"The drum beat starts. It vibrates in your feet, your chest, your ears."

MidwestArts.com

Pamyua Founders: (left to right) Stephen “Qacung” Blanchett, Aassanaaq “Ossie” Kairaiuak, Phillip Blanchett

“These are musicians and storytellers. Historians and record-keepers. They share the stories of their ancestors in songs and words that, in some instances, had never been written down. They sing the songs, do the dances and write new music in an effort to record the past for the present and the future”

— Penny Mullins

“Groove to Pamyua’s joyous ‘Inuit soul’ jams at L.A.’s new Global Music Festival ”

— Los Angeles Times

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“More than a band, Qacung says, Pamyua is “a calling. A lot of musicians and a lot of bands are out there to be famous or make these songs, or whatever it is. And, for me especially, we’re making our music to save lives — to keep our culture alive, and to give our young people something that they can look up to and look forward to, and to be able to see themselves. So our music really has a higher purpose.”

— Tim Greiving, The Los Angeles Times

Performing their unique music of tribal funk and Inuit soul, Pamyua is a wild success both at home and abroad.

Pamyua (pronounced bum yo-ah) is an Inuit word meaning encore or “do it again.” Not only does this band’s name leave us anticipating a crowd of people dancing during encores but it also brings forth a revival of traditional drum dancing and songs of the Yup’ik blended with African-American influences like gospel, R&B, jazz and funk to create a brand-new style that Native People Magazine calls “a blizzard of interlocking harmonies”

Pamyua is recalling the traditional songs and doing the old again by dancing in a new style of encore.”

- Say Magazine

At a time when diversity and inclusion are more important than ever, Alaska's most famous Inuit band, PAMYUA, is bringing the music and culture of Indigenous people to the forefront of mainstream culture and entertainment.

“Alaska Native band Pamyua has such a distinct and beautiful sound and perspective.”

— Alaska Daily Executive Producers Peter Elkoff and Tom McCarthy

Pamyua's impact extends beyond the stage, and well beyond Alaska. Their music videos are now part of The Library of Congress' permanent national archive and the group has made notable achievements in the media landscape.

Their appearances on popular television shows like ABC-TV's "Alaska Daily" and musical contributions to Nat Geo's Emmy-winning tv series, "Life Below Zero: First Alaskans," showcase their cultural relevance and mass appeal. The group also captured the hearts of viewers with the music they created for the beloved PBS children's show "Molly of Denali" and Discovery Channel's gripping series "Flying Wild Alaska."

Dedicated to preserving and sharing Inuit traditions, Pamyua tours globally, collaborating with world-class musicians, further contributing to their impact and influence. Their many international appearances have taken them to Russia, China, South Korea, Greenland, Denmark, Norway Iceland, Belgium, Estonia, Chile, Brazil and Canada.

Domestically they are about to embark on the second leg of a major six-state tour of the Midwest, “Arts Midwest- Worldfest,” partially funded by the National Endowment for the Arts. Their mesmerizing performances blend cultural authenticity and contemporary artistry, leaving a lasting impression on all who experience their extraordinary talent.

With their unique music of tribal funk and Inuit soul, Pamyua is bringing indigenous music to audiences everywhere, leaving their mark on the world.