Ulukhaktok and such

Ulukhaktok has spirit.

Today I was in Ulukhaktok to host the same community consultation meeting that we did the other day in Paulatuk. Although I was in Ulukhaktok last month, I didn't get a proper taste of it. Today I tasted the spirit and beauty of Ulukhaktok. As we flew over the Beaufort Sea, the weather was clear and I could see solid ice for days. I took a bunch of photos from the plane of the ice, and the snow drifts atop the ice. It was pretty neat sitting there considering that I was in a small aircraft above the Arctic ocean...a situation I would have never pictured myself in four months ago.

The first picture above is of ont he main strip of Ulukhaktok, notice the gorgeous background. To my left would be the Beaufort, the ocean, as Ulukhaktok is located on Victoria Island. Everyone in town seems to own a snow machine, vehicles were much fewer then Inuvik. All the young children get carried under their Mommy's parkas (and these are fancy homemade decorative parkas) in these bundles on their backs. One of the lady's who was at our meeting had a 5 month old that was on her back, tied around her in a bundle when she arrived. It was neat see how they keep their babies safe and warm from the cold. Over one of the meeting breaks I had to go next door to the hotel and make sure our soup and bannock was going to be ready for our supper break, and there was such a nice restaurant there with all sorts of baked goodies. I also took a stroll to the Northern, the grocery store in town. The kids in town caught up with me and Alexa while we were out, and were so friendly, wondering what our names were. I guess we were recognized as being out-of-towners. I suppose that happens when the town's population is 270. Later on after the meeting was complete, the sky was coloured with the sunset, over the bluff landscape the colours looked gorgeous. The third picture shows some of this colour, along with one of the three churches that I noticed in town! Also in the picture above is my friend Devin. He was hanging out in a snowbank just outside the Hamlet building where we had our meeting. He told me he was 4 years old and in grade 3. I think he mighta been fooling me...

I have heard that Ulukhaktok has a nice craft shop in town, and so asked the people at our meeting about it. We were disappointed to know that it was closed, but delighted to find that we could call Joe and he would open it up for us. So we got a hold of Joe, and he took us over. Among a huge pile of muskox hides, there were some really gorgeous prints that are all made in town. I was tempted to get one (they were all stunning, traditional and unique) but instead ended up with some really gorgeous cards and some mini seal mitts that are a zipper pull.

Oh so we also stopped in Tuktoyaktok to pick up someone who was coming along with us to help with the meeting. Tuktoyaktok (always referred to as Tuk up here) is a community also on the Beaufort that I will be visiting again in a couple weeks. Tuk is famous for thier Pingos, I will post later with a photo of a pingo, and what the heck it is in case you are someone who is wondering. (No Kris, its not a distant relative of the dingo....) Tuk is also famous for the song Stompin' Tom sings about the town, do you know that one?

It was neat driving into town on the towns 'bus' today, and seeing a polar bear hide hanging outside of someones house. It's funny, I have a somewhat renewed perspective on subsistence hunting ever since I have been here. I still can't see the purpose of the sport hunt, but I have become really comfortable with the hunting that the Inuvialuit do for their direct consumption and use.

So although I didn't see a polar bear today (well, I didn't see a live one at least...) I did see some other Northern wildlife. When we were back in Inuvik and driving into town from the airport, we had to slam on the breaks...there was a huge moose in the middle of the road. And when I say huge, I really mean HUGE.

I am hugely tired, and must get to my cozy bed. Enjoy your cozy bed tonight, wherever you may be.