Aasiva Spreads Love and Ukuleles with New “Uke’cray” Tour
Nunavut Singer Travels to Communities to Teach Music Workshops.
In November and December, Iqaluit-based singer and songwriter Aasiva will be travelling to 3 Nunavut communities to teach ukulele lessons. The weekend-long workshops are called “Uke’cray” – a mix of “Ukulele” and “Crazy” – and will be held at local schools. In addition to teaching, Aasiva will also be giving a free community performance, and ukuleles will be donated to caretakers in each school.
Aasiva – whose real name is Colleen Aasiva Nakashuk – grew up in the small community of Pangnirtung. She knows the importance of early musical education and access to instruments.
“I remember someone coming to our school and giving us instruments,” says the singer. “It was a very important moment for me, because it made it possible for me to express myself and build a career in music!”
In 2018, Aasiva released her self-titled debut album. The album reached #3 on the iTunes Pop Charts in Canada and was nominated for two Indigenous Music Awards. Since the album’s release, Aasiva has continued to perform, and is currently an artist full-time.
Uke’cray was funded by the Qikiqtani Inuit Association. It was organized by the Iqaluit-based record label, Hitmakerz, whose other educational programs include Arctic Hitmakerz and Hatuqiniq. Thor Simonsen is Hitmakerz’s Creative Director.
“Colleen [Aasiva] and I have had similar experiences with getting access to musical instruments at a young age,” says Simonsen. “At Hitmakerz, our goal is to increase capacity of Nunavummiut to be able to make a living doing something they love, something creative.”
In its first year, the Uke’cray tour will travel to 3 communities:
Clyde River: November 15-16, 2019
Pond Inlet: November 29-30, 2019
Arctic Bay: December 13-14, 2019
To learn more, go to www.facebook.com/ukecray/