Day 2

Day 2.
Thursday- We wake up to heavy rain and wind, rain batters the tent and wind vibrates the taut strings, a strange and wonderful music. Not one drop enters the tupiq, it does not move in the wind. We are on a plain, these are strong winds. I reluctantly go outside for a call of nature, I am battered by this weather, I am glad to get back in the tupiq, my tent in Seattle would not last in this, flexible tent poles would bend/snap. I sleep again, the rain stops. I go outside, lovely colors, water so clear and fresh. We walk up the hill, brother J* shows me the inuksuk his grandfather made, a small one, big views of the countryside. Tracks on the beach say ‘tuktu’ caribou. I am told there are mammoth bones near the lake 3 hills over. We check the nets in full waterproof gear, I am told seriously to not get wet whatever else I may do. I am told never to walk alone, I hear the word amaruq a lot (arctic wolf). Gulp ☺ we check the nets, 3 codfish, 1 iqaluqpiq- Arctic Char! We eat raw char cut into strips and niritsaijuq (bannick) bread, wonderful. Today we are told that the weather is not good for tracking caribou so it is a fishing day, we spend the day fishing on the rocks, wind gusting, beautiful rocks everywhere, salt spray. Fishing all day, we catch many codfish, we are hungry, the day passes, I am called for ‘snacktime’, what to eat?, L* is wading with a net, I see the girls laughing as they smash something against the rocks, I am handed an urchin, instructed to throw it against the stone, it shatters after several tries, the orange part is good to eat, in Japan they call it ‘uni’, this is a delicacy! I have never enjoyed it in Japan but here in the frigid water it is just delicious, I eat with gusto, we feel great. I pass a dead seagull, I am told it was shot ‘qukutimut’ (with a rifle, for trying to eat the drying char). We catch mussels, eat them raw as well, they are lovely. L* catches a fish I recognize from diving as a stonefish, I know these are very poisonous in tropical waters, I yell out in warning, am looked at like a lunatic ☺ apparently in the North these are good to eat…oops
Some caribou soup is delivered to the man’s tent where I sleep, it is delicious, the first meal for today, until we catch more food we won’t have a real meal, I feel strangely strong although the food has been scarce, the water is so fresh and the urchin and mussels were very fortifying. I sleep again so comfortable in the tupiq. Before sleeping I am told why we (whites) are called ‘qablu (bushy eyebrow) naat (fat gut)’. I fit the bill perfectly! :)
I woke up very early 4am, went outside and looked around, the moon was out, stars going on forever, very clear and fresh air. I am dreaming a lot and thinking clearly up here!
I slept again and these tupiq are toasty.