Sanaaq (16 page)

Qalingu and Irsutuq were leaving in their two
qajaak.
They were going to gather eggs. As part of their preparations, they took a box to put the eggs in and a bag. Qalingu lashed his
qajaq
to his sled for the trip across the
qainnguq
to open water. Because he and his companion would be travelling by
qajaq,
they took something to sit on while paddling.

“We'll be back tomorrow,” said Qalingu.

They set off in their two
qajaak
and headed to Pikiuliq Island. Because they landed while the tide was still coming in, each had to carry his
qajaq
to dry land. Qalingu began walking about on dry land and, as he made his way, eider ducks and gulls took off from the ground. A bird that had been laying flew from its nest as he passed by. Qalingu saw the eggs in the nest and called out, “I've found some eggs!”

He put the eggs he had gathered in the box he had brought and the down from the nest in his bag. He decided to leave one, out of compassion for the eider duck, which was continually flying about in close proximity, full of anxiety for its eggs. Some of the eggs contained a chick embryo, others a germ, and still others no visible germ. Irsutuq too found some eggs, but only a few. He went to his companion and said, “I really don't have a knack for this. I've only gathered a few eggs!”

“It's because you see poorly, on account of your advanced age.”

“No, I don't see poorly!”

Some gulls swooped down from above. They feared for their eggs and their chicks. The two men stopped and began checking over the eggs they had gathered by dunking them in the water of a small lake.

“We'll check the eggs we've gathered,” said Qalingu
,
“to see whether they've got any embryos... The ones with embryos float. The other twenty don't have embryos. I'll use them for bartering!”

After checking the eggs, they made their daily meal by boiling eider meat and eggs... They had also collected down. After loading their
qajaak,
they paddled off.

“There are some places, over there towards land, where the water is darkened by the wind,” said Qalingu. “You can hear it howling... We'll soon be caught in the wind!”

“Just our luck! That's not reassuring. Is it getting closer?”

“Yes!” answered Qalingu.

Despite their efforts to hurry by paddling as fast as possible, the wind began to blow in strong gusts. They barely avoided capsizing several times because of the dark waves it threw up.

“I'm losing hope!” said Irsutuq. “We don't seem to be making headway into this wind... It will probably blow us out to sea... I'd like to take shelter from the wind behind the island!”

“Let's go then,
ai!
”

Their kinfolk — Sanaaq, Arnatuinnaq, Qumaq, Akutsiak, Taqriasuk, and Aqiarulaaq — were watching from a hilltop.

“I'm very worried about them,” said Aqiarulaaq, “because we can't see them... They said yesterday they'd come back today.”

Taqriasuk looked through the telescope and said, “I still can't see them and yet there's no one left on Pikiuliq Island!”

“
Ai!
” exclaimed Sanaaq
.
“I wonder where they could possibly be... Perhaps in the areas where the wind's blowing very hard?”

Arnatuinnaq saw something.

“That's probably them! The two of them appear at times in the storm, but they often vanish from sight because of the breaking waves offshore. Try looking at them through your telescope!”

“Yes, I can see them! They're caught in the storm... They'll probably seek shelter from the wind behind the ice floes.”

“I'm scared!” said Qumaq.

The wind was subsiding now and the women walked down to the shore while their husbands continued to watch on the hill. On their way, they picked up some brush for fuel.

“We could gather some fuel for making boiled meat,” suggested Aqiarulaaq.

Arnatuinnaq and Sanaaq pulled up large quantities of heather and black crowberry bushes.

“There's enough to cook with
ai!
” said Aqiarulaaq
.
“Each of us will take an armload.”

Once they had arrived home, Arnatuinnaq went for water in which to boil Aqiarulaaq's meat. After filling the outside cooking pot, she said, “I'm done! It's ready!”

Aqiarulaaq had just come in when she cried out suddenly, “Listen! Dogs growling at each other. Sounds like they're eating the meat I put in to boil... Arnatuinnaq! Go quickly and see!”

