Charlie Ningiuk Bio

Charlie was born in 1963 in Iqaluit, Nunavut ( on Baffin Island in the Canadian arctic) and that's where his musical history started, when he began elementary school in Iqaluit, in the 1970’s. He started making songs while on his way to school, to the beat of his footsteps. The first time he touched a guitar was at the age of 12 in 1979 when he started junior high. He didn’t learn much then until he moved to Inukjuak in Nunavik. There his friends started a band and that’s when he really got hooked.

Then 4-5 years later after following his friends band, ha started his own band using the community centers instruments. His musical influences at the time were from Nunavik artists like (Sikumiut, Sugluk Band, Charlie Adams, and especially Willia’s band from Inukjuak.. All of them with soft rock to hard rock influences, which has stayed today in Charlie’s music. After one year of practicing with his band they started playing at the local community center every Friday night.

Word of his music quickly traveled across the north with a strong demand for him to perform all across the north. During his musical carreer he has always played his own compositions except for 2 songs his first year.
The same year that he started performing in public Charlie’s band showcased in a Nunavik festival in Inukjuak, and that became the beginning of his travels across the north.

Showcasing in the Eastern Arctic Music Festival every year (This festival is in a different village every year).
1980-First Eastern Arctic Music Festival was held in Inukjuak
1984- Eastern Arctic Festival in Ivujivik
1986- Eastern Arctic Festival in Salluit
1991-The Snow Festival in Povugnituk
1992-2000-At all the festivals and local concerts put together by the Inukjuak Artist Association.
1992- Eastern Arctic Music Festival in Kuujjuaq
1993- Eastern Arctic Music Festival in Povugnituk
1993-The Nunavik Concert festival
1994-Eastern Arctic Festival in Sanikiluaq
1994-Inuit Artist World Show Case in Inukjuak
1995-The Inuit Circumpolar Conference in Nome, Alaska
1996- Eastern Arctic Music Festival in Kuujjuarapik
1997-Aqpik Jam festival in Kuujjuaq
1998- Eastern Arctic Music Festival in Akulivik
2000-Eastern Arctic Music Festival in Inukjuak
1980-2001-Various local concerts put together by the community

In 1996 Charlie put out his first album with Inukshuk Productions (Inuuqatik), then in 2002 his second album (Inuit Nunangani), along with two music videos.