The Hectic Days of August - Part 3

Kiviuq I

The captain of the fishing vessel Kiviuq I extended a weekend lunch invitation to the staff of Inuujaq School.  The boat had been hired by the Hunters & Trappers Organization (HTO) to fish, hunt, and survey the waterways near Arctic Bay.  Over the course of two and a half weeks, the fishermen of the Kiviuq I had caught shrimp, halibut, whelks, Greenlandic sharks, and muskox.  The muskox were hunted on Devon Island.  The lunch, followed by a tour of the vessel took place on Saturday, August 29th.  The staff had to be split into two groups because the vessel could not accommodate everyone at the same time.

            

It was a quiet, clear-blue sky Saturday morning as I walked down to the bay, dressed for the weather and armed with my digital camera and GoPro camera.  I had taken a Gravol pill to combat any potential sea sickness before leaving my residence.  The boat was moored close to the shoreline but a small boat would be used to transport us to the ship.  I was the second staff member to arrive at the pickup area in front of the Northern Store.  Greg, the Grade 5&6 teacher, had arrived first.  After me came Jon, Jean-Francois (JF), Ryan, Cindy, and two custodial staff.  John teaches Grades 7&8, JF teaches high school math & science, Ryan teaches media & ESL, and Cindy is the school's District Education Authority officer.  We were the first group.

            

A crew member from the Kiviuq I arrived in a small motorboat to transport us to the ship.  The ride took about two minutes.  A rope ladder was lowered down to the motorboat so that we could climb aboard.  I was the first one to climb the ladder.  I was greeted by two fishermen who instructed me to stand to the side so that the others could climb aboard.  I took pictures of the middle deck while I waited.  The place was packed with ropes, wooden traps, life jackets, and other supplies.  When everyone was aboard, we proceeded to the kitchen/mess cabin.

            

Jessie "The Cook"

Condiments holder.

Jessie "The Cook" was there waiting for us.  He greeted us in a thick maritime province accent and invited us to sit down.  The kitchen/mess cabin is a small room with two tables and seating for eight people.  Each table had its own wooden condiments holder.  Two large signs informed everyone that no smoking was allowed, and drugs & alcohol were not permitted onboard.  When the remaining teachers arrived Jessie began serving us the lunch he prepared: beef stew, freshly baked bread, coffee, tea, water, and juice.  The food was excellent.  We later learned that he would be preparing most of the food for the community feast later that evening.

            

The captain speaks with JF.

Me at the wheel.

We were invited up to the bridge after lunch.  We got to speak to the captain and take pictures of his workplace.  The captain is surrounded by a wall of monitors that feed him important information while he navigates the boat.  The only item we were allowed to touch was the wheel.  It's only there for historical decoration and doesn't control the rudder.  We all had our photos taken while standing behind the wheel.

            

The Bridge

The captain decided to make our stay more enjoyable by taking us out into the bay.  As we sailed further away from the community, one of the custodial staff women from the school got to pull the cord that sounded the ship's horn.  Unfortunately, I happened to be out on the front deck and was not given a warning.  It was quite a sudden surprise.

            

Locals camping at Uluksat Point.

John & Ryan converse with the cliffs
in the background.

We sailed past Uluksat Point and into the main waterway that connects to Admiralty Inlet.  The captain steered the boat closer to the cliffs so that we could take pictures.  John & JF were quite impressed by the picturesque scenery.  This was their first time teaching in Arctic Bay.

            

Selfie Time!

Sea Explorer I

A ship appeared on the horizon in the direction of Admiralty Inlet and was sailing towards us.  The captain steered the boat closer to the cliffs to let the other vessel pass.  The large vessel was the Sea Explorer I, a cruise ship operated by Polar Latitudes, Poseidon Expeditions, and Quark Expeditions.  The ship visited Arctic Bay around the same time last year and stayed for a day to let the tourists explore the town.  I don't think any tourists came ashore this time because the Sea Explorer didn't stay in the bay for very long.

            

Arctic Bay.

The Second Group.

The captain navigated around the Sea Explorer I and brought us back to the community.  He had the anchor dropped not far from the breakwater pier.  I photographed the second group of teachers waiting in front of the Northern Store.  The principal of Inuujaq School was with them. 

            

The second group of teachers were picked up first and brought onboard.  I filmed some them climbing up the rope ladder.  The first group of teachers said their final goodbyes to the crew of the Kiviuq I and descended down the rope ladder onto the small motorboat.  We were dropped off at the same place where we were picked up in the morning.

            

Bins of raw muskox & narwhal.

