| While Iceland may boast popular singers and | | | | traditional influences. On a Greenland holiday, take the |
| alternative bands such as The Sugarcubes, its musical | | | | time to watch the sacred drum beats and dances |
| history is fairly straight forward. Holidays to Iceland | | | | being performed, with the locals playing on an oval, |
| could see you attending the performances of Emiliana | | | | wooden-framed drum, covered by bear-bladder. |
| Torrini and Sigur Rós, or you could spend | | | | Shamans would integrate drums into their religious |
| your time at Iceland Airwaves, a music festival | | | | traditions, often incorporating humor into the |
| where local and international bands perform at clubs | | | | performances. Song and drum duals were used as a |
| throughout Reykjavík. If you are interested in | | | | way for rivals to compete, where the competitor |
| music, you can see most types of music and | | | | managing to elicit the most laughs out of the |
| performances, as you embark on an exciting | | | | audience was the victor. |
| specialist holiday in Iceland. | | | | Traditional Inuit Music |
| But it is Greenland's musical history that is particularly | | | | At the essence of traditional Inuit music is drum |
| intriguing. Greenland's modern musical scene sees the | | | | beats and song. None of their music is purely |
| amalgamation of Inuit and Danish music, combined | | | | instrumental, and the rhythmic beat of traditional |
| with the added influences of some Canadian | | | | drumming always lies at its heart. Dance too, plays an |
| territories, Alaska and Eastern Russia. A rich musical | | | | important role in Inuit musical traditions, and music is |
| tradition exists here, with all music types from folk | | | | always accompanied by singing and dancing, often |
| songs to rock music forming an integral part of | | | | being very festive. If you go at the right time, you |
| Greenlandic life. Greenland travel could see you | | | | could witness or even participate in these spiritual yet |
| dancing to the rhythms of Shamans and bopping to | | | | entertaining events on your Greenland holiday. |
| the music of hip-hop artist, Nuuk Posse, and it's | | | | The instruments commonly used in traditional Inuit |
| worth investigating Greenland package holidays to | | | | music are whistles, bull-roarers (dating back the 17000 |
| see if you can tie in a performance with your trip. | | | | BC, these instruments were originally used as a |
| Current Musical Trends in Greenland | | | | means to communicate over large distances) and |
| While Greenland's current popular music scene is not | | | | buzzers (whirling objects making a buzzing/humming |
| as big as Iceland's, its modern music is unique in that | | | | sound). And illustrating European cultural influences, |
| it retains a traditional feel. The biggest record label in | | | | Jew's harps and fiddles have been incorporated into |
| Greenland is ULO. The label is based in the town | | | | Inuit music. |
| Sisimiut, and is responsible for the majority of the | | | | The Art of Competition |
| releases on the Greenland music scene. It covers a | | | | Similar to the drum-beat duals in Shaman rituals, drum |
| range of genres, and produces everything from the | | | | dances are used as a means of competition between |
| rock music of Sume to Inuit folk music. Also with the | | | | two males, often cousins. The dancers compose |
| label is pop singer Rasmus Lyberth and hip-hop artist | | | | songs which are sung by their families while they |
| Nuuk Posse. | | | | dance, and are usually performed in a qaggi, which is |
| Simamuit is an interesting theatre group and would | | | | a snow-house used for events and festivals. The |
| make for a good evening of modern performances | | | | criteria for judging the dancers are based on their |
| with a traditional flavour when on a Greenland holiday. | | | | endurance in a lengthy performance, as well as the |
| They combine indigenous elements of Inuit drum | | | | composition of the dance itself. Perhaps you would |
| dances with masks and face painting, creating an | | | | be lucky enough to receive an invitation to such an |
| interesting contemporary art form. | | | | event while on your Greenland travels. |
| Traditional Greenlandic Folk Music | | | | While the men demonstrate their strength through |
| A holiday to Iceland could include discovering the | | | | their dancing, women compete with one another |
| Nordic folk music of the local people. And while this | | | | through song. The two women will face each other |
| would be fascinating, it doesn't have the same | | | | and begin singing songs using throat-singing and |
| extent of cultural diversity that Greenlandic folk music | | | | making animal noises. The competition usually comes |
| provides. On travels to Greenland, discovering its | | | | to an end because the women laugh at their own |
| traditional music is a great way to get into the minds | | | | utterances, which is a demonstration of the friendly |
| of the local people. It is in the east and the northeast | | | | nature of the Greenlandic people. |
| that you will find the greatest amount of surviving | | | | |