Susan Aglukark

Susan Aglukark, Template:Post-nominals (Inuktitut syllabics: ᓲᓴᓐ ᐊᒡᓘᒃᑲᖅ suusan agluukkaq; born 27 January 1967<ref>Famous Canadian Women Template:Webarchive Template:ISBN</ref>) is a Canadian singer whose blend of Inuit folk music traditions with country and pop songwriting has made her a major recording star in Canada. Her most successful song/single is "O Siem", which reached No. 1 on the Canadian country and adult contemporary charts in 1995. Overall, she has released seven studio albums and has won three Juno Awards.

Biography

Early life

Aglukark was born in Churchill, Manitoba, and raised in Arviat, Northwest Territories (now in Nunavut).<ref>Template:Cite web </ref> She endured sexual abuse as a child and has been vocal about this issue in some of the first nations in Northern Ontario.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> After graduating from high school, she worked in Ottawa, Ontario, as a linguist with the Department of Indian & Northern Affairs, and then returned to the Northwest Territories to work as an executive assistant with the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada.<ref name="FirstNationsDrum">Template:Cite web</ref>

Career

While working with the Inuit Tapirisat, she began to perform as a singer, and quickly became a popular performer in Inuit communities. She soon attracted the attention of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, who included her in a compilation of Arctic performers. In 1992, she released an independent album, Arctic Rose. The following year, she signed to a major record label, releasing an album of Christmas music that year.<ref name=FirstNationsDrum />

Aglukark has also acted as spokesperson for several non-profit groups working with aboriginal and Inuit youth, notably through her writing workshops for Attawapiskat First Nation youth<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and her involvement in Northern Canada's food crisis.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> However, she has said that while she is proud to be a role model for aboriginal people in Canada, she ultimately sees herself as an artist with a universal message of self-respect and strength to which she hopes that people of all cultural backgrounds can relate.<ref>Famous Female Musicians Gr. 4-8, Ruth Solski, On The Mark Press, 2009, Template:ISBN</ref>

This Child

This Child, released in 1995, became her breakthrough album. The first single from that album, "O Siem", went to number one on the Canadian adult contemporary and country charts that year, making Aglukark the first Inuk performer to have a Top 40 hit. "Hina Na Ho (Celebration)" and "Breakin' Down" became hit singles as well. The album was eventually certified triple platinum (300,000 copies sold) in Canada.

Unsung Heroes

In 1999, Aglukark released Unsung Heroes, which spawned another pop hit with "One Turn Deserves Another." This album also included "Turn of the Century," a song about the creation of Nunavut. In 2003, she released Big Feeling.

She sometimes deals with painful subjects in her songs. "Kathy" is about her niece who died by suicide, and "Still Running" is about the trauma of sexual abuse. Aglukark has also recorded a version of "Amazing Grace" in Inuktitut.

Her song "Never Be the Same" was featured on Dawson's Creek in Episode No. 3–14 ("Valentine's Day Massacre"), as well as her song "One Turn Deserves Another" in Episode No. 3–15 ("Crime And Punishment").

Aglukark's second holiday album, Dreaming of Home, was released in 2013.

She currently resides in Oakville, Ontario.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Awards and recognition

In 2004, Aglukark was awarded an honorary DFA from the University of Lethbridge. She was named an officer of the Order of Canada in 2005,<ref>"You oughta Juno: What happened to those artists voted most likely to succeed? Part 2 — 1986 – 1999". National Post, David Berry and Rebecca Tucker | 14 March 2015</ref> and in the same year received an honorary LL.D. degree from the University of Alberta. In the summer of 2006, she performed nightly in the evening grandstand show at the Calgary Stampede.