I made my way to the Community Hall at 6pm for the community feast.  I came fully prepared: plastic bags, paper plates, utensils, an ulu (knife), and several paper towels.  The muskox meat was the main feature but the crew of the Kiviuq I would also be serving cooked halibut, shrimp, whelks, and raw narwhal.  Unfortunately, the Greenlandic sharks were not on the menu.  Two large and long Rona tarps were laid in the middle of the hall and a line of five tables were set up at the front.  Behind them were nine plastic bins filled with raw muskox meat and two with raw narwhal meat.  I took a seat at the back of the hall and waited for the feast to begin.  I was later joined by Jon & JF.  A group of volunteers emptied all the raw muskox meat onto the tarps.  They placed the cooked halibut, shrimp, and raw whelks on the tables.

            

Whelks

The pre-feast show began once the hall was packed with people.  There were speeches given by the mayor, the HTO, and the captain of the Kiviuq I.  The captain and his crew were called to the front to be thanked by the community for organizing the feast.  Jessie received additional praise for being the head chef.  The crew received gifts for their efforts.  The pre-feast show concluded with a traditional drum dance performed by an elder and a prayer said by another elder.  When the prayer was done, everyone rushed into the centre for free muskox meat.

            

Full house.

Line up

Both of my hands were holding plastic bags as I rushed to get the best looking muskox meat.  There are no lines when the raw meat is in the middle of the room.  It's a dash-and-grab.  Just don't be too pushy.  I filled two plastic bags with raw meat.  I would be good for the next month or so.  The people who didn't rush into the centre formed a long line in front of the tables serving hot food.  The line quickly stretched to the back of the hall.  Not wanting to stand and wait for a very long time, I sat down and placed the smallest piece of muskox on my paper plate.  I took out my ulu and began cutting it into pieces.  I didn't hesitate when I placed a piece of raw muskox into my mouth for the first time.

            

Raw muskox meat.

Raw muskox meat has a milder taste than raw caribou meat in my opinion.  I was glad that my stomach didn't have a problem digesting it.  As I continued to eat without difficulty, I noticed John was looking at with a sense of wonder and amusement.

            

"Why bother waiting in line when you can eat the meat raw right away," I commented.

"Yeah, I guess," he replied with a chuckle.

I offered him a small piece.  He took it with a hint of reluctance. 

            

"It's not bad.  Trust me," I assured him.

 John ate the piece.

"See, it's not bad."

"Yes, you're right," he agreed with a nod, "but I'm going to stick to the cooked food tonight."

"Of course.  It took me some time to get used to eating raw meat."

            

Cooked halibut.

JF came over a little later and ate a small piece I offered to him.  He liked it as well.  I was asked by several local Inuit if I enjoyed eating country meat to which I replied, "ii (yes).  Mamaqtua (tastes delicious)".  I later ate cooked halibut and shrimp after finishing the raw muskox meat. 

            

Near the end of the feast, the captain brought some his fishing cages & traps inside and explained how they worked to the Inuit children.          

            

The captain demonstrates how the fishing cages/traps work.

I quietly made my exit at the end of the feast and walked home with my bags filled with muskox meat.  A nice & tasty way to finish the month of August.  The Kiviuq I left Arctic Bay the next day.        

End of The Hectic Days of August mini-series.

The Hectic Days of August - Part 2

August 24, 2015.

Monday, August 24 was an exciting day for everyone because the first sealift vessel had arrived.  The large container ship had spent a day or two unloading cargo destined for other communities at the Nanisivik dock before sailing to Arctic Bay.  The Coast Guard will pick up the cargo at Nanisivik and transport it to those communities that are inaccessible by sealift vessels.

            

The summer sealift has been a staple of arctic life since the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) established trading posts across the region in the early 1900s.  These posts received their supplies from the south by boat during the brief summer months when the seas were free of thick ice.  The HBC used the goods, such as guns, tobacco, tea, sugar, & metal knives, to trade for furs caught by the Inuit.  The commercialization of the sealift did not occur until after the Second World War.  More communities were being established and the onset of the Cold War led to the construction of the DEW Line in the 1950s.  The cheapest way to transport all the necessary equipment and supplies for these mass projects was by boat.  Boat traffic only increased with every passing year, and today, many sealift vessels service the northern communities between July & October.  It's expensive to do a sealift order for the private citizen, but it's much cheaper than shipping everything by air.

            

What nobody was expecting was rolling fog.  When I woke up that morning and looked out my porch window, I was stunned to see the entire town enveloped in fog.  I left for work earlier than normal because I wanted to photograph this strange natural occurrence.  The fog was thicker in the town centre and out in the bay.  The fog surrounded the sealift vessel.  I could barely see the boat at times. 

            

Construction of new health centre.

