Nunavut mourned the loss of a musical icon with the passing of Charlie Panigoniak in Rankin Inlet on March 6.
The much-loved entertainer and singer-songwriter had been battling Parkinson's disease for a number of years prior to his death.
Born near Chesterfield Inlet, Panigoniak was named to the Order of Nunavut in 2012 and received the Nunavut Commissioner's Performing Arts Award in 2016.
A household name across Nunavut, Panigoniak is considered by many to be the father of popular Inuit music, bringing smiles to the faces and warmth to the hearts of most Inuit when his voice soared over the radio waves in Inuktitut, or when they saw him at one of his many live performances.
A longtime personality on CBC, Panigoniak performed at the Nunavut Day celebrations in 1999, as well as the 30th anniversary celebrations for Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami in 2001.
Inuk musician and recording artist Sam Tutanuak, 51, said Panigoniak is an icon for Inuktitut music and someone for Inuit to look up to.
He said he was fortunate enough to play in a Rankin Inlet venue with Panigoniak shortly after he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.
"The Inuktitut music world lost a musical pioneer and great icon with Charlie's passing," said Tutanuak.
"I first became aware of Panigoniak while I was living in Baker Lake in the late '70s or early 80s, just as I was entering my teenage years.
"I remember how great he sounded and how I saw him as someone to look up to if you wanted to write music.
"Back then, it was like, wow, someone's actually playing the music of Creedence Clearwater Revival and Johnny Cash – that kind of music – and to be able to understand it in your own language was pretty neat."
Tutanuak said he was very happy to see the honours that were bestowed upon Panigoniak as his disease worsened.
He said the 2016 benefit concert in Arviat that saw Panigoniak perform live in concert for the final time will forever be remembered as a historical musical night in the Kivalliq.
"I was choked up that the community did such a special show in aid and recognition of him.
"I thought that was a pretty honorable thing to do by the community of Arviat.
"That one performing gig in Rankin was my only personal connection I had to Charlie, except for what his music always meant to me, but another connection I had with him was that we both used the same music production company, Rip Roar Music – just outside of Ottawa.
"Charlie blazed a trail for Inuit musicians and recording artists who came behind him and we should all be grateful to him for that."
Brian Tattuinee, 35, said Panigoniak has always been his favourite recording artist.
He said Panigoniak's music has been a part of his life for as long as he can remember.
"I'm not necessarily what you'd call a music person but, to me, Charlie produced good all-around music that I really enjoyed listening to," said Tattuinee.
"I liked his style of music
and he was always a good entertainer, so I always enjoyed his show anytime I got the chance to see him perform.
"His one song I loved the most is Nukaraa because I could tease my brother about it, with him being older than me."
Tattuinee said he was always a bit shy, so he only had one chance to personally interact with Panigoniak and that was during the 2018 Terence Tootoo Memorial senior men's tournament in Rankin Inlet when the entertainer had his picture taken with him.
He said when he left home to attend school, he would always play Panigoniak's music when he found himself missing home.
"I'd play Charlie's music and it would bring me back to being home, give me fond memories
and that sort of thing.
"When I heard of Charlie's passing I tweeted a bunch of my favourite songs he sang that I loved.
"I just reached for my phone right away and started playing his music.
"You look at all the bands today – and being able to identify with someone in the industry – and it represents that progression of Inuktitut music where Charlie sort of paved the way for that scene – to explore that type of music – and you hear that today with Susan Aglukark, the Jerry Cans and the Trade-Offs – he's a musical icon who had an incredible amount of influence across the North."