A digital production available online only, presented by the Chan Centre

Flexible pricing, $0 – $20. 

Read about the virtual experience here.

 

A piqsiq is a natural phenomenon, a wind storm that conjures the impression of snow falling back up towards the sky. For sisters Inuksuk Mackay and Tiffany Ayalik, this chaotically beautiful northern image encapsulates the joys and struggles of navigating mixed Indigeneity in a world where reclaiming one’s culture can be a radical act. As PIQSIQ, the acclaimed Inuit throat-singing duo perform both ancient songs and new compositions infused with haunting beauty and entrancing melodies.

Raised in Yellowknife and with roots in Nunavut—two places where endless sunlight shines through short summers and wintry darkness consumes the rest of the year—PIQSIQ’s aesthetic is deeply impacted by their relationship to the environment. Their “wonderfully rhythmic and atmospheric” (Vancouver Sun) sound is an ethereal, mesmerizing blend of traditional vocal technique, improvisation and new technology.

The internationally renowned vocalists see their live performances as both art and a political act of cultural revitalization; a dynamic, modern expression born out of the ancient practice of a living, changing, growing culture of an incredibly resourceful people. “One of my very favourite feelings is to be able to throat sing for a very long time with somebody,” says Ayalik, “it does get a bit trance-like and it’s just a really beautiful way to bond with someone you love.”

 

"Riveting... truly haunting."

The Vancouver Sun

 

Filmed at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts in September 2020.

 

This virtual event is presented in collaboration with UBC’s Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery and the UBC School of Music as part of Soundings: An Exhibition in Five Parts.