You can record your response in a method of your choice.
Reflection
As you read through these descriptions, which sentence best describes how you are feeling about your understanding of this learning activity? Press the button that is beside this sentence.
I feel…
Now, record your ideas using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.