Northern Haze facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Northern Haze
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| Origin | Igloolik, Nunavut, Canada |
| Genres | Psychedelic rock, hard rock, heavy metal |
| Years active | 1984-2007 2017-present |
| Labels | Aakuluk Music |
| Associated acts | The Jerry Cans |
| Members | James Ungalaq Naisana Qamaniq John Inooya Derek Aqqiaruq Allan Kangok |
| Past members | Kolitalik Inukshuk Elijah Kunnuk |
Northern Haze is a rock band from Igloolik, Nunavut, Canada. They are famous for their first album, released in 1985. Many people believe it was the first rock album ever recorded in North America in an Indigenous language.
Contents
The Start of Northern Haze
The band started in 1984. The original members were Kolitalik Inukshuk, Naisana Qamaniq, James Ungalaq, Elijah Kunnuk, and John Inooya. These musicians were all from Igloolik. They had played music together in different bands since the 1970s.
First Album and Early Shows
Northern Haze released their first album in 1985. It was called Northern Haze. The CBC Northern Service helped them release it. The CBC Northern Service is a part of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation that serves the northern parts of Canada.
After their album came out, the band played at many festivals. They performed at Folk on the Rocks and Expo 86. They also played many concerts in different communities across the Canadian Arctic.
It was very expensive to record music in remote Arctic communities. Because of this, the band could not afford to record another full album. However, they did record some single songs.
A Break and a Return
In 2007, the band stopped playing together. This happened after two of their members, Elijah Kunnuk and Kolitalik Inukshuk, passed away.
In 2012, a record company called Supreme Echo Records released a special album. It was called Sinaaktuq. This album was a collection of their first album's songs and the single songs they had recorded later.
The Band Reunites
In 2017, a new record label helped Northern Haze get back together. This label is called Aakuluk Music. It is owned by another band from Nunavut, The Jerry Cans. Aakuluk Music re-released Northern Haze's 1985 album. They also encouraged the band to start playing music again.
Northern Haze welcomed two new members: Derek Aqqiaruq and Allan Kangok. They worked with a music producer named Michael Phillip Wojewoda. Together, they recorded a new album called Siqinnaarut. This album was released in 2018.
Siqinnaarut was a very successful album. It was nominated for a Juno Award in 2020. It was considered for the Indigenous Music Album of the Year.
