Inuit throatsingers steal the show at Justin Trudeau's swearing-in ceremony
Samantha Metcalfe and Cailyn Degrandpre broke into giggles at Rideau Hall
Two young Inuit throatsingers stole hearts Wednesday morning as they performed during the Justin Trudeau government's swearing-in ceremony.
Samantha Metcalfe and Cailyn Degrandpre of Ottawa, both 11, broke into giggles after each of two rounds of throatsinging in front of Canada's Governor General and the new prime minister, Justin Trudeau.
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- Listen here to an adorable interview with the two girls.
Traditional Inuit throatsinging is a performance and type of contest where two women/girls face each other and make sounds to imitate animals or their surroundings. Whoever laughs first, loses.
The girls' performance ended in a draw.
"I lost that first round," said Samantha.
"But then on the second round, I messed up on the speech I was trying to do in the throatsinging and then I started laughing," said Cailyn.
The two girls are loving the attention they've been getting on social media, especially from Polaris Prize-winner Tanya Tagaq, a throatsinging idol of theirs.
I got verklempt seeing throat singing at the swearing in. <3
—@tagaq"Even Tanya Tagaq tweeted about us," said Cailyn.
"It was so cool."
Carla Turner says she discovered the Ottawa Inuit Children's Centre as a place for her daughter Cailyn to learn about her culture when she moved to the city. The girls learned to throatsing in the afterschool program.
She watched from home on TV as her daughter performed Wednesday.
"I was crying, I was so overjoyed watching them get excited. They were just being themselves."
Loved the Singing & giggles of the 2 girls brought celebration, youthfulness & hope we want! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/pm23?src=hash">#pm23</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/throatsingers?src=hash">#throatsingers</a> <a href="https://t.co/Ts4pW1qJMt">pic.twitter.com/Ts4pW1qJMt</a>
—@dawnnorth49Absolute <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/favouritemoment?src=hash">#favouritemoment</a> of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/swearingin?src=hash">#swearingin</a>- the 2 young <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/throatsingers?src=hash">#throatsingers</a> who stopped twice to giggle adorably. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/canpoli?src=hash">#canpoli</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cangov?src=hash">#cangov</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Trudeau?src=hash">#Trudeau</a>
—@autodidactgalLRT: CBC should give the Inuit <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/throatsingers?src=hash">#throatsingers</a> their own after-school program. Everybody's favourite moment of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SwearingIn?src=hash">#SwearingIn</a> ceremony.
—@JimCramptonWPG