Annesie Sarah Nowkawalk

My name is Annesie Sarah Nowkawalk. Born on January 16th, 1990, I was raised in Inukjuak, Nunavik by my parents, Minnie N. Echalook and Noah Echalook. My father Noah is a well-known sculptor. His soapstone carvings are in important Canadian museum collections, like the National Gallery in Ottawa. I learned how to throat sing by listening to the local radio station. My mother wasn’t a throat singer but her mother was. By the time I was born my grandmother had already passed away, so I could not learn from her. As a teenager I met Lysa Iqaluk when we were 14 or 15 years old. Back then we started singing together. In 2005, we performed successfully at the Puvirnituq Snow Festival. Four years later, we traveled together with the support of the Anglican Church of Canada to perform in Toronto. Occasionally we are asked to perform during special celebrations in our community.