The Jerry Cans named Northerners of the Year by Up Here magazine

Nancy Mike says she remembers seeing Up Here magazines on the plane and around the community as a young girl.

That's why it was meaningful for the throat singer of Iqaluit's most famous band, The Jerry Cans, when she found out the the band would be named Up Here's 2017 Northerners of the Year.

"Knowing that it's [Up Here] been around since I was born pretty much, it's an honour to be recognized," said Mike.

It's not the first time this throat singing, alt-country, folk and reggae band has been recognized. Mike won the Aboriginal Songwriter of the Year at the Canadian Folk Music Awards in 2013, and the band was nominated for two more Canadian Folk Music Awards in 2015. They were also nominated in the Ensemble category of the  2017 Canadian Folk Music Awards.

The band has also launched Nunavut's first record label, Aakuluk Music, to help other northern artists gain recognition in the music industry.

• The Jerry Cans combine traditional and modern for diverse sound

But Mike says that the recognition is not what she expected from the band's humble beginnings in Nunavut.

"When we first started, we played at the Legion here in Iqaluit," said Mike. "We played in homes, and with friends."

Mike said it's "just amazing" to see the band come this far.

She says she's most proud of showcasing her culture and language across the world.

"Especially because a lot of people come to me and say, 'You know, I never knew anything about the North until your performance and your stories,'" she said.

Mike said the band is waiting for funding in order to do a Nunavut-wide tour.

The Jerry Cans 'just work hard'

"The Jerry Cans intend to make their success Nunavut's success—and that's why they're our Northerners of the Year," it says in the feature article of Up Here's December issue.

Herb Mathisen, the editor of Up Here and also the article's author, says there wasn't a methodical process in choosing The Jerry Cans this year.

"We've kind of been watching what The Jerry Cans have been doing," said Mathisen.

He said the magazine started thinking about awarding the band early in the year, especially in light of Nunavut Music Week — an event organized by the band's new music label, which flew people from across Canada to the territory to celebrate northern music in September.

"I couldn't understand where they got the energy. It was just a really perfect summary of what they do, which is just work hard," said Mathisen.

Up Here has been in circulation since 1984, covering Canada's North. It began recognizing Northerners of the Year in 1987, starting with Tagak Curley — a young N.W.T. cabinet minister — to Gary Bailie in 2016, "Yukon's philosopher on skis and community builder," according to the magazine.

• The Jerry Cans challenge mainstream music norms by sticking to their roots