• 1995: winner, Juno Awards for Best New Solo Artist and Best Music of Aboriginal Canada Recording, Arctic Rose<ref name="JunoSummary">Template:Cite web</ref>
• 1996: nominee, Juno Awards for Best Female Vocalist, Best Album (This Child), Single of the Year ("O Siem"), Best Music of Aboriginal Canada Recording (This Child), Best Video ("O Siem")<ref name="JunoSummary" />
• 2001: nominee, Juno Award for Best Music of Aboriginal Canada Recording, Unsung Heroes<ref name="JunoSummary" />
• 2004: winner, Juno Award for Aboriginal Recording, Big Feeling<ref name="JunoSummary" /><ref>"CARAS Scores A Hit With 2004 Juno Awards" Template:Webarchive. Soul Shine. 2004-04-05</ref>
• 2004: appointed Officer of the Order of Canada<ref>Template:OCC</ref>
• 2007: nominee, Juno Award for Aboriginal Recording of the Year, Blood Red Earth<ref name="JunoSummary" />
• 2008: appointed as Distinguished Scholar in Residence at the University of Alberta<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 2016: Governor General's Performing Arts Awards<ref>Governor General's Performing Arts Awards</ref> - Lifetime Artistic Achievement
• The book Aboriginal Carol (2007, Red Deer Press), by David Bouchard, illustrated by Moses Beaver, bilingual (English and Inuktitut), translation and music by Susan Aglukark, was awarded a White Raven by the International Youth Library

Discography

Albums

Title	Album details	Peak chart positions		Certifications (sales threshold)
		CAN Country	CAN
Dreams for You	Release date: 1990 Label: Self-released	—	—
Arctic Rose	Release date: 1992 Label: EMI Canada	—	—
Christmas	Release date: December 1993 Label: EMI Canada	—	—
This Child	Release date: 24 January 1995 Label: EMI Canada	1	25	MC: 3× Platinum<ref>Template:Cite certification</ref>
Unsung Heroes	Release date: 9 November 1999 Label: EMI Canada	—	—
Big Feeling	Release date: 22 July 2003 Label: EMI Canada	—	—
Blood Red Earth	Release date: 15 August 2006 Label: Arbor Records	—	—
White Sahara	Release date: 4 October 2011 Label: EMI	—	—
Dreaming of Home	Release date: 5 November 2013 Label: E1 Music	—	—
The Crossing	Release date: 29 April 2022 Label: E1 Music	–	–
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Singles

Year	Title	Peak chart positions			Album
		CAN Country	CAN AC	CAN
1990	"Searching"	—	—	—	Dreams for You
1993	"Little Toy Trains"	—	—	—	Christmas
1994	"Song of the Land"	31	4	55	Arctic Rose
	"Still Running"	—	17	—
1995	"O Siem"	1	1	3	This Child
	"Hina Na Ho (Celebration)"	19	3	30
	"Breakin' Down"	—	10	32
1996	"Shamaya"	38	—	71
	"Suffer in Silence"	—	—	—
1999	"One Turn Deserves Another"	—	19	—	Unsung Heroes
2000	"Turn of the Century"	—	55	—
2004	"Whaler's Lullaby"	—	—	—	Big Feeling
2006	"I Will Return"	—	—	—	Blood Red Earth
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Books

Aglukark is the author of a series of historically based picture books, published by Inhabit Media Inc, which draws on the experiences of her grandmother's childhood to examine the unique perspective of living in the Arctic at a time when traditional Inuit values began to mix with outside influences and objects. Each volume in the series examines the feelings of anticipation, excitement, loss, and resilience experienced by Inuit as their world began to change through the introduction of outside influences. Seen through the eyes of one little girl as she navigates life in her camp with her family, this series gives young readers a window into a unique time in Arctic history.

• Una Huna?: What Is This? (2018)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Una Huna?: Ukpik Learns to Sew (2022)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

See also

• Music of Canada
• Aboriginal music of Canada
• Notable Aboriginal people of Canada
• List of Canadian musicians

References

Citations Template:Reflist

External links

• Susan Aglukark Official site
• Template:Usurped
• Template:IMDb name