Out on the land, or "When in Rome..."

We had a brief staff meeting this morning, and then set to work trying to create some semblance of order out of the chaos created by unloading our resources in the classrooms. But before we got to work, there was the requisite photo op with the resident polar bear in the Cultural Museum that is located in the school annex. And yes, the bear is really that tall! (And yes, I am still losing weight...minus 63 lbs to date! WOOT!)

At 1:00, we met back at the school to be driven out onto the land for some berry-picking and tea. We had a caravan of ATV's loaded with people along with a four-wheel drive truck. The roads are just loosely packed rocks, and without the four-wheel drive, the vehicles would sink into the loose rock and become stuck.

Once out in the tundra, we set out to scrounge for our snack: late-season low-bush blueberries, and some pownuk, or crow berries. There were also cranberries, but they are not yet ripe.

The berries lay in thick carpets on the ground, and the approved method to gather is to sit or lie on the ground and grab as many as you can from where you can reach. Then, stepping carefully so as not to squish the good berries, you move to the next piece of ground and get comfy, and keep filling your pail.

These ones are the pownuk, or crow berries. They are tart, and quite crunchy, but tasty. They grow on stubby plants whose needles look a lot like those of a yew or a balsam fir.

Our next treat was tea and a bit of a feast. The people here share whatever they have equally, and you only have to ask to have as much food as you can eat pressed upon you by many hands. The women cut up fresh and smoked arctic char with the curved ulu knife. Here you see them using the ulu to prepare beluga muktuk, or the blubber from the back. It looks like bacon.

So I got to try fresh, uncooked arctic char: rather a strange texture to eat raw, but very much like trout. Then I tried the smoked char, which was very similar to smoked salmon, and a bit fatty like salmon or trout. Quite tasty! Finally, I willingly tried the beluga muktuk. Yes, raw again. It was far crunchier and firmer in texture than I would have thought, and very fishy-tasting, but hey, when in Rome you do like the Romans!

It was a great day all in all, and every day has brought something new. I am thoroughly enjoying myself in this wonderful and welcoming community.

Kelly and I are snuggled in for the night, planning furiously for the opening of the school tomorrow as we listen to the wind howling outside. We are down one roommate, who sadly was terribly allergic to our two cats. Otherwise, life is cheerful at 825 Cat Scratch Alley, Sanikiluaq, Nunavut!