When I was about 10 years old, my family travelled to Northern Quebec where I became acquainted with Inuit culture. I was fascinated by how important music was in the North, despite vast plains of silent snow. This is why I am pleased to share my research with you about the qilaut, an instrument just made for this job.

The qilaut is a very important instrument in Inuit culture. In addition to being one of the oldest examples of indigenous musical instrumentation, it has remained faithful to its original construction and is still made of ordinary materials found in daily Inuit life. It is divided into two sections: the isik, or surface that is struck; and the pablu, or handle of the drum. The drum is played with a kututarq, a simply constructed mallet. The diameter of the qilaut averages about 50 centimeters.

Originally, native people intended the qilaut to be a religious instrument. It was used to summon animist gods during ritual services. These ceremonies helped protect hunters and fishers from the risks of their trade and families were able to ward off evil spells.

After the shamanist period, the qilaut changed roles and became the central instrument of Inuit social life. It was used to play music for the drum dance. Once a year, Inuit families or clans would get together to take part in a friendly competition The music was judged to decide which was the happiest clan. The beat of the qilaut also accompanied a similar competition for Inuit dancing. These festivities helped to celebrate reunions and accept new arrivals in the village or the tribe.

The instrument's special feature is its soft tone, due to the choice of non-resonating materials like caribou skin, with which it is made. However, during special ceremonies, the skin is dampened to give it a special sound. The qilaut is thus an instrument that anyone can use. In summary, music has a unifying force for the Inuit in Northern Canada and the qilaut is the best evidence for this. Because it is easy to play and is available to everyone, it has a universal character. Its role is very similar to the African darbuka or rain stick.

Here is a brief summary of the parts of the instrument. I sincerely hope that you will send me a description of the musical instrument typical of your country that you like the best!