Not yet 17, Taiga Las has led an unusual life in Nunavut’s capital and will be entering her last year at Inuksuk High School in September.
Born in Iglulik, Las was adopted by a Polish-Canadian family, where she has been raised as Inuk, Canadian and Polish. She's pursuing her love of music in her final year of high school and beyond, by planning to continue as a musician, drum dancer, fiddler and throat-singer while spending her Grade 12 year applying to music schools in Poland, where she also travels occasionally with her family.
“I’m really proud of it,” says Las of her background and her heavy involvement with Inuksuk’s music program. Last week, she was in Yukon taking part in the Pan-North Youth Fiddle Summit.
“I get to perform, to do stuff that most people couldn’t since they live in the North. I guess most people in the North don’t really know about Poland, and they’re fascinated that I speak Polish to my family.”
Her last year of high school will have a heavy emphasis academically on music, with guitar, choir and band, while she also takes high level English, science and Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit. Outside of the classroom, the majority of her time will be spent on performances, lessons and practising.
“Last year, I had around four lessons a week, with lesson being about an hour or 45 minutes each. This year will probably be the same... It’s a little bit [tiring], but it’s fun because you know that it will all help me out in the future. I’m tired, but I’m excited since it will be my last year of high school. I’m definitely ready to move on to the next chapter of my life.”
Las says that performing, music, and being part of the Inuksuk Drum Dancers under Dr. Mary Piercey-Lewis has helped prepare her for that chapter.
“My love for performance has definitely grown over the years and given me the confidence to perform in front of large groups of people. It’s helped me a lot with travelling and how it’s like on the road, going from place to place," she says. "And it’s nice to see other Indigenous performers when we’re going to big events, like Truth and Reconciliation... I’ve gotten to perform for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Conference, and for famous people like Mary Simon and Justin Trudeau. So it’s been great to show my culture to people who don’t know a lot about Inuit and the North.”
Continuing to inform others of Inuit culture through music will continue as not only her future education, but her chosen vocation. It’s an education that began in Nunavut and will now go abroad with her to Europe, where she will teach others.
“I’ve heard the Poland has really good music programs... I think it would be cool and fun, and I get to learn a bunch of new stuff [there]... I think they’d be curious, maybe. I’m not too sure, but I want to show people my culture and how different it is to Europe, as well as Indigenous people in Canada... I really love our music, and I want to show people what that music is all about.”
