Bears, Belugas, Mosquitos, Oh My!

I've been contemplating on how to start writing this for over a week now. How do I even begin to capture the incredibly humbling experiences that happened back-to-back over those 4 days? I suppose I have to start somewhere...

June in the Arctic is a time of celebration and being out on the land. The weather warms, the snow melts away, and the wildlife comes out of their wintery icy hiding spots. Fast ducks and geese fly above, while trout and char spawn and swim in the thawed-out lakes and ocean waters.

Nanuq - Polar Bear

On June 21st, Indigenous Peoples Day (in Canada), I saw a Facebook post in town by my student's father that he had caught a problematic polar bear. He was harvesting it at Jack's Bay, which is close to town, and posted in case anyone wanted some meat. Yes, that's right, polar bear meat!

My wife has been wanting to see a polar bear ever since we started long-distance dating and I told her I live in the Arctic. When she moved to Canada over two years ago, and then when we moved further north to Northwest Territories, she was praying she'd see one. Now that we're leaving in about a month, she finally got her wish. We quickly messaged our friend and asked if she could give us a lift on her ATV to the bay (about a 2 minute drive, but maybe 15-20 minute walk). We wanted to get there quickly so we could see the process of cutting, skinning, and quartering the meat. Thankfully we got there in time, and though the bear was already skinned, they were just getting started on cutting up the meat and burying the guts.

Now before you get all "but polar bears are endangered and how could you!", let me explain. We live in an Inuvialuit community in the Arctic, on Inuit land. Inuit have fought hard for hunting rights, and are the strongest protectors and advocates for the land, water, and wildlife in the North. Polar bears are monitored and honored. To harvest a polar bear, you need to apply for tags (like permits) and can usually only harvest a limited amount at a certain time of the year. The bear provides meat for many families, and the hide used to make mitts, snow pants, kamiks (boots), and more. This bear was problematic; a young bear that was getting into people's cabins not far from town.

Right away, the hunter called the local wildlife officer and asked for permission, who then also received permission from the city's wildlife officer. Only then, did he set out to hunt the polar bear.

The polar bear is honored and treated with respect and tradition.

While the main hunter worked on cutting up the meat, an elder hunter was burying the guts in the shore and explained that it was so it wasn't just left like waste. And that they bury it well, otherwise it will bring about bad weather for the next year.

Some elders and community members were dropping by to pick up some meat. And my wife and I stuck around for a while, hearing stories and learning traditional knowledge. I took a small amount of meat as well, as I had had polar bear meat before in another community, and wanted my wife to try it.

The elder looked at me seriously and said "make sure when you eat it, you don't say it tastes mamaq (delicious). You don't say that. Otherwise you'll call trouble on yourself. Our elders always said not to say it's mamaq or you can get attacked."

He continued, "and when you eat the meat, don't pull on it with your teeth, just bite it and chew, don't pull the meat." This would also bring bad luck.

It was really humbling to sit and watch the hunters cut up the meat, and learn the traditions. We also saw how the hunter removed the paws and finger joints; learning that those joints are a delicacy and very healthy for you.

It was quite a unique time too, not only was it Indigenous Peoples' Day, but the hunters were best men in a wedding that was happening two hours later! So they worked quickly to cut up the meat, and stretch the hide to dry on the shore. Then they brought the meat back to their home so that community members could go pick some up.

We started to head back home, and I let the meat I had cool down as it was still quite warm! Then I cut it up small, and boiled it for 3 hours with some soup mix. It's important to boil polar bear meat for at least 2-3 hours as there is a bacteria called Trichinella that is very dangerous and can be fatal. And so the meat needs to be cooked properly before ingested.

I will say that the house definitely had a strong smell. My poor wife was not a fan. Let's just say my dog and I ate most of the meat! And we had some for tacos later too.

Wondering what it tastes like? I'd say like a soft fishy beef... really cool how you could taste the polar bear's diet!

Qilalukaq - Belugas

5am. Sunday. I wake up to use the bathroom and check my phone. Belugas in Queen's Bay!

For reference, Queen's Bay is right outside our kitchen window. Like a 10 second walk to the shore. There were belugas. right outside. our window! Apparently hundreds of belugas were swimming by! And so what did everyone still/just awake do? Grab their boats and go, go, go!

~I suggest you grab a snack, because we're about to go on a ride~

Okay, picture this as best as you can. I'm in my pjs, it's 5am and the sun never rests. I'm trying to peak out my kitchen window and see the belugas. I run to my wife and shake her awake yelling "WANT TO GO SEE THE BELUGAS??" She bolts up, disoriented as fuck, tries to stand, sways, goes "yes!" sways again. We quickly put on random clothes and run outside to the shore. We don't know where to look. ATVs are driving everywhere. There are like 5 boats out on the water. Most ATVs are driving towards the other side of the bay. We don't have a vehicle. We don't know which direction to go. We quickly run to our friend's house which is very close because she has an ATV!

But it's like 5:30am!!

My wife is all "just text her and let's take it!"

And I'm like "no! I can't! I have a stubborn conscience"

So I call her. Until she picks up. Disoriented. Not too happy. We get a "sure" and hangs up.

