The Eskimos of Hudson Bay and Alaska

Various Artists

The people of the Arctic and Subarctic regions, ranging from Siberia across Alaska into Canada and Greenland depend on hunting and fishing for their survival. Their music includes dance songs, hunting songs, game songs, animal calls, animal stories, and story songs. Most have no instrumental accompaniment. Laura Boulton (1899–1980), an American ethnomusicologist who recorded the music on this album, studied music all around the world, from Africa and Eastern Europe to the South Pacific and the Arctic Circle.

*Content Advisory: The Indigenous peoples of the Arctic identify as Inuit or Yup’ik in both personal and international matters. Individuals also refer to themselves with the names of their communities. “Eskimo” is a name imposed on the Inuit by non-Indigenous people and has increasingly come to be viewed as a slur. Smithsonian Folkways has chosen to leave the album as published in its original state to serve as a historical document; however, we encourage the listener to learn more about how the Inuit and Yup’ik prefer to be represented. Please see the Declaration of the Inuit Circumpolar Council Resolution and the University of Alaska Fairbanks Alaska Native Language Center for more information.

- Anna Kate Cannon, 2021–22 Dumbarton Oaks Fellow at SFR, contributed to research and writing for this statement.

For our policy on controversial recordings, please see our Frequently Asked Questions page.

Track Listing

101	Johnnie Bull Song	Polly, Atitah, Mikusha, and Billy Boy	03:07
102	His first hunt	Kemukserar and Pangatkar	02:08
103	All songs have been exhausted	Naitok and Issaluk	02:55
104	Hunting for musk ox	Kemukserar and Pangatkar	03:34
105	Hunting seals	Kemukserar and Pangatkar	03:06
106	I sing about a dance	Uluyok and Tutinar	02:40
107	Before we came to this religion	Eevaloo	01:59
108	Girls' game	Angutnak and Matee	02:51
109	Children's game	Kasugat and Ishmatuk	01:50
110	Bird imitations	Harry Gibbons	00:27
111	Imitations of walrus	Harry Gibbons	02:55
112	Animal stories	Kemukserar and Pangatkar	03:18
113	Hunting song	Ashivoo	02:51
114	Dance songs: I am lonesome; When I feel like singing, I sing; I am waiting for the boat to come; Jumping Skin song; I will show you the way; It was a very lovely day when the water was calm	Joe Sikvayunak	04:29
115	Story songs: Boy resting by the river; Nooneedle bird; Man who was not a good hunter	Otis Ahkivigak	01:46
116	Dance song	Joe Sikvayunak, Otis Ahkivigak and Jonas Oyoowak	01:01
117	Inviting-in dance song	Otis Ahkivigak	00:49
118	Dance song	Leo Kaleak and Group	01:05
119	Dance song	Otis Ahkivigak	01:31

Catalog

The Eskimos of Hudson Bay and Alaska

Track Listing

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