Photography as a "Hobby" .. .. ..

[Majik Imaje]

Time for work - to set up the tent for this crew, we are two miles from land, this will be our base camp.

We still have at least two more miles to go, to clear the trail down to the lead opening. Much more work to be done.

Once the tent is erected, then comes the most important part -

It has to be 'tested'.

Everything must be tested - to make sure it works in the proper manner it was intended for.

 

[Majik Imaje]

Our camp site is all set up now. Every camp of every whaling captain is set up in an identical manner. Every camp has the same layout - the same equipment.
The metal boat is not allowed down at the lead opening. That boat is to stay in the tent area- just in case the ice breaks behinds us. We then have a safe way to get back to land. The umiaq is positioned at the lead opening.

We are gaining 12 more minutes of sunlight each day, (May).

The land of the midnight sun (above the arctic circle)

Dem - r - dux ! Thousands of dux pass by - every day. Delicous fresh duck soup was made by the men cooks here at our camp site. In Point Hope the women occupy the tents, this is where they do all the cooking.

A very young boyer ( in training) walks looking for something to do.

 

[Majik Imaje]

Ducks, ducks, ducks all day long, plenty of ducks !!

hundreds of ducks pass by, all day long, plenty of food to be harvested !!

As you can easily see, we are far from the lead, (which is closed).

Much more work to be done, clearing a trail out to the lead !! More work, lots of work to be done every day - by everyone - no one is excluded from this work !!

Cleaning and loading the shoulder gun !!

 

[Majik Imaje]

Two different Videos

When there is no room in the tent (full) then it is time to sleep outside !!

It is almost 4:00 a.m. !!

I was surprised to see, that they do not use home made wood stoves out here, when I asked why ? They laughed and said.. it takes too long to break down, when we have to evacuate because of advancing ice. NO fire to put out, no stove pipes to clean, no wood to gather and chop !!

3 different crews, in our area, they asked permission to use the trail we made - Eugene said Yes ! but when people (5 crews) try to take it over, some people got very upset !!

 

[Majik Imaje]

A happy young hunter - gets his first duck for the season!
Truely bizarre events happen during duck hunting

Charles is preparing the food for tonights meal !! (another call to arctic pizza for me) ! VIDEO

Time to get back to work on the trail !!

Markers are placed, to show where the trail has to be widened.
This is long tough hard work - all day - every day and no pay what-so-ever. The only perk? you get to eat !!

Seriously - would YOU - work for a month in these conditions with no pay? and be happy all day with no complaining ? I seriously doubt it one bit.

 

[Majik Imaje]

It is much to hot out here now, messy, and dangerous, it is very easy to fall through the ice. (fingers crossed).

Food for the inupiaq people(s), for over 3,000 years. Who else has a documented history of that length of time ?? wow !!!

Here is a flipper or fluke being brought out to the camp site from one of the whales that was caught last fall. This piece will feed the crew, small portions daily, for the many weeks we have left. but with this heat, I am very skeptical. We need strong East winds that are very cold.

30 below or colder.. ..

The tail is all 'blubber, the fins, flukes, flippers are 100% blubber, the only meat, is on the chest, for a 25 foot whale - (teenager) about a wheel barrow full. Tavra (that's all). Blubber (maktak) is measured in TONS per whale. The meat of that same whale is measured in pounds. There is very little meat on a whale. Why someone who is not native & has never participated in whaling, would make such an insane claim that there is more meat on a whale than blubber is so ludicrous and blatently FALSE.

Back to work, on the trail, from camp site to the lead. We do not know where, when it will break open again. We need strong cold winds ( to make the ice thicker).

The ice is nice, and an overcast day is a welcome relief from the heat,

Notice the darkness on the bottom of some of the clouds, that is open water.

 

[Majik Imaje]

The pristene magnificent world of ice, the light - changes things out here, many colors, reflecting in every direction everywhere.

Open water is easy to spot.. .. you got all day / night to look around, or take a walk to go seal hunting !!

After work is finished for the day .. .. work work work.. there is always something for everyone to do.

 

[Majik Imaje]

FOOD DELIVERY - all day every day, it flies in, swims in, walks in, ya just gotta be aware of what is going on around you.. .. in all directions !!