“They sure are eating it! All the meat is gone!”

“What a shame!” said Aqiarulaaq. “Those were my only pieces of meat... I won't be able to cook now... The worst thief among the dogs is going to have a paw tied to its neck!”

Arnatuinnaq tied one of the dog's paws to its neck... It began to whimper, “
Maa maa…
”

“Serves you right!” said Arnatuinnaq.

Their lookout arrived at that very moment, saying, “The weather is clearing up. They're both coming!”

“All the meat I cut has been eaten by the dogs! What a crying shame!” said Aqiarulaaq.

“Which one did it?” asked Taqriasuk.

“Once again it was that miserable Taqulik!”

“Too bad, but this time it's going to die, that dyed-in-the wool thief!”

“I could try and look for something to make boiled meat with at Ningiukuluk's place, because we've got nothing left…”

Taqriasuk agreed. So Aqiarulaaq went looking for a gift. She entered the tent and said, “Ningiukuluk! I've come begging for meat. All the pieces I'd been boiling have been eaten!”

Ningiukuluk, who disliked giving, replied, “I won't give you any because you're a fool and because you're often robbed of your food. I don't want to be short of food through the fault of others. You're really stupid! Just go away!”

Yet she had plenty of meat. Aqiarulaaq went to Sanaaq's place and told her, “
Qatannguuk!
I've just been rudely sent away by Ningiukuluk after trying to get some meat... I didn't get any, not even a little morsel. I was given a flat no!”

“
Ai!
” said Sanaaq.

The two
qajaak
were about to arrive.

“The
qajaak
are arriving, out front!” announced Arnatuinnaq. “They're heavily loaded. Let's go to where they'll be landing!”

They all went. Ningiukuluk also wanted to go, despite feeling very embarrassed. She went anyway and when she arrived, she looked about furtively, saying, “Look at all the eggs they've got! How nice it would be to eat eggs! Aqiarulaaq
ai!
You'll come and get some meat at our place!”

“I won't go again. I already asked for some today!” answered Aqiarulaaq.

They went back and forth on the shore carrying the many things that the travellers had brought back. They got ready to boil the eggs and eider ducks. They skinned the ducks, removing the skin with the feathers.

Ningiukuluk was no longer the centre of attention. With no more gifts being brought to her, she felt envious and dearly wished to receive more... Her daughter Akutsiaq, feeling the same way, visited her neighbours for something to eat. She expected those who prepared the boiled meat to offer her some. She waited a long time in the expectation of being offered food. When her hosts began to eat boiled meat, she joined them and, finding it very good, ate eagerly, soon finishing off the eggs and the pieces of duck she was given. She even scraped the fat off the duck skins with her teeth.

“Pass me the soup pot!” she said after eating.

It was passed to her. Although its contents were very hot, it did not give off any steam. She gulped down a mouthful, unaware that it was boiling hot, and scalded herself badly. “
Aatataa
!
My throat has been scalded!”

“But why are you eating so greedily?” asked Aqiarulaaq.

“I'm not! I don't eat greedily!” shot back Akutsiaq.

It was spring. Qalingu and Taqriasuk were travelling by sled to the
sinaa.
Qalingu saw something right away and yelled, “Belugas!”

“Whereabouts?”

“Over there out to sea! They are coming this way and will probably swim under the ice of the cove.”

The belugas did come and they all surfaced together. When the firing started, however, they immediately dove under and remained there for a long while. Not being wounded, they never reappeared.

“All the same, I got a shot at them,” said Qalingu. “
Ai!
What a pity! I scared your game animals away. I was afraid I wouldn't get another chance to shoot.”

“Couldn't be helped. But there's no need to let me shoot first. I'm getting old and my vision is failing... I can't even make out the front sight on my gun anymore...”

“
Ai!
How many winters have you been through?”

“
Ai!
I've been through eighty-nine winters!”

