Whaling Festival .. .. .. ..
is always held in June for 3 days. The captain who first catches a whale (J.J. Russell ) picks the date of this event. Vistors from all over the world and from all over Alaska come to this non-stop event.
3 days of food, fun, games, blanket toss and more.
BE CAREFUL, of what you eat! some of this food can kill you! If you have had any sugar that day!
Elizabeth Oviok is handing out "mikiak" fermented whale meat. NO THANKS, I will pass on this. If you have had any sugar that day, soda pop, or fruit. YOU CANNOT EAT THIS.. .. .. .. .. it WILL kill you, and you will die from botulisim !! to me.. that is not food. I have a two day old slice of pizza fermenting between two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches .. i am playing it safe..
This fermented whale meat, er,, um.. when it goes into your stomach, it "boils" releasing toxic gases, if you have had any sugar, that boiling will harden over and the gas cannot escape and botulisim sets in.
A proud mother displays her skill and handiwork. Every one gets new dress parkys at whaling festival. All parky's are hand made, the fancy trim at the bottom are called (coo pucks) kupaks. All original hand designed and hand sewn into the edge of the parky's. In days of old, the mother had to make all new clothing for the entire family, before she was allowed to sleep.
Whaling festival starts with the cutting of the flippers. The successful captains boats are honored. in a different area with flags.
It takes much work and many people to cut the flippers and to constantly keep sharpening the knives.
Patrick Attanguana is showing Captain Ernie Frankson how to divide the flippers correctly. Patrick lost his brother Henry in 1989, from Botulisism, he forgot he had some candy earlier in the day!
FLIPPERS ARE SAFE: but I am a junk food junkie.. M&M's is my perfered snack of the day!... with peanuts!
Each successful captain will hand out the flippers and call the "family" name to receive their gift and portion.
I am glad they never called my name! whew!
Baleen his handed out to certain visitors and relatives and guests.
Blanket toss is coming next.. you won't believe what this is reallly all about!!!
Blanket Toss
Was originally used down at the lead opening long time ago. The hunters would throw a hunter into the air, to see if whales were coming.
Today it is "different" anyone may get on the blanket for a "ride". Anything can happen and usually does in this event. You better know what your doing or you can get hurt badly.
Sometimes.. Gravity takes over.. oooppss!!
Now a days. Blanket toss is to determine the future. "What will next year be like ?"
This is the question and this is how it is answered. ROFLMAO !!!
DO YOU THINK ... NFL FOOTBALL is tough ? ha ha ha NOPE no way!
NFL football has RULES... Blanket toss has NO RULES.... NO REFEREES..
anything goes... and it does, and people get hurt!...but all in fun! ha !
Anyone may take a ride, and if it is windy. and that person goes high in the air.. everyone has to run like hell to catch that person. I have seen people thrown as high as over the tops of telephone poles. and the wind would blow that person 40 feet away.. everyone running like hell.
but the woman who has had a FIRST BORN SON.. gets on that blanket with a bag or handfulls of candy or furs,money or candy or whatever, when she is thrown into the air, she legs go of all of that.. and all the children run for it.. IF ANY CHILD.. GETS THEIR HANDS ON ANYTHING.. it is going to be a bad year next year...!
It is the job and sworn duty of the oldest women in the village to grab it all .. PREVENT THAT CHILD FROM PICKING ANYTHING UP!
Once the child has it, it is theirs to keep. nothing can be done. But these 80 year old women 90 year old women, fraile, fragile, old, worn, suddenly come to life in unique style you won't ever see anyplace! DIVING HEAD FIRST into the gravel to block, tackle and prevent these children from grabbing anything.. to be truthfull,, I was laughing in total hysteria, it was impossible for me to even get my camera steady and capture any of this because it all happens so fast and in so many diffeent directions as once.
How these old ladies survive head butts and crashing into the gravel diving and grabbing these children with NO MERCY.. grab one by the hair and toss him / her over her shoulder to block the next child. NO RULES.. these women take this very seriously.!!!
Sabriina Tuzroyluk (Bena) soars high into the air and displays award winning form.
Cape Thompson
none of that is here. I like that. We work at home, the Post Office is right outside the house to our left just a stones throw away, and the store is about a foot ball field away, if that. We hunt in vast open areas the size of New England ! all that area, empty ! .. .. animals & food of all types, berries or many types, salmon berries, blueberries, cranberries, and other types of which I am not familiar.. yet. photos of berries are in July / August.
coming soon !
Our way of life is being threatened, people in other parts of the world do not want us to hunt, they do not realize we have no supermarkets and the price of food in the small native store just incredibly expensive, due to the high cost of freight.
I once bought some food in Anchorage to ship up to a whaling captain. $300 worth of food cost 400 dollars to ship up to the village. It would have been much more expensive had there been food(s) that needed refrigeration or to be kept frozen!
THE OCEAN: is our main source of food. At the present moment, the oil companies want to drill off shore for much needed oil for the energy that the country and the world consumes,
They have a huge ship 60 miles off shore performing seismic testing of the ocean floor, SONIC PULSES into the earth that no doubt these animals can hear, and thus avoid the ususal route(s).
The Oil companies held a closed meeting with the whaling captains only, no one was allowed in the Qaligi meeting center. hmmm !! Everyone out was the announcement half -way through the town meeting.. !
If you "google" -- Project Chariot -- You will find out about the governments intent to nuke Cape Thojmpson (image above) which is located some 23 miles south of the village of Point Hope. They had no intentions of notifing the people of the village, ONE MAN put a stop the whole thing, Howard Rock ! Then the Government buried all the nuclear waste in the middle of their hunting grounds in several places.
ALL THE ELDERS are gone, very few are left in the village, All my closest friends that are in these images, gone ! dying too fast, too young, all from cancer !
Now we are told we cannot hunt @ Cape Thompson because we cannot prove that we have used this land for the past 3,000 years,! GO FIGURE !
It is the only land visible from the village. where else would you hunt ?
We cannot PROVE ! WowoW ! The Government will stoop to any low excuse for intelligence reasoning !
How is this for an double sided "oxymoron" Military Intelligence :
Take an Eskimo out of the frozen Arctic and place him smack dab in the middle of the jungles in Vietnam !
My good friend, Pete Lisborne, The government kicked his whole family out of Cape Lisborne to mow down their homes for an air strip for an early warning system. l Nice Nice !
Pete has worked with me as an apprentice electrican many times in the past. He wants to go back to the Old ways. Pete still lives in the old town site that has been abandoned.
Pete makes a good lving out of walking the beaches, looking for atrifacts and other such treasures, He often comes to use to purchase his fossililzed pieces that he finds.
Lets go to Cape Thompson.. we go here to get eggs, ! Giant Eggs the size of a good size pear ! Blue with spots on the outside, but just like the type of egg your used to eating.
The only catch ? we have to climb 600 feet into the cliffs of Cape Thompson to get them, and the birds fight back !
They say that when you start to climb, if you feel dizzy, then suck an egg ! are you afraid.. suck another egg ! Don't look down, keep climbing !
It is still very cold outside, eggs are placed inside the parky and carried very carefully of course.
Believe it or not, .. well you just won't believe how good these taste ! One eggs = 2 good size omlets ! Eskimo style !
Imagine that, for thousands of years, the iNUPIAT PEOPLE have lived and hunted in this fashion, without ever depleating any of the resources!
Well ya know.. this is so nice and peaceful.. lets just stay a while. a few days or so.. !
