Traditional Roots, Modern Groove: Music at Jaanimmarik School
If you walk down the halls of Jaanimmarik School and hear a blend of strumming ukuleles, Inuktitut lyrics, and the steady thump of a drum set, you’ve stumbled upon Sarah Russell’s world.
A veteran of the North with more than 12 years of service, Sarah has seen how music transforms the student experience. Since 2017, she’s been turning her classroom into a recording studio and a stage. Through her unique teaching approach, she proves that closing the distance between traditional Inuit culture and modern performance is just a matter of finding the right beat.
What’s cool is that some classes listen well enough that we can just jam. I’ll be on keyboard, and then we have students on the drum set, the cajón, the Inuit drums, and the Tubano drums. It’s mostly percussive, with me doing a melody, but they just listen and get into the beat. It’s an exploration.
Practice, Consistency, and the Slow Build
Sarah sees music as a lesson in long-term work. In an era where many games offer immediate rewards, she finds satisfaction in seeing kids work toward a performance. “All it takes is practice and consistency,” Sarah explains. “If you don’t try, you’re not going to get anywhere. If you try and you’re not very good, well, that’s a good place to start from.”
The soundscape of the classroom is a unique Northern mashup. One day, students might be practising the ukulele or piano; the next, they are recording a school-wide song for Every Child Matters using a digital recorder.
Sarah makes a conscious effort to ensure the music remains grounded in the community. At assemblies, she invited students who recently started secondary school to lead the Inuit drumming. “Kids pay attention even more, when the person can speak Inuktitut,” she says.
A Space to Grow
This community spirit extends to the annual Talent Show, which showcases everything from digital art and athletic feats to a full-band rendition of Hotel California, with staff rallying behind a talented student guitarist.
One standout tradition is the surprise show for the Grade 6 graduation. As Sarah recalls: “We took Beyoncé’s ‘Texas Hold ’Em’ and turned it into something entirely our own. By rewriting the lyrics into a trilingual mix of Inuktitut, French, and English, the younger students and many staff members were able to surprise the graduates with a show that really represented them.” For Sarah, it’s about making these musical moments a habit—one vocal warm-up, one drum beat, and one “new” experience at a time.
It’s not hard, it’s just new. So jump in and try it.