Tudjaat facts for kids

Tudjaat was a musical group made up of two Inuit women, Madeleine Allakariallak and Phoebe Atagotaaluk. They were from Nunavut, Canada. They became well-known for their recordings and performances of traditional Inuit throat singing.

The Story of Tudjaat

How the Group Began

Tudjaat started in 1994. A music producer named Randall Prescott heard Madeleine Allakariallak sing. She was part of a backup group for another artist, Susan Aglukark. When Randall learned that Phoebe Atagotaaluk, Madeleine's cousin, also did throat singing, he had an idea.

He brought the two cousins together. They worked with other musicians who played modern instruments. These included guitar, keyboard, bass, and drums. They mixed their traditional throat singing with these modern sounds. This led to their first CD, which was called Tudjaat. It had six songs.

The Song "Kajusita"

One important song on the Tudjaat CD was "Kajusita (When My Ship Comes In)". Madeleine Allakariallak helped write this song. It tells a sad story about a group of Inuit people. In the past, the government made them move far away to the High Arctic. Many of them suffered and even died because of this decision. The song is a way to remember them.

Awards and Special Recognition

"Kajusita" won an award in 1997 for Best Song. It was given by the American Indian Film Institute Awards. The song was also put on a special CD by the United Nations. This CD celebrated Canadian music, especially music from First Peoples and folk music. A music video was also made for "Kajusita".

The Tudjaat CD was nominated for a Juno Award in 1997. This award is for the best music by Aboriginal Canadians. Even though they did not win, being nominated was a big honor.

What Happened After Tudjaat?

In the next year, another Tudjaat song was featured. "Qingauiit" was included on a CD called A Native American Odyssey: Inuit to Inca. Also that year, Madeleine and Phoebe sang on a CD by Robbie Robertson. It was called Contact from the Underworld of Redboy.

After Tudjaat, Madeleine Allakariallak continued her career. She worked for CBC North, which is a news service. Later, in 2005, she became a news host. She worked for the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network.

See also

In Spanish: Tudjaat para niños