The world famous Whale Bone Graveyard
This is a recent photo of the Whalel Bone Graveyard in Point Hope, it is world famous as it is the only whale bone graveyard in the entire world.
when this snow melts next month (end of june) I will post a new image to show how many grave markers are under that snow. Over 150 people I knew oh so closely like family are buried in there. sob !
It is just the most bizarre feeling to walk in here and read so many names of people you knew and loved so much!
I have no idea why ? I am still alive, so much death here in this tiny village.
some how, some way, I have survived 5 heart attacks and 3 strokes.
2003 July was when I had my last stroke, I lost 85% of my eyesight. 9 months later I had it all back, whew ! There must be something I have to do yet, that i haven't done.
Cooking
Cooking @ whaling festival for 1000 people is a massive undertaking for these women all day long! work work work work work .. !
This non-stop 3 day event is filled with fun, food, games, blanket toos and so much food you wonder how these women can keep track of all the food to feed over 1000 people!
One of the beautiful things about the Arctic.. no bugs! Here in Alaska the State Bird is the mosquito! We have the wind to keep them away.
They sure grow huge up here with a wing span of over two inches!
But it is always windy here in the Arctic, so nothing can "bug" you. (pun intended)
These are all the different parts of the whale that will be passed out to everyone at the festival, be careful lthis food is flammable.. yes flammable fat.
Salmon is abundant here. huge salmon fish over 4 feet in length, every family has 100's of pounds of salmon in the freezer and dried & smoked.
Everyone enjoys the day, Brand new dress Parky's are everywhere in the village today. This is joyus occasion one each year, if we are successful in receiving a whale.
Children love to sit on top of the whale bones of captains markers of years long ago make this sacred festival location.
Barrow Bound !
Flying to the "top of the world". That is the name of one of the hotels in Barrow Alaska.
farthest northern most city. - Barrow - Ukpeagvik - Land of the snowowl.
We left Point Hope on August 7th. One of my sons and I flew up here to see if it was possible to move up here. This was a scary move for us. I left 3 sons at home and flew up. We landed safe and sound, flat broke. We do not know anyone per say here in Barrow. There is a housing shortage, in all villages, but we are determined to make this move and some how move the other boys up here. Jobs are available for most everytype job description.
Work is plentiful, but we are not interested in jobs of any sort.
PC help desk job for the college pays over $30.00 per / hr. Wow !!
5,000 people live in this very old village that has made the transistion in to a modern type enviorment.
The sunset of our first night here was spectacular as are all in all of ALASKA. Midnight in Barrow..
As you can easily see, the sun is still high in the sky... here in the Arctic @ midnight. We truely have the best summers. Play out all night long, and as long as you stay in the sunlight you can go for days on end with no sleep.
wow! fantastic pictures and a very well told story.
See my photo's athttp://jdmphoto.smugmug.com/ A positive attitude may not solve all your problems,but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.
I have lived in Alaska for over 30 years now. I have been from one end of this state to the top of the world (Barrow) 1/2 dozen times or more.. and in all of this vast state. The Arctic is the best of it all !
Thanks again for all of your wonderful comments and I have hundreds more recent photos of the Arctic (Barrow) to share and Post on this great photography forum !!!
Thanks again !!
The North Slope Borough
Barrow is a whaling village as are most of the coastal village in Alaska above the arctic circle all with the exception of Pt Lay.
A photo of a large painting inside the hospital here in Barrow.
Harvesting a whale... the main source of food for the Inupiat peoples !!
A sign, outside the personal department of the North Slope Borough.
There is one village on this map, that is missing, south of Point Hope
150 miles is the village of Kivalina, on the coast, a whaling village.
Is also a part of the Nana region.
But the main focus is the North Slope Borough area,
This thread will grow to include photos from all of these villages
The people, their lifestyle / culture.. "Arts & Crafts" and the ancient
skills involved in the daily activity of North America's OLDEST people(s).
So little is known of this vast area.. OIL... is abundant in prudhoe bay.
The residents of the North Slope Borough are all shareholders in Native corporations and thus receive dividends that the corporations pay out to the shareholders.
Almost all villages in Alaska were founded by the peoples of Point Hope.
The History of these area is ripe for Photo Expeditions, Tourisim, Beach combing which can be extremly rewarding financially !!!
Like everyone else, I'd like the thank you for sharing the life you've lived for so many years now. It's so incredible! I recently gave a seminar at work about how yankee and European whalers affected the lives of the Inuit and the population of once plentiful whales. It's a true shame that what happened all those years ago still echoes into this day and age and is threatening an entire culture's livelihood. Thanks again for sharing your amazing story and photos.
A great thread and a fantastic story.
You work is splendid and also the awareness you are spreading regarding the region and the people.
Pls keep providing more snaps and stories...highly interesting and informative.
And I hope the people are able to hunt normally and the corporations dont take over their homes and hunting grounds.
Important meetings are held by these people, usually in Barrow during the Circumpolar Conference.
Point Hope is the oldest of all of these villages or peoples. Most villages are founded and established by the peoples of Point Hope. Greenland was founded by the same. The language has many distinct words that are the same in each of the lands even through seperated by thousands of miles. These nomadic peoples spread out throughout the entire world, North South East & West.
LIfe at the top of the world is exciting and completly different from anything you have ever experienced.
Dec. is by far the worst month of the year.. .. (for LIGHT).
Here is an image created at 30 below zero at Eleven A.M. in the morning!
Almost noon.. .. .. ? !
The sun goes below the horizon in November 17th, and it will NOT COME BACK ABOVE the HORIZON. until Jan. 23rd. When the sun finally does come above the horizon in Jan (end) it will set just 1 1/2 hours later.. Up and back down. .but. we start to gain.. minutes every day, until May, then we will not see darkness until the end of August ! Our summers are the greatest in the world.. 24 hour sunlight for many months.
Even though the winter is tough and very little light.. we do have some daylight or dusk like conditions for a few hours each day.
I like the long dark cold winters. Snug and warm in our nice home.
Nothing like the smell of a burning woodstove and the smell of fresh baked bread.
Indulgentsoul: The CORPORATIONS: will never take anything from the Inupiaq peoples, The Oil companies however are completly without conscience in the matters of this land.
As we speak, type, read, A huge Oil tanker is 60 miles off the coast of Point Hope, preparing to drill for OIL. They are in a holding process as their right to drill here is causing major problems for the animals of the region, namely walrus & bowhead whales. This is a very dangerous undertaking, one accident will ruin the whole enviorment. HOW DO you clean OCEAN ICE that is saturated with an oil spill ? An accident of this sort will wipe this peoples way of life, destroy the sensitive ecological make up of this fragile region.
The sonic sounding of the ocean floor is causing major migration shifts in the walrus pattern. Last year no walrus' were harvested by very few hunters in the ENTIRE NORTH SLOPE REGION. This year they are all showing up on the Russian side of the Chukchi Sea.
i was up last night with my daughter, who was ill and browsed to this thread, what a amazing set of pictures and documentation of life in these regions. Please keep the stories coming.
Important meetings are held by these people, usually in Barrow during the Circumpolar Conference.
Point Hope is the oldest of all of these villages or peoples. Most villages are founded and established by the peoples of Point Hope. Greenland was founded by the same. The language has many distinct words that are the same in each of the lands even through seperated by thousands of miles. These nomadic peoples spread out throughout the entire world, North South East & West.
LIfe at the top of the world is exciting and completly different from anything you have ever experienced.
Dec. is by far the worst month of the year.. .. (for LIGHT).
Here is an image created at 30 below zero at Eleven A.M. in the morning!
Almost noon.. .. .. ? !