“
Suvakkualuk!
You really are very old, yet you're not at all frail!”

“Sometimes, though, I wish I had a walking stick...”

“If you want, I'll buy a piece of wood and make you one.”

“It would really please me if you did!”

The two of them were now hunting on the
sinaa.
They saw some
puiji
and Taqriasuk fired on them. No sooner had he fired than he hit one, and Qalingu set out to recover the body and tow it back with his
qajaq.
On the way back, while landing, he saw another
puiji.
He fired and missed. Taqriasuk in turn fired at the animal that his companion had missed, hitting it with his first shot.

Qalingu set off in his
qajaq
for another tow. Again and again he went back and forth, towing seals killed by his hunting partner. Back on the ice once more, he said, “I was thinking… You said you couldn't even make out the front sight on your gun anymore, yet you're still a very good marksman!”

“Sometimes my vision gets better!”

“Are you telling the truth?”

“Do you think I'm not telling the truth?”

The two of them headed to dry land. Their kinfolk were watching from a hilltop. As she climbed the hill with Aqiarulaaq, Sanaaq suddenly shouted, “Look at them! They've come quite close... They're heavily loaded... What could they have possibly killed?”

“I'd say that Qalingu has killed an
ujjuk.
I'm sure it's not my old man who killed it!”

With the hunters arriving, the women walked down to the campsite. The hunters had to climb up the shore, having arrived at low tide, and they halted several times because of their heavy load. During these stops the panting dogs pulled on their tuglines.

“
Uit!
” said Qalingu
.
“The runners on our sled are no longer upright... It'll really be something if we manage to climb all the way!”

“That's true!” said Taqriasuk. “Let's get at it, let's try to get all the way up!”

By the time their sled finally reached dry land, its runners had become completely skewed and were no longer upright.

“Leave it here
ai!
” suggested Qalingu. “I'll go get my little sled!”

He went to fetch it and arrived at his tent, saying, “I've come for a sled. The runners on ours have gone askew!”

“Drink some tea first
ai!
” said Sanaaq. “The bannock has just been baked.”

“I'll just have a drink. My hunting companion must be tired of waiting.”

He then returned to his companion, pulling his little sled behind him.

“I took a while,” he said on arriving. “I was thirsty and wanted to have some tea.”

“I was starting to get really cold after you left!”

They transferred their load to the new sled, which proved to be more suitable. When they arrived at the tents, Aqiarulaaq said to her old man, “I really didn't think you'd catch so many seals. I thought only Qalingu would get any. But now I've completely changed my mind about you!”

“My vision got better,” said Taqriasuk, “so today I hit bang on while Qalingu shot very poorly!”

Qumaq was growing up and for the first time went for a walk alone. She wandered back and forth, walking very fast and gathering
uqaujait,
sursat,
killapat,
kakagutit,
and all kinds of other plants. Unaccustomed to being alone, she was afraid and easily startled. She soon headed home, collecting willow leaves on the way. She mused, “I feel like gathering plants, but there are many
igutsait.
So I'll go home... And so what if my cup isn't full... That'll be enough, for I'm very scared of big bumblebees.” She saw another bumblebee and began to run away. “It's tiny and it still scares me,” she thought. “Yet it's just a little insect...”

She pretended to be unafraid and tried to feel confident, while heading straight home and giving up on any further gathering. Her brother saw her and came to meet her.

“My little sister's coming! I must go and meet her. Little sister, let me see the plants you've gathered,” he said, approaching Qumaq
.

“But there are very few!” said Qumaq.

“I don't think there are too few! I'll spit oil on them, to moisten them... Those ones look like bumblebee food or willow catkins.”

“No, there are none of those here. I didn't gather any bumblebee food, because I was afraid.”

When her brother got home, he went inside and said, “Look, Mother! Arctic willow leaves collected by my sister. Look at all of that! Mother!”

To Sanaaq it did not look like much. “Is that all you gathered? Did you have trouble finding them?”