SMILE

 

[Majik Imaje]

The entire focus of this photo essay.. .. The Inupiaq peoples plight to obtain.. .. 'their food' !

To document with photos and text - Their activities out on the ocean ice. Most people have no idea what is involved, brief snapshots of time during the hunt. But to see it all, day by day, weeks of patience living out on that ice ! Working hard, and sometimes in very messy conditions.

The entire lifesyle, revolves around, the Mighty Bowhead Whale.

Two visitors from Tennesse, Each is a pastor !! They were amazed, they thought this was just a two or three day affair. Each is an avid hunter in their world, which is child's play, compared to this they replied !!

Sun rise 4:30 ish a.m.

Polar bear tracks are spotted near our trail, we decided to follow them for about 1/2 mile

 

[Majik Imaje]

Each of these Pastors from Tenn. - when they found out, that my sons made Ivory bracelets, wanted to purchase one each. Which meant one of the boys had to go back to town. This upset some members of the crew that thought negative thoughts. They had no idea what we were going to do. I am sure some thought. Oh he is going to get money and stay in town for a while. We made $550 bux from the purchase of those two bracelets. We spent the entire amount plus a little more.. on the crew!! The last thing they ever expected was to see Jesse come back to the camp - right away. A huge box the size of a refrigerator was brought down to the camp. Much to the amazement of the crew. 4 cases of pop - Threee Pizzas - and a 1/2 ton of food. Well not quite that much - but well over $600 was spent to keep these crew members happy happy happy!! We just love to GIVE!! It is always totally unexpected by most people.

 

[Majik Imaje]

No sight of the bear yet, but these tracks are very fresh, the snow is melting, quickly, you can see the 'texture'

Looks like this bear found some food, a seals den ??

We never saw the bear, we headed back to camp.

Ready to move, at a moments notice

 

[Majik Imaje]

Charging up,through the sunlight, you easily become solar powered out here, as long as your outside in that blinding sunlight all day, you feel no effects of being tired, it is very easy to stay alert and awake for 3 days.

The only way to experience this solar power thing, is to be out here, 24/ 7

A few hours rest, and your good to go again.

The ice on that sled, is the last of our fresh water ice for drinking.

A very tired boyer is resting, whenever and where-ever he can.

We wait, for the lead to open so we can make a trail from the camp site to the lead !!

 

[Majik Imaje]

Now for the waiting game !!
Wait ! that is a large portion of the Inupiaq way of life, especially out here on the ice pack. Wait .. .. ..

Rest where you can, and when you can ! We still have to clear a trail from the tent site, to the lead opening, more work to do, every day, all day. If that wind shifts to west, we have to pack up and SCRAM. as quick as possible. Everyone is aware of the wind and which direction it is blowing. It is unbearable out here, when there is no wind. too hot. temps are above zero. everything is melting, the ice at the lead is about 5 foot thick. not near as thick as we would like it to be.

Filling in water holes, markers are placed where additional work needs to be done. Great care must be taken by all people out here, watch where you walk, it is very easy to go through this ice in certain areas. Great diligence must be observed.

Wait.. .. watch.. .. listen - all day ! anything can happen at any time, you must be prepared for the unexpected!!

 

[Majik Imaje]

Everyone, even some of the youngest boyers, are armed. Shooting accidents are virtually non-existant out here, and even in the village, but the amount of fire-arms out here, is obvious. Everyone needs some type of weapon, to hunt. but yesterday, we missed our prized Kodak moment.

The hunter of the day - (chuckle) it all happend so fast, we had no chance to capture this with a camera.

We were at the tent campsite, laid back, resting, this dude was lying on a sled, a flock of ducks flew so low over us, directly over us, in one swift movment, this boy's arm reached out grabeed a shovel and he jumped up in the air as high as he could, and batted a duck to the ground with one swift high arched swing !!. Hey how about that.. .. no bullets and I got another duck !!

Two crews are spread out over a vast area, we come together, near the lead opening, to set up the camp @ the lead, then there is more work to be done.

