I ducked into the shop below the sign reading Atlantic Music . Modest in size, the inside was neatly crowded. I could see a number of instruments on display towards the back, and in between them and the counter sat an alphabetized rack of CDs. Beck, Coldplay, Madonna and U2 sat cheerfully packaged and priced.
Then I noticed a whole slew of artists I didnt recognize. Intrigued by names like Aavaat, Angu, Disko Democratic Republic, Kimmernaq and Tuumotz, I asked the woman behind the counter if she could tell me a little bit about the different artists and possibly suggest a few CDs to purchase.
Naturally, conversation sparked. She introduced herself as Marianne Elsner, and explained that in 1990 her husband, Ivan Elsner, had opened Atlantic Music in south Greenland, but soon realized that the business would do better in Nuuk, Greenlands capital and largest city.
In 2000, Ivan opened up a recording studio because there was an enormous interest to produce and centrally distribute music created by Greenlandic artists.
Last year, Atlantic Music opened up a second recoding studio in Copenhagen and now has nearly 300 artists contracted in a number of genres ranging from rap, gospel, pop, rock, and of course, traditional polka. These artists are unavoidable because they dominate Greenlands radio airwaves, which is how I became aware of the numerous types of Greenlandic music.
Ivan adamantly shared his idea of why music is a mechanism to reach young people today. We are rich if you see all of our buildings, but inside we are poor, he said.
Like many other societies in the Arctic, Greenland suffers from high suicide rates among young people. Ivan believes that music is a critical tool for reaching teens that seem to be out of touch.
Young people today dont know their place in this culture and society, he said, Our accomplishments arent for money but for the heart.
Christen Elsner, one of Marianne and Ivans two sons, recently finished business school and also works for Atlantic Music.
Its a dream come true to support the music culture, he said.
Christen also noted that the music industry is quickly moving forward in terms of technology. As for sales in Greenland, a successful artist will sell approximately 4,000-5,000 CDs, which means a copy for one in ten Greenlandic residents. Greenlandic resident. While Atlantic Music does produce nearly 90 per cent of Greenlandic music, the remaining 10 per cent is recorded in home studios.
According to Anders Westi, radio and music producer at NuukFM, there are roughly seven to 10 smaller recording studios around Greenland, and people have been producing music on a much smaller scale for decades.
In the 1970s a number of Greenlandic artists started a new genre of music, commonly referred to today as settlement rock, and most of these recordings were done in home studios. Some believe this music was foundational to and reinforced the establishment of Home Rule government because it fostered a sense of pride in Inuit culture and language.
Artists such as Issarnerit and Sume sang about Inuit identity and made themselves present at many political gatherings. In 1973 Sume was actually the first Greenlandic band to release an album with Greenlandic songs in Greenland.
The title of the album was Sumut which translates to where to as a reference to what the future of Greenlandic people and language should be. According to an interview done by Karen Mohr Sokkelund with Karsten Sommer, the first person to produce and record Greenlandic music, One of the goals of the project was to preserve the musical interest and musical life of a small country with a small number of people who speak their language.
Sumut was in fact a trend-setting album that inspired generations of young people to produce music in their own language in conjunction with a movement towards establishing a government-Home Rule-which is independent and functions primarily in Greenlandic. Now, young people see beyond their local borders and aspire to create music that can also exceed them.
Juno Berthelsen, an ambitious and talented 24-year-old Greenlander, is working with Anders Westi, radio and music producer at NuukFM, to further diversify Greenlandic music by producing tracks comparable to Justin Timberlake and other mainstream pop artists. When asked what inspired them to create music with more of an international sound Juno responded, Its important to show that Greenlandic people can also produce pop music with an international appeal and that Inuit people are equally capable as others.
Juno and Anders are hoping to finish the album by November, when Anders will move to Sisimiut to work with his friend Henrick Broberg, also known as HAP. Their vision is to create a network of the smaller recording studios throughout Greenland titled InuitBeatz, formerly EskimoBeatz. InuitBeatz would be an attempt to create a coalition of resources and talent on the enormous island, despite the challenge of traveling. Eventually InuitBeatz wants to connect Greenlandic artists with artists from other countries.
While the genres of music have become drastically diverse, and technology seemingly aids such modifications, the message and incentive to inspire Inuit people remains central to its production.
To check out Greenlandic music feel free to go to: www.atlanticmusicshop.gl, www.myspace.come/junomyspace or www.myspace.com/sevensimplesongs
Alaska meets Greenland
Greenland's lively music scene is new to Mary Hiratsuka from Alaska....
Published: 26.08.2007 04:46