The sun goes below the horizon in November 17th, and it will NOT COME BACK ABOVE the HORIZON. until Jan. 23rd. When the sun finally does come above the horizon in Jan (end) it will set just 1 1/2 hours later.. Up and back down. .but. we start to gain.. minutes every day, until May, then we will not see darkness until the end of August ! Our summers are the greatest in the world.. 24 hour sunlight for many months.
Even though the winter is tough and very little light.. we do have some daylight or dusk like conditions for a few hours each day.
I like the long dark cold winters. Snug and warm in our nice home.
Nothing like the smell of a burning woodstove and the smell of fresh baked bread.
Indulgentsoul: The CORPORATIONS: will never take anything from the Inupiaq peoples, The Oil companies however are completly without conscience in the matters of this land.
As we speak, type, read, A huge Oil tanker is 60 miles off the coast of Point Hope, preparing to drill for OIL. They are in a holding process as their right to drill here is causing major problems for the animals of the region, namely walrus & bowhead whales. This is a very dangerous undertaking, one accident will ruin the whole enviorment. HOW DO you clean OCEAN ICE that is saturated with an oil spill ? An accident of this sort will wipe this peoples way of life, destroy the sensitive ecological make up of this fragile region.
The sonic sounding of the ocean floor is causing major migration shifts in the walrus pattern. Last year no walrus' were harvested by very few hunters in the ENTIRE NORTH SLOPE REGION. This year they are all showing up on the Russian side of the Chukchi Sea.
Three Sisters
Three "sisters" pose in their fancy festival parky's. Each is home made, the fancy trim at the bottom of the parky are "Kupaks" Koo pucks. Calfskin is used and these designs are carefully, skillfully crafted & hand sewn using a strand of dental floss. they sell.. (just for the design) for approximately $1,500 and up !!!
Left to right these sisters are:
Children in 3's
One of my favorite types of photography is capturing people in candid situations. And it seems this short series is in groups of 3.
The month is June, of three different years.
When I saw these girls I was amazed and astounded and shivering. I am wearing ski pants, Eskimo Parky, Hat & gloves. How can these children do this is beyond me. Do they look cold ? nope. why ? I have no idea. As I was speaking to these girls, explaining what I wanted them to do, I stepped into the image too far, too close to them, I had them directly centered in the viewfinder of my RB67. My footprint can be seen on the left side. I took two steps backward to recompose and shift them slightly off center. THEN this dog appeared, His expression is priceless as he seems to have understood everyword I spoke to these children and he wanted to be part of this composition .. .. -=[click]=-
Again the month of June during whaling festival, These girls are very cold, well their hands are cold, that is why they are all hidden inside of the parky!
Children fascinate me, I just enjoy so much capturing them on film and digital media. Their expressions are so precious..
Fascinating photos - you've captured the people extremely well.
It's been over 25 years since I was in Point Hope, and the village was still in the process of moving from the old location (farther north) to the present location, with a few families in each place.
Just wondering - is Henry Nushookpuk (not positive of the spelling) still alive? When there, I spent quite a bit of time with him. He has some interesting stories to tell of hunting for food, and killing game to provide it.
Life there is far different from most people in the rest of the U.S. can even imagine, wouldn't you say?
Keep up the good work.
Interesting information Alcan Rider: The village was moved in the Seventies, and it was moved exactly 2.2 miles EAST. It is now situated on what once was ol grave sites.
The elders at the time of the move wanted the village moved much further away from this area. But the younger people who made the decisions did not want to leave the immediate area of the old town site which many people visit frequently.
Pete Lisbourne has fixed up his familes home at the ol town site and he resides there during the summer and at times during the winter also.
Pete longs for and wants to return to the old ways. But in today's rapidly changing world, this is impossible.
Henry Nashookpuk died in 2003 of cancer, His beloved wife Emma. Passed on in 1999 from the same disease that has taken all of the elders in this village.
Cancer runs rampant through Point Hope, due to the radioactive waste that was spread all over the area through "Project Chariot".
Not only does the government refuse to admit the truth and compensate these people. they purposely spread it around the area and witness' that are still alive, to this day recount what was done and the many areas that the material was buried without any markers.
Much of the caribou in different areas have been infected. Some hunters report that when they skin an animal. instead of seeing red meat, it is black with oil sheen like texture and the animal must be burned and buried to prevent other animals in the region from becoming contaminated.
Liechen is the main diet of Caribou and this unique plant does not have the ability to disperse the deadly radioactive elements so there is no half -life. but the plants are eaten by the animals and thus become infected in this manner.
I have lost hundreds of very very close friends, People I became very close to. It is sad to see so many elders perish at such a young age.
Emma Nashookpuk (Henry's wife) had the loudest greatest heartiest laugh of any person I have ever heard. Emma was always a very happy woman and her laughter could be heard from great distances in the village and was something that always brought a huge smile to my face.
Alcan Rider: The village was moved in the Seventies, and it was moved exactly 2.2 miles EAST. It is now situated on what once was ol grave sites.
Right you are. It just seemed that the old site was north of the present one, as it was farther from the constantly-receding south shoreline of Cape Lisburne.
Henry found the site of a very old, pre-historic site along that shoreline. It is my guess that he showed you the collection of articfacts he managed to salvage from that site before the waves took them from sight. The elders of that village understood the need to preserve the history of their culture. It is a very good thing that you are documenting as much as you are able through your photos. Places like Point Hope are neglected by most media, as there is nothing sensational and seemingly newsworthy about the life there. Things move at a much slower pace than in warmer climates, but they move, nevertheless. Your photos, taken over a period of time, will serve as "time lapse" records of change.
You're doing a great job - keep it up.
:barb My heart , my soul:D i appreaciate every shot i took , eventhought i using digital camera , but i'm think it is a film camera , so i will not waste my shot and have a good skill ......
Lets take a trip, hop on a plane
Lets look, from the air and see, up close and personal what is going on up here in this vast huge unexplored & UN-inhabited area for all practical purposes.
Leaving Pt. Hope.. .. bye bye !!
A few minutes into the flight we pass the Kupak river..
Oh .. I smile BIG as I see and remember what happend to me here. TOTALLY PREPOSTEROUS!
Lets take a trip and explore some of the land here in the Arctic.
some of what I am about to tell you will seem preposterous, but just ask ANY PERSON that lives in any village from Nome clear up to Barrow, all of the villages of the entire North Slope Region, will tell you that what I am about to TRY AND EXPLAIN is "true". Do I have photos ? not yet, but working on it, there has to be a way to prove this.
with recent giant advances in technology I am sure it will become possible to "catch" & record proof of the Ignaugalurauks.. .. The Little People, that live underground, and in caves here above the Arctic circle.
This is no legend, or folklore, as new sightings are prevelant constantly, each and every year.!!
I will tell you stories and provide photographs of all that "can be seen" in this vast huge expanse of area of several hundred thousand of square miles. THINGS HAPPEN OUT HERE.. .. ... ... that just do not make sense!!
For instance.. ha ha.. you are NOT GOING TO BELIEVE WHAT I AM ABOUT TO EXPLAIN.. you have to be here to experience
these happenings, no matter what I type, you will be very skeptical and doubtful ONLY because.. you know better, this does not happen where YOU LIVE.
therefore: ??
Lets start.. .. at the beginning so you have a better understanding of what is going on up here.. .. frequently, reports abound.. .. in each and every village!!
This is a vast area we are talking about in square miles.
roughly the size of ALL the New England STATES put together.. .. EMPTY !!
Ok.. nOW A Long TIME before the whaling companies arrived .. .. .. The Ingnakalaurak's LIVED AMONG the people of Point Hope.
One of their young was eaten by a dog.. .. and they moved out of the village. These people are small, 3-4 feet in height!
