Tradition in Motion: Mask and Sound ft Pamyua + Insun Park & Generals

Pamyua brings Inuit rhythms paired with contemporary gospel, R&B, funk, and masked dancing to Cal Plaza. To begin the night, audiences will experience a groundbreaking fusion of rock, Korean traditional music, and masked dance courtesy of Insun Park & Generals. Both acts will push creative boundaries while offering fresh perspectives on their cultural traditions.

Pamyua was formed in April 1995 by brothers Phillip and Stephen Blanchett. The brothers stumbled upon a musical concept to blend Inuit drum/dance melodies with R&B vocal styling and arrangements. The duo immediately began sharing their performance around Alaska and collaborating with like-minded artists.

Pamyua showcases Inuit culture through music and dance performances. The show is a platform to share indigenous knowledge and history. Their style derives from traditional melodies reinterpreted with contemporary vocalization and instrumentation.  Often described as “Inuit Soul Music,” Pamyua has discovered its own genre.  

Band members are proud to represent Indigenous culture.  The group believes unity is possible through music and dance. Together, each member works to interpret Inuit traditions masterfully with joy and sincerity. The response to this message is tremendous as the group is a symbol of pride for Alaska’s indigenous people and to all who see them perform. Pamyua’s performances aim to honor and share indigenous traditions through ceremony, songs, and dance.

Insun Park is a Seoul-based mask dancer redefining Korean traditional performance through solo works that bridge ritual, social critique, and contemporary expression. A practitioner of Gangnyeong Talchum, a form of Korea’s National Intangible Heritage, she began training in elementary school and later studied traditional performance at university. Though rooted in a centuries-old form, her artistic voice has developed in dialogue with modern urban life.

Traditionally, mask dance (talchum) combined rhythm, song, movement, and dialogue into a comprehensive art form known as yeonhui. While its satire of aristocrats offered audiences catharsis, female and disabled characters were often reduced to stereotypes. Park’s work critically engages this legacy, asking how tradition can be preserved while also responding to contemporary values of gender equity and social inclusion.

— World Music Central

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