“No!” said Qumaq. “On the contrary, there were a lot!”

Sanaaq's son cut off a piece of blubber from an
ujjuk
in the
aki
and tried to spit oil from it onto the little willow leaves...

“Son! Your
manu
is getting stained,” said Sanaaq. “Don't spit any more oil! There's enough already. They're well oiled.”

Oil trickled down his forearm as he ate the leaves. “Take some
ai!
” he said when he was done and getting ready to leave again. “Father, make me a little boat!”

“Out of what?” asked Qalingu.

“Out of this piece of wood.”

“Let's go to it!” said his father, and he set to work making a little boat.

“Use that for the mast. Father! Hurry! I want to go and play with the little boat!”

Qalingu began to hurry.

“Is it done, Father? Give it to me quick!” insisted the child.

As he was about to leave, his father said, “Take care not to fall into the water!”

He played with the little boat, chattering non-stop. “There it goes... It's going over there... Wait a moment, we'll first go a bit out to sea... It's got a heavy load!”

He repeatedly waded into the water, and several times the water came up over the top of his boots. He had been told many times to be careful, yet he went ahead and climbed onto a rock with a very slippery surface. The soles of his soaked boots had meanwhile shifted to one side. Suddenly he slipped and fell into the water... He stayed there a long time, for he was all alone. He wailed and whimpered but could not shout that he had fallen into the water… His parents had no idea what was happening.

“Listen! Does that sound like someone crying?” said Sanaaq, suddenly worried.

Qumaq went out to see.

“It's crying alright... He's probably fallen into the water!”

“Out of my way! I'm coming!” shouted Sanaaq as she rushed outside. “
Autualuk!
My son has fallen in!” She hurried over and rushed to pull him out. “
Aalummi!
Did you slip, little one? Come! From now on, you'll no longer play all by yourself with the little boat! My son fell into the water! He got out just in the nick of time... We didn't know what was happening for quite a while!”

She carried the boy, who was weeping and dripping with water, so much so that she got all wet too. She took him home, pulled his boots off, removed his clothes, and put other ones on.

“Keep your boots off for a while. Your boots are soaking wet and need to be dried.”

She left him bootless on purpose, for fear he would fall again into the water. He said, “Mother! I want to put my boots on.”

“Later! Wait for them to dry. You're being really unreasonable! Remember, you just fell into the water!”

He would not let up, so his mother lay down beside him on the sleeping platform until he fell asleep.

Qumaq went to wash the clothes that her little brother was wearing when he fell into the water. Akutsiak came with her.

“Let's wash here,” suggested Qumaq.

“Yes, let's! But I'll be clumsy like before... I'll never manage to get the dirt out and I'll be slow.”

“No wonder. You're always taking a break from your work!” said Qumaq.

On hearing this, Akutsiaq went home to tell her mother how she had been offended. She simply left her wash behind, because she felt so humiliated.

“Mother! I'm home because Qumaq has been very mean to me!”

She voiced her discontent by telling lies. She felt badly treated although what she had been told was merely the truth.

“
Suvakkualuk!
” exclaimed Ningiukuluk. “Let me handle this. I'll find her... Qumaq! Why did you tell my daughter off again?”

“She's not telling the truth! I simply said she was always taking a break from her work. I only said that!”

“
Ai
!
” said Ningiukuluk.

Qumaq no longer liked Akutsiaq. Hardly surprising. Akutsiaq tattled on others, complained all the time, and would not tell the truth. Qumaq too went home. And there she said, “Akutsiaq left behind the things she was washing. They'll probably be torn to bits by a dog because she left them in the pool!”

“But why did she leave them behind?” asked Sanaaq.

“Because she went home!”

“Did you make her angry?”

Qumaq made no reply. She did not wish to repeat what the other girl had said. It was not worth it. So she changed the subject.

“Let me eat too! I want some meat from the
kujapigaq
and also some dried small intestine that's been pounded!”