Eskimeaux Change Name After Tanya Tagaq Confrontation
Gabrielle Smith is changing the name of her band Eskimeaux, following accusations by Polaris Prize-winning artist Tanya Tagaq and others that the word “eskimo” is a derogatory term for Inuit people. The Brooklyn group will now be known as Ó. In a statement, Smith said, “We’ve been talking about changing the band name for a little over a year now. The band name is the gateway to the project and I never set out to make it controversial, hurt people’s feelings, or bring up a kind of hardship I haven’t personally had to endure.” Smith explained that she is adopted, and “the only information I have about my birth parents is that my birth father is [indigenous North American group] Tlingit and everywhere I looked for more information the word ‘eskimo’ was commonplace.”
Smith’s change to Ó follows a series of tweets from Tagaq, as Exclaim! points out. Tagaq, an Inuk throat singer, wrote, “If you want to use the word Eskimo you had better be an Eskimo or I’ll eat you for lunch.” She added, “I’m tired of being reduced, diminished, dismissed. Our matriarchs are better than this.”
In a new statement responding to Smith’s name change, Tagaq said, “Gabrielle has taught me that people can be open and respectful when mistakes are made. I am very pleased with this outcome of the band name change and our impending friendship. Pleasant surprises.”
Smith also explained why she chose the new moniker: “I had added the ‘eaux’ to the end of my band name to illustrate the way I record; it’s a jumble of syllables combined to make a simple sound, ‘o.’ Moving forward, this project will be called Ó.”
Read the full statements from Smith and Tagaq below.
Gabrielle Smith:
We’ve been talking about changing the band name for a little over a year now. The band name is the gateway to the project and I never set out to make it controversial, hurt people’s feelings, or bring up a kind of hardship I haven’t personally had to endure.
As an adopted person I’ve struggled with finding an identity. I spent so many hours as a kid searching for information about my heritage and this was, unfortunately, the only term I came across for a long time. The only information I have about my birth parents is that my birth father is Tlingit and everywhere I looked for more information the word “eskimo” was commonplace. After a while it became too painful to look anymore, as everything I read had different information, and I hung onto what I was able to find and understand.
Talking to Tanya about this was what ultimately helped me make up my mind to change the band name. She and I have had really different struggles, but they don’t serve to diminish one another. She has a really important perspective that all Americans, who have a tendency to brush aside and not educate themselves or each other about the histories of indigenous peoples, would do well to listen to and learn from.
I had added the “eaux” to the end of my band name to illustrate the way I record; it’s a jumble of syllables combined to make a simple sound, “o.” Moving forward, this project will be called Ó.
Tanya Tagaq:
Our band has a project providing a soundtrack to the 1922 saga Nanook of the North. This project has significance became we have spent many years attempting to dissolve stereotypes surrounding Inuit culture, therefore humanizing a culture in the midst of socio-economic crisis due to post colonial fallout. The word Eskimo is a slur for many Inuit. The name being applied to a band by a non-Inuk person incensed me. I applied the same tactic that I have used a multitude of times with offending appropriators or groups (RIDM Festival, Ungava gin, Black Pussy), which was one of aggressive public scrutiny. This tactic is taken because often when I privately contact these groups they dismiss me completely until there is a public outcry. Gabrielle has taught me that people can be open and respectful when mistakes are made. I am very pleased with this outcome of the band name change and our impending friendship. Pleasant surprises.
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