I snapped quite a few pictures on my way to school.  I pointed my camera at the new health centre being constructed, the Arctic Bay sign, the sealift ship, and a tugboat towing a barge loaded with containers and vehicles towards the shoreline.  I also managed to snap a photo of a seagull standing on the roof of the school. 

            

Seagull sitting on the roof of Inuujaq School.

As I have already mentioned on several occasions, Arctic Bay lacks a docking facility to allow a much smoother delivery of supplies.  And I have also mentioned that no northern communities in Nunavut are equipped with deep sea ports.  There is only a small craft harbour in Pangnirtung but it was not built to handle large container ships.  Sealift companies & the territorial government have been lobbying the federal government to provide funding to build deep sea ports in the north but progress has been dreadfully slow.  Current & past governments have made promises but failed to deliver.  This problem is now a federal election issue.  We shall see which promises from political candidates will win over the Nunavummiut.

            

I knew several of my students would be away helping out with the sealift.  The majority of food supplies on the boat had been ordered by the Northern Store and the staff needed extra help unloading and restocking its warehouse.  People who signed up were paid $11/hour for their work.  I didn't mind that some of my students would be away working.  They were earning money and learning the importance of hard work and teamwork.

              

Boxes of paper.

Half of the school's sealift order was on the ship.  It was delivered to the school by a loader in one large blue container.  The driver was paid for the delivery.  (Loaders deliver your sealift container(s) right to your front door as long as you're ready to pay a reasonable fee).  The principal of Inuujaq School got several high school volunteers to bring all the supplies inside.  The school's main hallway was filled with boxes of paper, cleaning supplies, art supplies, and other things for the next several days.  The supplies would all be put away and distributed once the secretary completed the inventory paperwork.  The other half would arrive in early September on the second sealift ship.

            

Cleaning supplies.

Most of the teaching items I ordered in June arrived on the first sealift.  I had ordered several English textbooks, privacy boards, and educational games for my students.  There are just a few items left on my order form that need to be delivered.

            

The sealift vessel stayed for only a day.  On the morning of August 25th, the large container ship was gone.

            

Yamaha Powerlite Snares.
Tuned and ready to go.

My drummers finally got the chance to play the "real" drums after practicing on drum pads for two weeks.  However, they first had to learn how to set up the drums and carry them in their cases.  Unfortunately, the walls of Inuujaq School's high school section are not that thick, forcing me to find another classroom where the sounds of our drums would not disturb anyone.  That room was the Home Ec room downstairs.  Having to move all the instruments, equipment, and music back and forth between rooms teaches my drummers the importance of depending on yourself and others.  It also shows them why drummers are the first ones at a concert and the last ones to leave.

            

Naturally, the volume of the class increased significantly once all the instruments were set up.  One of the first things a percussion instructor must do is to eliminate all childish attitudes from beginner drummers.  Drumming is never about who can play the loudest or rolling until the sun sets.  My drummers are beginning to sound like a drumline after many days of practicing rudiments and counting exercises.  As a reward, I introduced them to their first performance piece for Halloween.      

        

The adult staff & senior cadets of 3045 Army Cadet Corps held a brief meeting on the evening of August 25th to plan for the upcoming regular training year.  The meeting was held at the Hamlet Office (aka City Hall).  We discussed upcoming events in the fall and how to go about recruiting new youth into the program.  Some of the events we are looking forward to are: the community beach cleanup, recruitment, parent's night, and Remembrance Day.

            

RCMP Officer explaining the use of fingerprinting in police work.  The officer is from is from Quebec, which is
why his presentation is in French.  He translated all the information into English.

Students crowd around to see their
fingerprints being dusted onto paper.

Arctic Bay's two RCMP officers paid a visit to Inuujaq School on Thursday, August 27th, to give a lecture to the high school students about forensic science, specifically the use of fingerprinting.  The best part of the lecture for students was when the officer brought out his equipment and began dusting their fingerprints on white paper.  Volunteers had to wipe their hands on their forehead before placing them on the paper.

            

Most northern communities have only two or three RCMP officers to maintain order.  They are on call 24/7.  If there is a situation that requires more resources, an RCMP crisis response team is dispatched from the south by plane.  The officers on the ground have to keep the situation contained until backup arrives (and that can take many hours).  Having more officers would be very beneficial except there aren't that many officers down south who want to come north.  And currently, the RCMP is having difficulty attracting Inuit recruits.  I heard that if Arctic Bay had a third RCMP officer, the workload for the other two would decrease substantially.  All three territories in Canada do not have their own police forces; the task of maintaining law & order is given to the RCMP.  (The RCMP is Canada's version of the FBI in the United States).         

To Be Continued . . .

The Hectic Days of August - Part 1

It didn't take long for the month of August to become very busy.