They live the ol ways, to this very day, dressed in caribou skins. They still hunt with bow & arrow. They live underground, and in caves all throughout this vast area.
They possess super human qualities, that you WILL NEVER BELIEVE:
They are incredibly strong and they can run, incredibly fast.. they sneak around the villages "stealing food".
When any hunter, shoots and kills a caribou, it requires two adult Inupiaq men to lift that caribou to place on a sled. It only takes ONE Ingnakalaurak to pick one up ...........and RUN WITH IT. Over his head (person carrying animal) running, with a dead caribou. ??? Bush Pilots have reported seeing caribou.. moving, quickly, in a horizontal position ???
Well, lets stop right here and let me extend an invitation to you. Anyone, come on up here, talk to the bush pilots.
They will tell you.. what they have seen with their own eyes, but you will not believe them, becuase, YOU KNOW BETTER. even though you have never been up here or heard of this before.
Come on up !! See and experience it for yourself.
HAVE I GOT YOUR ATTENTION NOW ??
good. I have no need to lie or exagerate about any of what goes on up here. I have no problem with the truth however I do have a huge problem with Liars and phoneies. that is why I stay up here in the Arctic.. Heaven on Earth. IMHO.
Luke Koonuk Jr. was recently, out hunting, many miles from Point Hope, Imagine this, you travel hundreds of miles into a vast empty area, Luke's 4 wheel honda was stuck in the mud. He had tried and tried and tried to lift, move or budge it to get it out of the ruts to get free. He was exhausted bent over huffing and puffing, Exausted, bent over,.. .. suddenly out of the corner of his eye he sees,.............His honda rise in the air and come bouncing down on firmer ground and somethibng, a blur, was running away.
When ANY HUNTER IS LOST.. .. .. stuck. .. .. in trouble.. these people appear out of no where to assist and wisk away..Gone in a flash.
TOO MANY people up here have had too many experiences,.. .. !! I could go on and on with stories of what goes on up here and I promise to tell .. all I have experienced during my almost 3 decades of living among the Inupiaq peoples.
Hunters, experienced hunters often talk about caribou that they have shot & killed. Dead. & it disappears before they reach it.
Make no mistake, these people are very good in what they do, they are perhaps the best hunters in the world.
Jump on a 4 wheel honda or a snowmobile, and go 200 miles out into this empty region.....@ 50 below zero and stay out there for weeks... YOu see a caribou and shoot it, it falls down, motionless, they wait and watch. have a smoke. wait and watch. We do not waste time out here, driving. gas is too expensive. well over 5,00 per gallon for years up here.
That caribou is dead, said Joe Oktillik, I got on my machine and drove over those hills,. and ?? where is it? I know this is the spot, there is no blood anyplace, no tracks to the left or the right and no tracks going straight ahead...The last place I looked Joe said.. .. was up ! Caribou is gone, no tracks??????????
This happens a lot up here.
I am not going to waste time here tring to convince anyone. Come on up.. .. go out there.;. and see what happens. I can be your guide. Or connect you to a reputable source. The best time to come on up here, is in June during whaling festival, in Barrow; I live here now, and I am inviting any and all that wish to see, experience, life in the arctic. Although my house is small, I can comfortably fit 4 people @ any time. I have two spare rooms in my two story house here in Barrow Alaska. There are 5 adults living in this toasty warm house and two rooms to spare for any who wish to visit the Arctic @ the top of the world in Barrow. There are also a few hotels in town, but they do not offer free home cooked meals,5 times per day if necessary !!!
So lets talk about "what goes on up here in the arctic... ... ...
STRANGE THINGS YOU WILL NEVER BELIEVE!!!!
there is so much more to come.!!!
This one of the main beaches we hunt for fossil ivory, located some 30 miles north of the village. This is one of the great hot spots for ivory due to the swift, strong, changing currents in this area. May - Sept, people live out here for weeks on end, digging, walking, moving huge rocks, climbing cliffs and searching high and low.
The end of August in one area, this fossil ivory floats up and along the beach @ midnight. That is the best time to sit and wait and watch, People stay out here, waiting for an East wind to kick up the surf, and in storms people are out, waiting watching, You can "hear" the ivory in the waves, that distinctive "ping" as gravel hits the ivory as it is tumbling in the waves, some people have tied ropes to their waist and are secured as they run into the waves to "fetch" a piece that is seen. Some of these "baseball" bat size fossil tusks fetch many thousands of dollars when sold. The darker the ivory is, the more valuable it is. Black Ivory is said to be 10,000 years old, for it to achieve that state of absorbing all of the elements of the sea, Point Hope has the most dramatic fossil Ivory that I have seen any place. In Barrow the fossil ivory is different. because it just "sits" in the sand, the patterns are dull instead of sharp, dark contrasting patterns, such as we find here in Point Hope. But non-the-less, fossil ivory is a way of life up here. After any storm, get out on your honda or just walk the shoreline, put in the time.. .. and you will find it. I guarantee you it will sell in less than a new york second and that is pretty fast !@!
After flying for an hour an a half, we come across the next village, Point Lay,
250 people, if that Live in this village.
Very few jobs in such a tiny village, and people have to provide a way / manner in which to live without having a "job". What are the other choices ? Hunt, fish, for food, Arts & Crafts, for cash ! The Barge has arrived, which is an annual event that all villages depend upon. Seattle - Top of the World with stops in each village usually lasting 3-5 days to unload the materials needed to survive through the next winter.
The don't go whaling in Pt. Lay, too far out, too much work, they do hunt beluga whales & walrus & plents of "fish" of all types, but for whaling, different people travel to different villages to take part in which is undoublty the best two months of the year. Living out on the ocean ice .. .. just can't be put into words, I can't. The rush, the excitement, another world, another planet ! HIGH IN THE ARCTIC .. .. !!
After another 1 1/2 hours we come upon the village of Wainwright, Population about 650. Nothing else exists upon the land between these villages for "human type" cities, settlements. this vast region is empty. ?? ha ha ha !
People, ?? have been spotted, observed, in all of these village areas, during the winter time, when it is dark out, & even when "light" out, as was reported by many individuals one July in 1988. It was about 2:a.m. in the moring, sun is bright and just like 2 in the afternoon in the summer, nice and bright.
3 different individuals from three different homes, looked out their kitchen window, toward.. Kamaqtoak "this was their view"
this image and the snow fence way off to the left side, This event took place between the 2 large whale bones and the snow fence. I must admit when I first heard this.. from a close friend, I did not beieve it one bit, then another person from a different house told me the same story, I still did not believe. Then a person who witnessed this told me what he had seen.. I was shocked, astounded and my mouth was hanging wide open, only because this person was not an Eskimo.
I had known him for many years, and we spoke quite often and I was amazed at his articulate speech & intelligence, He was very well educated in California.
When Joe told me this story the hair stood right up on the back of my neck.
This was a different Joe, 800 miles away, near Nome. Joe Garney, He has been on television on the history channel and I have met him in person and we spoke for over 4 hours, whew.
But Joe Cassados in Pt. Hope was telling me what he saw during the daylight hours. Something black, darker than black, was "spooked" behind the snowfence, looking, agitated, scared. He darted out from behind the snow fence and ran to the bones @ Kamaktauk. He is scared, hyper-active, peeking from out behind the big bone, looking in all directions scared, This "blacker than black" figure is noticeably very afraid of "something' ?
Then this figure all "black" - blacker than black. darted out from behind the bones and started to run back towards the snowfence. STOPPED. half way... and just a figure skater will spin, on the ice... this figure began to spin,.. ... on the dry tundra,...
and went down, down, down, clear out of sight !