Take the time.. .. get some ice, and fill this water hole, let it freeze, then bust it up (smaller)

 

[Majik Imaje]

The curveature of the EARTH

The curveature of the EARTH

It is very easy to see out here. Some people claim I am nutz! BUT.. .. .. On the history channel one episode in the salt flats in Utah for speed records. The announcer said : " It is so flat here, you can actually see the curveature of the Earth!!
Here is the proof.

 

[Majik Imaje]

The VHF antenna is finally mounted. Power switched on and now we can effectively communicate with other crews, people and family members in town. When a whale is caught. It is known by all people - immediately. Which crew, their location, and other pertinent information.

Gordon Kappi !! Kappi = to harpoon a whale! The news is broadcasted immediately!! Everyone knows !!

Can you guess ?? why is the blue tarp placed under the plywood ??

Notice: the sleds, their position, it is critical, for when we have to evacuate the ice because of advancing ice. When it is time to killigvuk, everything is mass panic to get packed and get the hell out of here as quickly as possible, back to the safety of land. It is not a question of 'if' but a question of when !!

How many ? boats can you see ??? Every camp site is exactly the same. In each and every aspect. An umiaq (for the lead) a Metal boat - in case the ice breaks behind us. We have a safe way to get back to land.

Father & son portrait ! One of our young boyers !! Everyone on this crew is a boyer, at some point, during the day, or night, or week. Everyone is equal - this is how.. .. a 3 year old - learns and can master this job !! They watch and learn from experts. by the time that boyer is 3 (and I have seen this on many crews over the years.) He is already in his second year of learning! There are a lot of things a 2 year old learns and can easily perform ! i.e. go fill this pot with 'snow' !

 

[danattherock]

Cold ain't it...

Cold ain't it...

Majik,

Cool pictures (and dialogue) you posted here. Even pulled the wife over to check it out. She was makin bakin and I never interupt that, but I wanted her to see the pics of the camps and all. She has heard a great deal about it from some elders in Nome that once lived in Point Hope. Neat to put a visual with the verbal history we were fortunate enough to hear. Old people are so wise, if only we could shut up and truly listen. I have enjoyed going over the thread this last little while. Thanks for sharing man. One thing has me confused a bit.

I spent two years in Nome and Kotz and never remember it being that cold in August


Ha ha ha

 

[Majik Imaje]

Cold in August ? We left Kotzebue after our second summer there, Just too **** hot! Not enough wind.

We moved back to Point Hope and each year we went up for 4th of July - mainly because it was so much cooler.

We have had some brutal days here in Barrow, but not long spells of it. I like it cold, crisp, windy - that 'air' is just so refreshing to gulp.

I didn't like Nome, or Kotz . Point Hope is just so nice and quiet, neatly laid out. But our future is here in Barrow. By popular demand!

With Age .. .. cometh wisdom ! ( to some )! It all depends on the type(s) of input you have absorbed over the decades.

There is nothing new - under the sun. Same attitudes - same motives, tisk tisk. ( I am speaking about - 'personalities'. ) Not technologies.

The most amazing book, I have ever read, was written by the smartest, wisest, richest King - that ever lived. He wrote many books, but one book stands out above all the rest. The book of Proverbs by Solomon.

Proverbial teaching is the oldest form of teaching in the world. A simple sentence with 'cause' and effect.

One thing that so impresses me, here in the Arctic, Every Native house I have ever entered, There is a bible open in plain view. Proverbs is located in the center of that book, It is the 'heart' of that entire book. No other book in the world contains so much wisdom for daily living as that book.

I always tell people. Habits are very hard to break, It doesn't matter if it is a good habit or a bad habit, it is hard to break. A truely great habit to begin is to read the chapter of proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. Most months have 31 days, Proverbs has 31 chapters.

In one year you can easily read that entire book, 12 times and absorb much wisdom. In ten years well, it is easy to memorize that entire book, all 31 chapters. Just by remembering 3 simple sentences every day.

Wanna find out ? how smart you really are ?
When children are born - there is no instruction manual, Proverbs has so much to say about 'children'!

 

[danattherock]

I was JOKING man

What month of the year were the pictures above taken?

 

[Majik Imaje]

May of this past year.