Charlie Panigoniak Kelly Fraser Kudluajuk Ashoona

Charlie Panigoniak (1946–2019)

Igluligaarjuk (Chesterfield Inlet)-born musician Charlie Panigoniak passed away at his Kangiqliniq (Rankin Inlet), NU, home in March 2019. Panigoniak’s music was a staple in homes across the North, and his influence reached across generations. He gained admiration from musicians such as William Tagoona, Susan Aglukark and The Jerry Cans.

Panigoniak began producing music in the early 1970s after returning from an extended stay in Manitoba and seeing the wider world of music during his time in the South. His voice and classic country folk style were reminiscent of the sound and social impact of Woodie Guthrie. Panigoniak achieved fame for his dedication to singing in Inuktitut during an era when the language was being actively repressed. His Inuktitut lyrics about his experiences in his community and local life made his music widely accessible to Inuit across the Arctic.

During a 1973 concert in Kangiqliniq, Panigoniak caught the attention of Doug Ward, who offered to record him for the CBC Northern Service in Toronto, ON, where he would produce three albums. Some of Panigoniak’s notable recordings included his album Just for Kids (1981) and an Inuktitut translation of the classic Christmas song “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”

Widely regarded as the father of Inuktitut folk music, Panigoniak pioneered language revitalization through his music. His songs have influenced Inuit musicians for decades. He created his music with his loving partner Lorna Panigoniak. Described by his friends and fans as a humble, funny performer, Charlie Panigoniak will be missed by many, and his music and inspiration will be celebrated for years by Inuit and music lovers around the globe.

Kelly Fraser (1993–2019)

The talented singer, songwriter and activist Kelly Fraser passed away in Winnipeg, MB, in December 2019. Fraser began playing guitar at age 11 and at just 15 years old was singing and playing guitar for The Easy Four Band. Influenced by musicians Charlie Adams, Joan Jett and Buffy Sainte-Marie, Fraser’s music blended pop sensibilities with Inuktitut language and messages of empowerment for Indigenous youth.

In 2013 Fraser uploaded a video of her performing a cover of Rihanna’s “Diamonds” in Inuktitut to YouTube, which recently surpassed 1 million views, making it one of the most popular Inuktitut language songs on the internet. Following the release of her debut album, Isuma, in 2014, Fraser travelled across the Inuit Nunangat, performing concerts and teaching music workshops for youth alongside Nunavut Hitmakerz—an organization she helped found that vows “to engage, inspire, and empower Nunavummiut youth by promoting life and career development opportunities through the arts.”

ᓄᓕᐊᔪᒃ (Sedna), Fraser’s 2017 sophomore album, was nominated for Indigenous Music Album of the Year at the Juno Awards. “The goal of the album is to help heal those suffering from the effects of colonization,” she said about its release. Fraser boldly engaged in political activism: in 2019, at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, she addressed an audience of global delegates, recommending that the Forum “urge member states to recognize Indigenous languages officially as one of their national languages.” In recognition of Fraser’s activism, Indspire selected her as a Youth Laureate in 2019.

Kelly Fraser used her platform to uplift Inuit. She supported Inuit designers by proudly wearing their creations, collaborated with emerging Inuit musicians and worked to create opportunities to support youth. Fraser was a powerful force and has left a significant body of work that will empower generations to come.

Kudluajuk Ashoona (1958–2019)

Kudluajuk Ashoona, a talented graphic artist from Kinngait (Cape Dorset), NU, passed away in November 2019. Ashoona had a short but impactful career that began in 2011 when she began making drawings with coloured pencil. Her daughters Nicotye and Pudloo Samayualie had made names for themselves as graphic artists and, in turn, encouraged their mother to make and sell her own artwork.

Ashoona approached artmaking from a unique perspective; it was different from her daughters or any other artist working in Kinngait. Ashoona’s drawings are often based on personal photographs from decades past. Reinterpreted though coloured pencil, the resulting drawings are quiet but warm portraits of her community. They capture the liveliness of a modern community— people listening to music, wearing Halloween costumes, playing games and hunting—communicating a side of Inuit communities in the 1970s and 1980s not often represented in artwork.

Ashoona proved that anything could be the subject of a drawing: a man drinking a cup of coffee, a woman eating an ice cream, people sharing conversations and children sleeping are but a few of the figures that occupied her dreamy compositions, and all are rendered with the same care. Some of her most compelling drawings are scenes of youth that celebrate the curiosity and creativity of childhood that are often forgotten as we age.

Ashoona’s drawings have been included in exhibitions at Feheley Fine Arts in Toronto, ON, and the Inuit Gallery of Vancouver in British Columbia, and in 2019 were the subject of a solo exhibition at Madrona Gallery in Victoria, BC. A handful of Ashoona’s works have been translated to prints for release in annual Cape Dorset Print Collections, while works by the artist can be found in the permanent collection of the Winnipeg Art Gallery, MB.