Joe Garney in a small village near Nome Alaska tells a story much similiar of blacker than black figure with red eyes.. walking acrouss the tundra as the figure is going down down .. just like it is walking down "invisible stairs".
Quite a few sightings in the last couple of years in Point Hope of these red eyed figures, Darting quickly under a house, and disappearing.
One particular hunting cabin outside of the village near some very old graves, this cabin had to be burned down and destroyed. Stranger than strange events took place on a very regular basis here. Witnessed by too many people from Pt.Hope reported, hearing someone knocking on the door, Faces in windows when no one else was around. Objects flying through the air inside of the house. This house was burned down because of the repeated freaky events that took place on a regular basis.
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I could never venture into that cold weather. I prefer to report from the equator!
dak.smugmug.com
is always held in June for 3 days. The captain who first catches a whale (J.J. Russell ) picks the date of this event. Vistors from all over the world and from all over Alaska come to this non-stop event.
3 days of food, fun, games, blanket toss and more.
BE CAREFUL, of what you eat! some of this food can kill you! If you have had any sugar that day!
Elizabeth Oviok is handing out "mikiak" fermented whale meat. NO THANKS, I will pass on this. If you have had any sugar that day, soda pop, or fruit. YOU CANNOT EAT THIS.. .. .. .. .. it WILL kill you, and you will die from botulisim !! to me.. that is not food. I have a two day old slice of pizza fermenting between two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches .. i am playing it safe..
This fermented whale meat, er,, um.. when it goes into your stomach, it "boils" releasing toxic gases, if you have had any sugar, that boiling will harden over and the gas cannot escape and botulisim sets in.
A proud mother displays her skill and handiwork. Every one gets new dress parkys at whaling festival. All parky's are hand made, the fancy trim at the bottom are called (coo pucks) kupaks. All original hand designed and hand sewn into the edge of the parky's. In days of old, the mother had to make all new clothing for the entire family, before she was allowed to sleep.
Whaling festival starts with the cutting of the flippers. The successful captains boats are honored. in a different area with flags.
It takes much work and many people to cut the flippers and to constantly keep sharpening the knives.
Patrick Attanguana is showing Captain Ernie Frankson how to divide the flippers correctly. Patrick lost his brother Henry in 1989, from Botulisism, he forgot he had some candy earlier in the day!
FLIPPERS ARE SAFE: but I am a junk food junkie.. M&M's is my perfered snack of the day!... with peanuts!
Each successful captain will hand out the flippers and call the "family" name to receive their gift and portion.
I am glad they never called my name! whew!
Baleen his handed out to certain visitors and relatives and guests.
Blanket toss is coming next.. you won't believe what this is reallly all about!!!
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Was originally used down at the lead opening long time ago. The hunters would throw a hunter into the air, to see if whales were coming.
Today it is "different" anyone may get on the blanket for a "ride". Anything can happen and usually does in this event. You better know what your doing or you can get hurt badly.
Sometimes.. Gravity takes over.. oooppss!!
Now a days. Blanket toss is to determine the future. "What will next year be like ?"
This is the question and this is how it is answered. ROFLMAO !!!
DO YOU THINK ... NFL FOOTBALL is tough ? ha ha ha NOPE no way!
NFL football has RULES... Blanket toss has NO RULES.... NO REFEREES..
anything goes... and it does, and people get hurt!...but all in fun! ha !
Anyone may take a ride, and if it is windy. and that person goes high in the air.. everyone has to run like hell to catch that person. I have seen people thrown as high as over the tops of telephone poles. and the wind would blow that person 40 feet away.. everyone running like hell.
but the woman who has had a FIRST BORN SON.. gets on that blanket with a bag or handfulls of candy or furs,money or candy or whatever, when she is thrown into the air, she legs go of all of that.. and all the children run for it.. IF ANY CHILD.. GETS THEIR HANDS ON ANYTHING.. it is going to be a bad year next year...!
It is the job and sworn duty of the oldest women in the village to grab it all .. PREVENT THAT CHILD FROM PICKING ANYTHING UP!
Once the child has it, it is theirs to keep. nothing can be done. But these 80 year old women 90 year old women, fraile, fragile, old, worn, suddenly come to life in unique style you won't ever see anyplace! DIVING HEAD FIRST into the gravel to block, tackle and prevent these children from grabbing anything.. to be truthfull,, I was laughing in total hysteria, it was impossible for me to even get my camera steady and capture any of this because it all happens so fast and in so many diffeent directions as once.
How these old ladies survive head butts and crashing into the gravel diving and grabbing these children with NO MERCY.. grab one by the hair and toss him / her over her shoulder to block the next child. NO RULES.. these women take this very seriously.!!!
Sabriina Tuzroyluk (Bena) soars high into the air and displays award winning form.
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Traveling to the old town site with Rosella (tribal doctor) we came along this trap that a Snowowl had accidently stepped into.
These traps are for foxes (the four legged type).
Rosella is laughing as she picks up a big log and WHOMP.. you come to my house for supper tonight she said.. Eskimo Chicken is good !
She bursts into uncontrollable laughter when she sees the expression on my face.!!
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A completely different way of life that you'e allowing us to share with you.
Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam
http://www.mcneel.com/users/jb/foghorn/ill_shut_up.au
none of that is here. I like that. We work at home, the Post Office is right outside the house to our left just a stones throw away, and the store is about a foot ball field away, if that. We hunt in vast open areas the size of New England ! all that area, empty ! .. .. animals & food of all types, berries or many types, salmon berries, blueberries, cranberries, and other types of which I am not familiar.. yet. photos of berries are in July / August.
coming soon !
Our way of life is being threatened, people in other parts of the world do not want us to hunt, they do not realize we have no supermarkets and the price of food in the small native store just incredibly expensive, due to the high cost of freight.
I once bought some food in Anchorage to ship up to a whaling captain. $300 worth of food cost 400 dollars to ship up to the village. It would have been much more expensive had there been food(s) that needed refrigeration or to be kept frozen!
THE OCEAN: is our main source of food. At the present moment, the oil companies want to drill off shore for much needed oil for the energy that the country and the world consumes,
They have a huge ship 60 miles off shore performing seismic testing of the ocean floor, SONIC PULSES into the earth that no doubt these animals can hear, and thus avoid the ususal route(s).
The Oil companies held a closed meeting with the whaling captains only,
If you "google" -- Project Chariot -- You will find out about the governments intent to nuke Cape Thojmpson (image above) which is located some 23 miles south of the village of Point Hope. They had no intentions of notifing the people of the village, ONE MAN put a stop the whole thing, Howard Rock ! Then the Government buried all the nuclear waste in the middle of their hunting grounds in several places.
ALL THE ELDERS are gone, very few are left in the village, All my closest friends that are in these images, gone ! dying too fast, too young, all from cancer !
Now we are told we cannot hunt @ Cape Thompson because we cannot prove that we have used this land for the past 3,000 years,! GO FIGURE !
It is the only land visible from the village. where else would you hunt ?
We cannot PROVE ! WowoW ! The Government will stoop to any low excuse for intelligence reasoning !
How is this for an double sided "oxymoron" Military Intelligence :
Take an Eskimo out of the frozen Arctic and place him smack dab in the middle of the jungles in Vietnam !
My good friend, Pete Lisborne, The government kicked his whole family out of Cape Lisborne to mow down their homes for an air strip for an early warning system. l Nice Nice !
Pete has worked with me as an apprentice electrican many times in the past. He wants to go back to the Old ways. Pete still lives in the old town site that has been abandoned.
