Psychedelic Green

Yesterday was great. It started with some errands with my supervisor to pick up a couple carrot cakes to take with us to Paulatuk and Ulukhaktok, then proceeded with me getting geared up for a little plane ride! We left Inuvik at 1130am, and an hour later we were in Paulatuk: a community made up of about 40 buildings, really in the middle of nowhere. When we eventually moved on toward Ulukhaktok, it was much the same, a cluster of lights on the ground, with no connection to any other communities except by plane, or a really long snow machine ride. (by the way, they call skidoos snow machines up here!). After a one hour flight that was entirely smooth, we (as in myself and 3 other DFO employees and one Inuvialuit Fisheries Joint Management Committee, oh and the two pilots) landed in Paulatuk, an entirely flat and white town that is stationed on the Beaufort sea coast. A gentleman from town picked us up from the airport, it was daylight but because there was so much blowing snow, you really couldn't see much. It was mostly like a wall of white no matter which direction you stared in. We met with 6 people from the Paulatuk Hunter and Trapper Committee. Most of them were elder Inuvialuit people. They had few teeth, and were generally hard to understand (and as the minute taker...it was tricky). But boy, they really knew their stuff. During our discussions we asked them to talk about places that were of importance to them, locations that they would be interested in protecting with a potential Marine Protected Area. It was really interesting to hear them talk about their hunting and fishing. They knew exactly where the arctic charr were, where the polar bears were, where the caribou were. They located them on maps, and they matched up with scientific areas of importance. They really demonstrated Traditional Ecological Knowledge, and it was readily visible from former scientific data, that the areas they mentioned matched with these areas. So neat to see TEK in real life, instead of just hearing an ERS prof preach about its accuracy. So the Inuvialuit in both communities that I visited were quite friendly and made an effort to introduce themselves to me. When we were done our meeting, and established the Inuvialuit's interest, we wrangled our pilots from the lone hotel (they were sleeping, not drinking thankfully!) and got a ride back to the airport. After the pilots had fired up the plane, we headed onward toward Ulukhaktok. Too bad it was dark by the time we got there at 5pm, because it looks like there is some neat topography to the area. If you are wondering where these two communities are in relation to Inuvik, I posted a map a couple posts ago, and Ulukhaktok is on the map in it's English name, Holman. Again we got a ride into town, and met in the board room of their communities HTC office, and the Inuvialuit in this community were much the same: friendly and knowledgeable about the land and wildlife. Interesting conversation occurred about sovereignty issues and climate change. They had interest in protecting their marine waters because of these reasons and the effect they might have on their traditional hunting and fishing activities. I have been told by others at DFO that the Ulukhaktok craft shop (all with hand made slippers and mukluks) is fantastic, but it was closed when we got there (and so was their lone restaurant). But, I think I may be back there in March, so I might have to check it out then. When this second meeting was done and my hand was tired from recording all of the notes, we again got our pilots out of the hotel and moseyed on back to the airport. On the way we had to stop at Max's friends house (I swear no matter what outlying community an Inuvialuit is from, they all know one another). Max scored two huge Arctic charr from his friend who had caught it the day before. When I asked Max how he prepares it, he said the best way and only way he eats it is frozen! Then it was back on the plane! It was very cold on the way up, but warmed up after we had been in the air for a while. Okay, so then as we were on our way back to Inuvik, upon looking out my window...because it was finally a clear night, I saw the Aurora Borealis for the first time since I have been up here. Clear as anything, there was a Green flowing patterned that formed across the entire sky. It was stunning, actually mostly wild...I mean, it just seems so 'far out' like in the psychedelic sense, ya know? This crazy green wispy formation dividing the eternal sky in half. Amazing. So after landing, I had an interesting encounter with one of the pilots....ask me if you'd like to hear more! Then, it was off to the Mackenzie hotel lounge in town to have a drink and celebrate a successful day. The pilots invited themselves as well and showed up just after we had settled in. A drink or two was had by all, and at midnight Joclyn and I headed homeward (her to her hotel, shes from the Winnipeg office, and I to my apt). And again, because it was so clear last night, the Northern Lights were dancing across the entire sky so bright and quiet. I stood outside my apartment for a few minutes (in the -38 chill) and just watched. The aurora moves so fluidly and smoothly, it really is neat to watch. Then, after a long day seeing and doing lots, I hit the sack. I was back up again at 7am this morning...oh the working life. The communities were all alone it seemed, it was strange, like they were this little blip of a place, 30 or 40 buildings in the middle of nowhere, with winter temperatures that are almost inhospitable. I was amazing to see just how hospitable the people were. All in all, my experiences in the outlying Beaufort Sea Inuvialuit communities was very positive and interesting, I'm so glad I got the opportunity to go. And I can't wait to go again.