At this St. John's daycare, you're never too young to learn throat singing
Preschoolers sway and laugh as they learn the ancient Inuit tradition
A dozen children between the ages of two and five stood in pairs, swaying rhythmically, holding each other's elbows.
Tama Fost guided them through Inuit throat singing — in this case a love song.
It ended after a minute or so, when everyone laughed.
More funny than my Legos.- Preschooler on learning throat singing
In fact, one young boy declared that throat singing was "more funny than my Legos."
This was no one-off session: the goal is is to teach the children at the Turtle Island Childcare Centre in St. John's how to throat sing, so that they can carry on the tradition when they get older.
Fost is the Inuit Program Facilitator with the St. John's Native Friendship Centre.
She had explained to the children that throat singing is a game that ends when the first person laughs.
Along with throat singing the sessions, which Fost began two months ago, also include other Inuit traditions, such as drumming.
'It makes me laugh so hard'
The children seemingly can't get enough.
Four-year old Burgess Doyle said his favourite part of throat singing is what he called "the laughing part." When asked why, he thought about it for a minute before elaborating.
"Um, speed up. It makes me laugh so hard," said Doyle, referring to how the songs get faster and faster.
In his excitement, he almost yelled the word "hard."
It's exactly the kind of response that Fost — who started throat singing herself 12 years ago — hoped for.
Not all of the children who attend the bright, inviting childcare centre are Inuit, but that doesn't matter to her.
"I just think that it's very important for children to have a broader respect and understanding for diverse cultures," Fost said.
"Not just Indigenous, but many cultures."
Her 11-year old son, Fred Fost, had come to the centre with her so that the pair could demonstrate throat singing together.
"When my son was born, I realized if I don't do something now, perhaps he's not going to be able to teach my future grandchildren," Tama Fost said.
'It's coming back and growing'
As an urban Inuk woman, Fost did not learn the tradition growing up.
Neither did Tabitha Blake, who joined Fost at the childcare centre to help demonstrate the craft.
Blake is originally from Rigolet, Labrador, but has lived in St. John's for many years.
She performs with the Blake Sisters, and her three children are also learning to throat sing.
"To me, the importance of throat singing is keeping with traditions and culture as it was done by my ancestors all those many years ago," said Blake.
"I'm happy to see that it's coming back and growing."
Children at the Turtle Island Childcare Centre, an arm of the St. John's Native Friendship Centre, are also learning some Inuktitut words, including parts of the body, and how to count.
The children are really getting a kick out of who can keep the eye contact the longest.- Debbie Ingram
But a throat singing piece by Fost and Blake that mimics the sound of a saw cutting wood garnered requests from the little ones to do it again.
Debbie Ingram, who manages the Turtle Island Childcare Centre, said the children see throat singing as an intriguing game.
"The children are really getting a kick out of who can keep the eye contact the longest," Ingram said.
At first the sessions were monthly. Then they were bumped up to twice a month.
Ingram said they've been so successful that the visits will now take place once a week.
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