Now, I've driven an ATV like... twice? And I know the basics... But I did not remember how to reverse, which I needed to as there was another vehicle in front. So... my wife and I pulled it backwards enough to have the space to drive out forward. It was HILARIOUS. We could not stop giggling.

So we drive up bumpily to the point on the other side of town where we see most people are at. My drive was... fine. Just changing gears was... funny. We get there just in time for one boat that's harpooned a beluga and they're trying to shoot it for the final kill so it doesn't suffer so long. And when they did, we all cheered so loud from the point! Everyone was hugging and yelling and overwhelmed with joy.

They brought the beluga to shore and worked together to haul it up. While everyone was hugging and congratulating the hunters, we looked towards the middle of the bay and saw that at the shore, another group had gathered. A second beluga was brought in!

We drove over to the second group and saw that they were even bringing in a third! While everyone was gathering and talking excitedly, the local Hunters and Trappers association rep was getting some samples and measuring the beluga.

Just like with the polar bear, the belugas are monitored and treated with respect. With belugas in this region, locals do not need to apply for tags to harvest them. That being said, they are only harvested for feeding the community, never for sport. One beluga could definitely feed a lot of people.

Once the belugas were sampled and measured, elders and adults began to cut up the meat using ulus (traditional Inuit knives) and knives with such speed and precision; it was amazing to watch. People know what they're doing. They sectioned the meat and laid it on a tarp for it to cool so community can take some home.

Muktuq (beluga meat) is quite interesting. You can eat it raw (fresh) or cooked. Stirfried is real good, or just frozen with some soy sauce! It's quite chewy and blubbery, very high in omegas and will warm up your body.

We didn't take some that day, as my wife isn't a fan of it and I have some in the freezer already. I rathered to leave it to other community members who eat it more regularly. But just experiencing half the town out at the shores and the celebratory spirit was more than soul-filling.

Let's just say we got home around 8am and crashed in bed.

Arviq - Bowhead Whale

The following day, Monday, we had been seeing posts about the belugas and bowhead whales still hanging around Queen's Bay. It was probably around 9pm and my wife and I decided to go for a walk as it was really pretty out. The sun is up 24 hours a day, so it was beautiful blue skies and open blue water. The breeze was perfect.

We started with just a walk by the shoreline and then thought, why don't we try to walk to the point called Ulukhaktongoak, and see if the bowheads or belugas are still there. It was a bit of an adventurous walk, and we had to stone-step across a very low stream. Which was a lot of yelling and reassuring my wife, as she has... questionable balance (shhh don't tell her!) Our dog wasn't a fan of crossing the stream either as he's a big baby around water. But we all managed to get across safely.

We reached the point and just soaked in the magnificent view in front of us. We probably sat on the big rocks for half an hour, just enjoying it all. Until suddenly, I thought I saw the body of something beige/white descend into the water.

Could it be? Did I just see a beluga?

We waited and waited, but couldn't see more. Just a bagel (a gull from the bay haha) swooping around us and some krill and mini jellyfish in the water.

Until... suddenly we saw a poof! And a tail! And there it was! A bowhead whale coming up for air!

And then... gone!

We waited over 10 minutes and thought maybe it swam far away. We decided to start to head back home as it was after 10pm and I had work the next day. But my ADHD ass kept turning backwards every few steps to try and see if the bowhead would come back. And suddenly... it did!

"Babe look! It's back!!"

We could see the bowhead's shadow and a bit of its body breaching the water, and then the blow of water! We watching stunned and excited as the whale let out spray from its blowhole maybe 5 times before it half-breached and began fluking (when it re-enters the water, I had to google it). Lastly we saw its magnificent black and white tailfin splash and then it was gone. We couldn't stop cheering! We were so close!

We thought, well, that's it. Let's head back. But remember my ADHD ass?

Well, I kept turning back to check the waters over and over again. And then five minutes later, our bowhead came back! And this process (and our giddy cheering) repeated maybe 4 more times. We were just overwhelmed with joy at seeing such a feat. How many people can say they saw a real bowhead whale out in its natural habitat breaching the Arctic ocean?!

Somehow, we finally made it back towards town and over that mini stream (which our dog hated) and walked home. With my head still swiveling back to try and see the bowhead just one more time.

We could barely contain our excitment about the experience. What an absolute honor.

Mosquitos

The next day. Tuesday. It began.

The mosquito stampede of spring time had finally arrived. Without much wind to blow them da fuq away, we were helpless.

Mosquitos in the Arctic are a different breed, I swear. They are lazy, but huge and everywhere. And I mean it.

You can SEE them. Literally, they block your vision! There are just so many mosquitos. And if you think they care about repellent, then you're a clown. That's how they see you when you shower in it. A smelly clown. A tasty smelly clown. And they will escort you from place to place without a care in the world.

I joke that they are the true predators of the North. But sometimes, it really just feels like I'm the butt of the joke.

I had to include them in this piece as they are just as part of the wildlife here as the nanuq, qilalukaq, and the arviq. The wildlife here is a beautiful balance, and we are honored and privileged to share space with it.

Everything has a purpose. Everything matters. And it's our duty to promote and preserve the life here as best as we can.

The wildlife offer their lives to sustain us, and in return we feed the mosquitos! Haha, just kidding... sort of.

Koana for reading :)