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Passing on the Inuit drumming tradition in Nain 

A Nain mother is working to pass on traditional drum dancing after it helped her connect to her culture as a teenager

'Drumming makes me feel like a good person,' said 8-year-old Ashton Allan

Heidi Atter · CBC News ·
A group of youth stand in a circle and drum on large black drums inside a tent with a wooden frame.
The Nain drumming group started with a few children and has quickly grown to fill the small tent the group practices in. Crystal Allen hopes to expand to have a dedicated indoor practice space in the future. (Heidi Atter/CBC)

A Nunatsiavimuit mother is working to pass along the tradition of Inuit drum dancing, sharing a skill she learned as a teenager that helped strengthen her own identity. 

While working as the Illusuak Cultural Centre's manager, Crystal Allen started the 'Little Drummers' group in Nain. Allen now works as the Nunatsiavut government's cultural program manager, but has continued the group in her new role. 

"It makes me feel good about my culture and I really, really love it so much," said Martina Dicker, a 10-year-old drum dancer. 

A woman smiles while holding a large black drum.
Crystal Allen learned how to drum as a teenager, and now is working to teach other youth. (Heidi Atter/CBC)

The group started with a few children and has quickly grown to fill the small tent the group practises in. Allen hopes to expand to have a dedicated indoor practice space in the future. 

"It's really powerful. I used to drum dance before, I learned it when I was a teenager," Allen said. "It gave me something to do and something to be proud of, kind of help with my Inuit identity."

Passing along the drum in Nain, Nunatsiavut

2 days ago
Duration 2:44
An Inuk mother in Nain is working to teach the next generation traditional drumming. While the group is small now, she has dreams of expanding it in the future.

An elder from further north came to the community of Nain to teach the tradition when Allen was a teenager. Now, Allen is passing it along to her own child, who is eight years old. 

"To be able to share it and be able to see them learn and grow and all the excitement it just warms my heart."

"Drumming makes me feel like a good person," said Ashton, Allan's eight-year-old son. 

A group of youth drum on large black drums with mountains behind them.
Crystal Allen hopes the Inuit drumming workshops are a safe place for the youth to talk about anything that may be bothering them, and celebrate their culture. (Heidi Atter/CBC)

Allen hopes the drum dancing workshops also offer a safe space in case the children are facing any troubles with their mental health. Allen said she makes sure the youth know they can always talk to her, or ask her for connections to local counsellors. 

"For thousands of years, this is what we do. We share stories, we come together in a space," Allen said. "It's just been passed on for generations."

Young people stand on a deck with mountains in the background, holding large black drums above their heads
A group of youth drum on the deck of the Illusuak Cultural Centre in Nain. Crystal Allen is working to get the youth custom cultural coats to perform. (Heidi Atter/CBC)

Allen hopes to have more community members and drum dance instructors teach the group in the future, as they've only learned a few songs so far. She hopes the group can also get more drums in the future to expand and include more children and youth. 

"Everyone is welcome and we want you all to have fun. And I encourage all the other kids to pick up the drum and just do it."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Heidi Atter

Mobile Journalist

Heidi Atter is a journalist working in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador. She has worked as a reporter, videojournalist, mobile journalist, web writer, associate producer, show director, current affairs host and radio technician. Heidi has worked in Regina, Edmonton, Wainwright, and in Adazi, Latvia. Story ideas? Email [email protected].

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