Pete makes a good lving out of walking the beaches, looking for atrifacts and other such treasures, He often comes to use to purchase his fossililzed pieces that he finds.
Lets go to Cape Thompson.. we go here to get eggs, ! Giant Eggs the size of a good size pear ! Blue with spots on the outside, but just like the type of egg your used to eating.
The only catch ? we have to climb 600 feet into the cliffs of Cape Thompson to get them, and the birds fight back !
They say that when you start to climb, if you feel dizzy, then suck an egg ! are you afraid.. suck another egg ! Don't look down, keep climbing !
It is still very cold outside, eggs are placed inside the parky and carried very carefully of course.
Believe it or not, .. well you just won't believe how good these taste ! One eggs = 2 good size omlets ! Eskimo style !
Imagine that, for thousands of years, the iNUPIAT PEOPLE have lived and hunted in this fashion, without ever depleating any of the resources!
Well ya know.. this is so nice and peaceful.. lets just stay a while. a few days or so.. !
OH yeah.. the eggs !
Now these are "fresh' eggs !
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This is a recent photo of the Whalel Bone Graveyard in Point Hope, it is world famous as it is the only whale bone graveyard in the entire world.
when this snow melts next month (end of june) I will post a new image to show how many grave markers are under that snow. Over 150 people I knew oh so closely like family are buried in there. sob !
It is just the most bizarre feeling to walk in here and read so many names of people you knew and loved so much!
I have no idea why ? I am still alive, so much death here in this tiny village.
some how, some way, I have survived 5 heart attacks and 3 strokes.
2003 July was when I had my last stroke, I lost 85% of my eyesight. 9 months later I had it all back, whew ! There must be something I have to do yet, that i haven't done.
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Cooking @ whaling festival for 1000 people is a massive undertaking for these women all day long! work work work work work .. !
This non-stop 3 day event is filled with fun, food, games, blanket toos and so much food you wonder how these women can keep track of all the food to feed over 1000 people!
One of the beautiful things about the Arctic.. no bugs! Here in Alaska the State Bird is the mosquito! We have the wind to keep them away.
They sure grow huge up here with a wing span of over two inches!
But it is always windy here in the Arctic, so nothing can "bug" you. (pun intended)
These are all the different parts of the whale that will be passed out to everyone at the festival, be careful lthis food is flammable.. yes flammable fat.
[IMG]http://majikimaje.com/ADD/FESTIVAL 05.JPG[/IMG]
Salmon is abundant here. huge salmon fish over 4 feet in length, every family has 100's of pounds of salmon in the freezer and dried & smoked.
Everyone enjoys the day, Brand new dress Parky's are everywhere in the village today. This is joyus occasion one each year, if we are successful in receiving a whale.
Children love to sit on top of the whale bones of captains markers of years long ago make this sacred festival location.
Eskimo dance and drums are about to begin !!!!!
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http://majikimaje.com/Dance/Luke.wmv
http://majikimaje.com/Dance/Henry.wmv
http://majikimaje.com/Dance/Irma.wmv
http://majikimaje.com/Dance/TheEnd.wmv
ENJOY
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Flying to the "top of the world". That is the name of one of the hotels in Barrow Alaska.
farthest northern most city. - Barrow - Ukpeagvik - Land of the snowowl.
We left Point Hope on August 7th. One of my sons and I flew up here to see if it was possible to move up here. This was a scary move for us. I left 3 sons at home and flew up. We landed safe and sound, flat broke. We do not know anyone per say here in Barrow. There is a housing shortage, in all villages, but we are determined to make this move and some how move the other boys up here. Jobs are available for most everytype job description.
Work is plentiful, but we are not interested in jobs of any sort.
PC help desk job for the college pays over $30.00 per / hr. Wow !!
5,000 people live in this very old village that has made the transistion in to a modern type enviorment.
The sunset of our first night here was spectacular as are all in all of ALASKA. Midnight in Barrow..
As you can easily see, the sun is still high in the sky... here in the Arctic @ midnight. We truely have the best summers. Play out all night long, and as long as you stay in the sunlight you can go for days on end with no sleep.
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A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.
Whats the most industrialized/modern city?
Anchorage
Fairbanks
Juneau
I have lived in Alaska for over 30 years now. I have been from one end of this state to the top of the world (Barrow) 1/2 dozen times or more.. and in all of this vast state. The Arctic is the best of it all !
Thanks again for all of your wonderful comments and I have hundreds more recent photos of the Arctic (Barrow) to share and Post on this great photography forum !!!
Thanks again !!
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Barrow is a whaling village as are most of the coastal village in Alaska above the arctic circle all with the exception of Pt Lay.
A photo of a large painting inside the hospital here in Barrow.
Harvesting a whale... the main source of food for the Inupiat peoples !!
A sign, outside the personal department of the North Slope Borough.
There is one village on this map, that is missing, south of Point Hope
150 miles is the village of Kivalina, on the coast, a whaling village.
Is also a part of the Nana region.
But the main focus is the North Slope Borough area,
This thread will grow to include photos from all of these villages
The people, their lifestyle / culture.. "Arts & Crafts" and the ancient
skills involved in the daily activity of North America's OLDEST people(s).
So little is known of this vast area.. OIL... is abundant in prudhoe bay.
The residents of the North Slope Borough are all shareholders in Native corporations and thus receive dividends that the corporations pay out to the shareholders.
Almost all villages in Alaska were founded by the peoples of Point Hope.
The History of these area is ripe for Photo Expeditions, Tourisim, Beach combing which can be extremly rewarding financially !!!
(more to come soon)
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I have lots more to share about so many different subjects of life here in the Arctic.
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Gallery of mine...caution, it's under CONSTANT construction! | Photo Journal
In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary. ~Aaron Rose
C.
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check out my (sports) pics: ColleenBonney.smugmug.com
*Thanks to Boolsacho for the avatar photo (from the dgrin portrait project)
thanks so much for sharing all of this-
You work is splendid and also the awareness you are spreading regarding the region and the people.
Pls keep providing more snaps and stories...highly interesting and informative.
And I hope the people are able to hunt normally and the corporations dont take over their homes and hunting grounds.
Inuit people & Inupiaq people are two different AREAS of people.
Inuit peoples are: Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Sweden, Finland, Norway & Russia.
Inupiaq are: ALASKA
Important meetings are held by these people, usually in Barrow during the Circumpolar Conference.
Point Hope is the oldest of all of these villages or peoples. Most villages are founded and established by the peoples of Point Hope. Greenland was founded by the same. The language has many distinct words that are the same in each of the lands even through seperated by thousands of miles. These nomadic peoples spread out throughout the entire world, North South East & West.
LIfe at the top of the world is exciting and completly different from anything you have ever experienced.
Dec. is by far the worst month of the year.. .. (for LIGHT).
Here is an image created at 30 below zero at Eleven A.M. in the morning!
Almost noon.. .. .. ? !
The sun goes below the horizon in November 17th, and it will NOT COME BACK ABOVE the HORIZON. until Jan. 23rd. When the sun finally does come above the horizon in Jan (end) it will set just 1 1/2 hours later.. Up and back down. .but. we start to gain.. minutes every day, until May, then we will not see darkness until the end of August ! Our summers are the greatest in the world.. 24 hour sunlight for many months.
Even though the winter is tough and very little light.. we do have some daylight or dusk like conditions for a few hours each day.
I like the long dark cold winters. Snug and warm in our nice home.
Nothing like the smell of a burning woodstove and the smell of fresh baked bread.
Indulgentsoul: The CORPORATIONS: will never take anything from the Inupiaq peoples, The Oil companies however are completly without conscience in the matters of this land.
