Information/Write-up
Northern Haze were a rock and roll band unlike any other, with all members born and raised in Igloolik, Nunavut. The lineup of Kolitalik Inukshuk, James Ungalaq, Elijah Kunnuk, and John Inooya grew up in one of the most remote communities in Canada, where music was as much a part of daily life as hunting and storytelling. Starting out on toy instruments and homemade gear, they developed into a tight, powerful unit whose playing carried the grit and drive of classic garage rock while staying true to their own traditions.
In 1985, with support from CBC’s Northern Service, the band traveled 3,000 kilometres south to Ottawa to record their debut album. It was the first Inuit rock album ever made, sung entirely in Inuktitut and blending heavy guitar riffs with themes rooted in the old ways of the Arctic. The sessions were raw but inspired, capturing fuzzed-out leads, pounding drums, and songs that carried the thoughts of yesterday and the hopes of tomorrow. The cover artwork, created by the band themselves, and John Ough’s stark photography underscored the record’s sense of identity and place.
What makes this album extraordinary is not just its historical significance, but its sound. These four young musicians played with conviction, energy, and fire. The production may not have had the polish of big-budget studios, but it hardly matters—the spirit is in the performance. This was music that could only have come from Igloolik, where modern rock collided with the Inuit tradition of voice and drum to create something completely new.
Pressed in a tiny run of 500 copies, the album quickly disappeared into obscurity. Today it stands as one of the most sought-after Canadian records among collectors worldwide, prized for both its rarity and its cultural importance. As the original liner notes put it, Northern Haze blended “the music of today with the thoughts of yesterday and the hopes for the future,” creating a bridge between generations through the universal language of rock and roll.
Not your average 1980s heavy metal band, Northern Haze extended tradition into new territory. At a time when southern critics debated whether hard rock and metal should be banned, these young Inuit musicians were using those very sounds to keep their culture alive. It remains one of the most special artifacts of Canadian music—raw, heartfelt, and utterly unique.
-Robert Williston
Liner notes:
"Over 4000 years ago, when the first Inuit moved from place to place in the Arctic Regions, the drums and the haunting chants of the voice were the sole means of entertainment. These songs were also used to pass information from the old to the new generation. Ayi Ayi songs told stories of the past, and contained hope for the future. The drum and the voice! Today, music is an important part of the Inuit culture. Northern Haze, a group of young men, all born and raised in Igloolik, carry on this way. But they have added the rhythms of modern rock music to the drums and voice of the past. Lead singer and guitarist Kolitalik Inukshuk with bass player and backup vocalist Elijah Kunnuk, drummer John Inooya and guitarist James Ungalaq blend the music of today with the thoughts of yesterday and the hopes for the future in this first album to feature Inuktitut Rock and Roll. The songs speak of the way of life of the older generation as in Inusivut, and of present day relationships as in Anuvunga. The group Northern Haze hopes this recording will please the older generation as well as show young Inuit that modern sounds are an important part of the future of Inuit music."
Kolitalik Inukshuk: lead guitar, vocals
James Ungalaq: rhythm guitar, vocals
Elijah Kunnuk: bass, vocals
John Inooya: drums
Ed Bimm: synthesizer
Randall Prescott: harmonica
Musical direction by Randall Prescott
Produced by Les McLaughlin
Engineered by Marc Lajoie
Recorded at Marc Productions, Ottawa, March 1985
Cover artwork by Northern Haze
Photography by John Ough
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