            

I spent the first weekend of the year at school, tuning the drums, photocopying handouts, and arranging my classroom.  There is a designated student table near the window where my students can place their binders & notebooks, and find pencils, pens, scissors, rulers, erasers, scissors, and glue.  The challenge this year will be keeping the binders properly stacked.

            

August 18, 2015.

The weather up here has gotten colder.  There is no snow on the ground but the sun sets in the evening and low temperatures makes everyone think of autumn.  The wind has also picked up in the last few days, forcing everyone to zip up their coats, pull over their hoods, and wear warm hats.  The wind was particularly strong on August 18th but it gave me a great opportunity to take a landscape photo of the bay.  The water on the surface was being blown away from the shoreline.

            

Late August happens to be narwhal hunting season.  Several of my students had to excuse themselves from class to go hunting with their relatives and/or elders.  (Whenever someone says they're "going boating" in the north, it usually means they're out hunting wildlife).  Pods of narwhals were spotted in Arctic Bay & Victor Bay.  Several were successfully caught by locals but many others escaped.  A pod was pointed out to me by a fellow teacher from a school window.  They were swimming away from the shoreline except we couldn't see their long tusks.  Narwhal tusks can sell for quite a hefty price in the north.  The price doubles down south and then skyrockets when it's a double tusked narwhal.

            

Several teachers got together on the evening of August 22 to celebrate the birthday of one of our coworkers.  The gathering was also a good way to make the two newly arrived teachers feel welcome among the staff.  Inuujaq School hired two teachers from the south: John for Grades 7 & 8, and Jean-Francois for high school math, science, and physical education.  We also invited one of the local nurses who prepared the birthday cakes.  She did an amazing job.  We had all brought snack food to the party but it was the cakes that "stole the show".  Greg, the Grade 6 teacher/birthday man was truly honoured by the amount of effort and support put into the party.

            

Second Bridge

On Sunday, August 23rd, Roland & Lena invited me to an evening BBQ at the Second Bridge.  Both work at the school as student support assistants.  Roland assists the pre-school students while Lena assists high school & middle school students.  They had recently purchased a new BBQ and wanted to try it out on the land.  They also invited Paulette, the high school art teacher, Kaitlynd, the student support teacher, Sara, the Grade 9 teacher, and her partner Tom.     

            

Paulette takes a walk along the rocks.

The Second Bridge is located on the Road to Nanisivik, about 16km from Arctic Bay and around 12km from the abandoned Nanisivik Airport.  It is here where the cadets of 3045 Army cadet corps usually hold their fall field training exercise.

            

Roland attaches the propane tank.

We drove out to the Second Bridge in a convoy of two pickup trucks.  Roland led the way while Tom followed closely behind.  We encountered several parked cars and atvs between the First & Second Bridges.  Many locals were out blueberry picking.  Once we arrived at our destination, we carefully unloaded the barbecue and brought it over to a pair of picnic tables.  While Roland got to work on attaching the propane tank, Tom performed a quick repair on one of the picnic tables.

            

The tables were set with beverages, plastic cutlery & plates, beverages, and condiments.  Roland fired up the barbecue and covered the grill with hot dogs, steaks, pork chops, and potatoes wrapped in tinfoil.  Just looking at all the meat being cooked at once made our mouths water.  The small stove top attachment was used to cook a pot of vegetables.  When the food was ready, we all grabbed plastic plates and helped ourselves.  The food was delicious.            

Co-op staff set up their barbecue.

Two vehicles appeared in the distance as we were enjoying our meals.  They turned out to be the Co-op pickup truck and a van.  When they stopped at the Second Bridge, several adults and children emerged from the vehicles.  It turns out that the local Co-op store had organized a family barbecue at the same location.  The Co-op staff unloaded their barbecue, cooking supplies, and food, and brought them over to the picnic tables.  A cube van appeared two minutes later and unloaded more people and food supplies.  The children explored the surrounding area while the Co-op staff got to work setting everything up.

            

We stayed for a little while before packing up and heading home.  I took some pictures and spoke to several people before taking a seat inside Roland's truck.  We stopped along the Road to Nanisivik to check out the berry picking areas.  The blueberries that grow in the north are quite small and the plant they're attached to do not grow very tall.  You have to be careful where you step or you'll crush the berries you're trying to pick.  I took several pictures of the road, landscape, and distant cliffs while Roland, Lena, & their children looked for berries on the side of a hill.  Paulette & Kaitlynd also took some pictures and looked for berries.  We didn't stay too long because there weren't that many berries in the area. 

            

Road to Nansivik, looking in the opposite direction, towards the entrance to Admiralty Inlet.

I was dropped off at the school where I went back to work planning lessons for the very next day.  The BBQ was a nice break from my normal working routine.      

The Cliffs (right of centre).

To Be Continued . . .