In this early Roadshow presentation from 2021, Dr. Mark Turner presents two objects—a film excerpt and a brass horn—to illustrate the intertwined musical histories of Moravian missionaries and Inuit communities in Northern Labrador in the late 18th and early 19th Centuries. Tracing how missionaries, drawing on traditions developed in Greenland, translated hymns into Inuktitut, Turner shares an ‘althorn’ from the collection of Makkovik documentarian James Robert Anderson.
Through this work, Turner challenges the assumption of a strictly “brass band” tradition in the region. His research suggests instead a broader portable wind practice, shaped by the availability of instruments and community needs. The object also reflects a complex colonial legacy while offering valuable insight into the evolution and ongoing stewardship of Inuit musical traditions.