As we speak, type, read, A huge Oil tanker is 60 miles off the coast of Point Hope, preparing to drill for OIL. They are in a holding process as their right to drill here is causing major problems for the animals of the region, namely walrus & bowhead whales. This is a very dangerous undertaking, one accident will ruin the whole enviorment. HOW DO you clean OCEAN ICE that is saturated with an oil spill ? An accident of this sort will wipe this peoples way of life, destroy the sensitive ecological make up of this fragile region.
The sonic sounding of the ocean floor is causing major migration shifts in the walrus pattern. Last year no walrus' were harvested by very few hunters in the ENTIRE NORTH SLOPE REGION. This year they are all showing up on the Russian side of the Chukchi Sea.
(more to follow)
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http://asundi.smugmug.com
Three "sisters" pose in their fancy festival parky's. Each is home made, the fancy trim at the bottom of the parky are "Kupaks" Koo pucks. Calfskin is used and these designs are carefully, skillfully crafted & hand sewn using a strand of dental floss. they sell.. (just for the design) for approximately $1,500 and up !!!
Left to right these sisters are:
Lillian Lane, (Point Hope)
Julia Lane Kilaak (Barrow)
Emily Lane (Pt. Hope)
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One of my favorite types of photography is capturing people in candid situations. And it seems this short series is in groups of 3.
The month is June, of three different years.
When I saw these girls I was amazed and astounded and shivering. I am wearing ski pants, Eskimo Parky, Hat & gloves. How can these children do this is beyond me. Do they look cold ? nope. why ? I have no idea. As I was speaking to these girls, explaining what I wanted them to do, I stepped into the image too far, too close to them, I had them directly centered in the viewfinder of my RB67. My footprint can be seen on the left side. I took two steps backward to recompose and shift them slightly off center. THEN this dog appeared, His expression is priceless as he seems to have understood everyword I spoke to these children and he wanted to be part of this composition .. .. -=[click]=-
Again the month of June during whaling festival, These girls are very cold, well their hands are cold, that is why they are all hidden inside of the parky!
Children fascinate me, I just enjoy so much capturing them on film and digital media. Their expressions are so precious..
Their imaginations are priceless.. ..
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It's been over 25 years since I was in Point Hope, and the village was still in the process of moving from the old location (farther north) to the present location, with a few families in each place.
Just wondering - is Henry Nushookpuk (not positive of the spelling) still alive? When there, I spent quite a bit of time with him. He has some interesting stories to tell of hunting for food, and killing game to provide it.
Life there is far different from most people in the rest of the U.S. can even imagine, wouldn't you say?
Keep up the good work.
Alcan Rider: The village was moved in the Seventies, and it was moved exactly 2.2 miles EAST. It is now situated on what once was ol grave sites.
The elders at the time of the move wanted the village moved much further away from this area. But the younger people who made the decisions did not want to leave the immediate area of the old town site which many people visit frequently.
Pete Lisbourne has fixed up his familes home at the ol town site and he resides there during the summer and at times during the winter also.
Pete longs for and wants to return to the old ways. But in today's rapidly changing world, this is impossible.
Henry Nashookpuk died in 2003 of cancer, His beloved wife Emma. Passed on in 1999 from the same disease that has taken all of the elders in this village.
Cancer runs rampant through Point Hope, due to the radioactive waste that was spread all over the area through "Project Chariot".
Not only does the government refuse to admit the truth and compensate these people. they purposely spread it around the area and witness' that are still alive, to this day recount what was done and the many areas that the material was buried without any markers.
Much of the caribou in different areas have been infected. Some hunters report that when they skin an animal. instead of seeing red meat, it is black with oil sheen like texture and the animal must be burned and buried to prevent other animals in the region from becoming contaminated.
Liechen is the main diet of Caribou and this unique plant does not have the ability to disperse the deadly radioactive elements so there is no half -life. but the plants are eaten by the animals and thus become infected in this manner.
I have lost hundreds of very very close friends, People I became very close to. It is sad to see so many elders perish at such a young age.
Emma Nashookpuk (Henry's wife) had the loudest greatest heartiest laugh of any person I have ever heard. Emma was always a very happy woman and her laughter could be heard from great distances in the village and was something that always brought a huge smile to my face.
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Right you are. It just seemed that the old site was north of the present one, as it was farther from the constantly-receding south shoreline of Cape Lisburne.
Henry found the site of a very old, pre-historic site along that shoreline. It is my guess that he showed you the collection of articfacts he managed to salvage from that site before the waves took them from sight. The elders of that village understood the need to preserve the history of their culture. It is a very good thing that you are documenting as much as you are able through your photos. Places like Point Hope are neglected by most media, as there is nothing sensational and seemingly newsworthy about the life there. Things move at a much slower pace than in warmer climates, but they move, nevertheless. Your photos, taken over a period of time, will serve as "time lapse" records of change.
You're doing a great job - keep it up.
www.albertwong5162.multiply.com
Lets look, from the air and see, up close and personal what is going on up here in this vast huge unexplored & UN-inhabited area for all practical purposes.
Leaving Pt. Hope.. .. bye bye !!
A few minutes into the flight we pass the Kupak river..
Oh .. I smile BIG as I see and remember what happend to me here. TOTALLY PREPOSTEROUS!
http://www.shuttertalk.com/forums/viewtopic.php?pid=55481
Lets take a trip and explore some of the land here in the Arctic.
some of what I am about to tell you will seem preposterous, but just ask ANY PERSON that lives in any village from
Nome clear up to Barrow, all of the villages of the entire North Slope Region, will tell you that what I am about to TRY AND EXPLAIN is "true". Do I have photos ? not yet, but working on it, there has to be a way to prove this.
with recent giant advances in technology I am sure it will become possible to "catch" & record proof of the Ignaugalurauks.. .. The Little People, that live underground, and in caves here above the Arctic circle.
This is no legend, or folklore, as new sightings are prevelant constantly, each and every year.!!
I will tell you stories and provide photographs of all that "can be seen" in this vast huge expanse of area of several hundred thousand of square miles. THINGS HAPPEN OUT HERE.. .. ... ... that just do not make sense!!
For instance.. ha ha.. you are NOT GOING TO BELIEVE WHAT I AM ABOUT TO EXPLAIN.. you have to be here to experience
these happenings, no matter what I type, you will be very skeptical and doubtful ONLY because.. you know better, this does not happen where YOU LIVE.
therefore: ??
Lets start.. .. at the beginning so you have a better understanding of what is going on up here.. .. frequently, reports abound.. .. in each and every village!!
This is a vast area we are talking about in square miles.
roughly the size of ALL the New England STATES put together.. .. EMPTY !!
Ok.. nOW A Long TIME before the whaling companies arrived .. .. .. The Ingnakalaurak's LIVED AMONG the people of Point Hope.
One of their young was eaten by a dog.. .. and they moved out of the village. These people are small, 3-4 feet in height!
They live the ol ways, to this very day, dressed in caribou skins. They still hunt with bow & arrow. They live underground, and in caves all throughout this vast area.
They possess super human qualities, that you WILL NEVER BELIEVE:
They are incredibly strong and they can run, incredibly fast.. they sneak around the villages "stealing food".
When any hunter, shoots and kills a caribou, it requires two adult Inupiaq men to lift that caribou to place on a sled. It only takes ONE Ingnakalaurak to pick one up ...........and RUN WITH IT. Over his head (person carrying animal) running, with a dead caribou. ??? Bush Pilots have reported seeing caribou.. moving, quickly, in a horizontal position ???
Well, lets stop right here and let me extend an invitation to you. Anyone, come on up here, talk to the bush pilots.
They will tell you.. what they have seen with their own eyes, but you will not believe them, becuase, YOU KNOW BETTER. even though you have never been up here or heard of this before.
Come on up !! See and experience it for yourself.
HAVE I GOT YOUR ATTENTION NOW ??
good. I have no need to lie or exagerate about any of what goes on up here. I have no problem with the truth however I do have a huge problem with Liars and phoneies. that is why I stay up here in the Arctic.. Heaven on Earth. IMHO.
Luke Koonuk Jr. was recently, out hunting, many miles from Point Hope, Imagine this, you travel hundreds of miles into a vast empty area, Luke's 4 wheel honda was stuck in the mud. He had tried and tried and tried to lift, move or budge it to get it out of the ruts to get free. He was exhausted bent over huffing and puffing, Exausted, bent over,.. .. suddenly out of the corner of his eye he sees,.............His honda rise in the air and come bouncing down on firmer ground and somethibng, a blur, was running away.
When ANY HUNTER IS LOST.. .. .. stuck. .. .. in trouble.. these people appear out of no where to assist and wisk away..Gone in a flash.
TOO MANY people up here have had too many experiences,.. .. !! I could go on and on with stories of what goes on up here and I promise to tell .. all I have experienced during my almost 3 decades of living among the Inupiaq peoples.
Hunters, experienced hunters often talk about caribou that they have shot & killed. Dead. & it disappears before they reach it.
Make no mistake, these people are very good in what they do, they are perhaps the best hunters in the world.
Jump on a 4 wheel honda or a snowmobile, and go 200 miles out into this empty region.....@ 50 below zero and stay out there for weeks... YOu see a caribou and shoot it, it falls down, motionless, they wait and watch. have a smoke. wait and watch. We do not waste time out here, driving. gas is too expensive. well over 5,00 per gallon for years up here.
That caribou is dead, said Joe Oktillik, I got on my machine and drove over those hills,. and ?? where is it? I know this is the spot, there is no blood anyplace, no tracks to the left or the right and no tracks going straight ahead...The last place I looked Joe said.. .. was up ! Caribou is gone, no tracks??????????
This happens a lot up here.
I am not going to waste time here tring to convince anyone. Come on up.. .. go out there.;. and see what happens. I can be your guide. Or connect you to a reputable source. The best time to come on up here, is in June during whaling festival, in Barrow; I live here now, and I am inviting any and all that wish to see, experience, life in the arctic. Although my house is small, I can comfortably fit 4 people @ any time. I have two spare rooms in my two story house here in Barrow Alaska. There are 5 adults living in this toasty warm house and two rooms to spare for any who wish to visit the Arctic @ the top of the world in Barrow. There are also a few hotels in town, but they do not offer free home cooked meals,5 times per day if necessary !!!
So lets talk about "what goes on up here in the arctic... ... ...
STRANGE THINGS YOU WILL NEVER BELIEVE!!!!
there is so much more to come.!!!
This one of the main beaches we hunt for fossil ivory, located some 30 miles north of the village. This is one of the great hot spots for ivory due to the swift, strong, changing currents in this area. May - Sept, people live out here for weeks on end, digging, walking, moving huge rocks, climbing cliffs and searching high and low.
The end of August in one area, this fossil ivory floats up and along the beach @ midnight. That is the best time to sit and wait and watch, People stay out here, waiting for an East wind to kick up the surf, and in storms people are out, waiting watching, You can "hear" the ivory in the waves, that distinctive "ping" as gravel hits the ivory as it is tumbling in the waves, some people have tied ropes to their waist and are secured as they run into the waves to "fetch" a piece that is seen. Some of these "baseball" bat size fossil tusks fetch many thousands of dollars when sold. The darker the ivory is, the more valuable it is. Black Ivory is said to be 10,000 years old, for it to achieve that state of absorbing all of the elements of the sea, Point Hope has the most dramatic fossil Ivory that I have seen any place. In Barrow the fossil ivory is different. because it just "sits" in the sand, the patterns are dull instead of sharp, dark contrasting patterns, such as we find here in Point Hope. But non-the-less, fossil ivory is a way of life up here. After any storm, get out on your honda or just walk the shoreline, put in the time.. .. and you will find it. I guarantee you it will sell in less than a new york second and that is pretty fast !@!
After flying for an hour an a half, we come across the next village, Point Lay,
250 people, if that Live in this village.
Very few jobs in such a tiny village, and people have to provide a way / manner in which to live without having a "job". What are the other choices ? Hunt, fish, for food, Arts & Crafts, for cash ! The Barge has arrived, which is an annual event that all villages depend upon. Seattle - Top of the World with stops in each village usually lasting 3-5 days to unload the materials needed to survive through the next winter.
The don't go whaling in Pt. Lay, too far out, too much work, they do hunt beluga whales & walrus & plents of "fish" of all types, but for whaling, different people travel to different villages to take part in which is undoublty the best two months of the year. Living out on the ocean ice .. .. just can't be put into words, I can't. The rush, the excitement, another world, another planet ! HIGH IN THE ARCTIC .. .. !!
After another 1 1/2 hours we come upon the village of Wainwright, Population about 650. Nothing else exists upon the land between these villages for "human type" cities, settlements. this vast region is empty. ?? ha ha ha !
People, ?? have been spotted, observed, in all of these village areas, during the winter time, when it is dark out, & even when "light" out, as was reported by many individuals one July in 1988. It was about 2:a.m. in the moring, sun is bright and just like 2 in the afternoon in the summer, nice and bright.
3 different individuals from three different homes, looked out their kitchen window, toward.. Kamaqtoak "this was their view"
this image and the snow fence way off to the left side, This event took place between the 2 large whale bones and the snow fence. I must admit when I first heard this.. from a close friend, I did not beieve it one bit, then another person from a different house told me the same story, I still did not believe. Then a person who witnessed this told me what he had seen.. I was shocked, astounded and my mouth was hanging wide open, only because this person was not an Eskimo.
I had known him for many years, and we spoke quite often and I was amazed at his articulate speech & intelligence, He was very well educated in California.
When Joe told me this story the hair stood right up on the back of my neck.
This was a different Joe, 800 miles away, near Nome. Joe Garney, He has been on television on the history channel and I have met him in person and we spoke for over 4 hours, whew.
But Joe Cassados in Pt. Hope was telling me what he saw during the daylight hours. Something black, darker than black, was "spooked" behind the snowfence, looking, agitated, scared. He darted out from behind the snow fence and ran to the bones @ Kamaktauk. He is scared, hyper-active, peeking from out behind the big bone, looking in all directions scared, This "blacker than black" figure is noticeably very afraid of "something' ?
Then this figure all "black" - blacker than black. darted out from behind the bones and started to run back towards the snowfence. STOPPED. half way... and just a figure skater will spin, on the ice... this figure began to spin,.. ... on the dry tundra,...
and went down, down, down, clear out of sight !
Joe Garney in a small village near Nome Alaska tells a story much similiar of blacker than black figure with red eyes.. walking acrouss the tundra as the figure is going down down .. just like it is walking down "invisible stairs".
Quite a few sightings in the last couple of years in Point Hope of these red eyed figures, Darting quickly under a house, and disappearing.
One particular hunting cabin outside of the village near some very old graves, this cabin had to be burned down and destroyed. Stranger than strange events took place on a very regular basis here. Witnessed by too many people from Pt.Hope reported, hearing someone knocking on the door, Faces in windows when no one else was around. Objects flying through the air inside of the house. This house was burned down because of the repeated freaky events that took place on a regular basis.
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