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

[Majik Imaje]

Spring whaling is April - May.

Despite what some may claim, here in Barrow, the spring hunt is NOT an entire community affair. Far from it!

37 whaling captains here in the village (Barrow) each crew has ten members = 370 people. That leaves a few thousand people in Barrow that are not actively involved in the hunt.

In Point Hope, it is different, Everyone in the village is out on the ocean ice. The village is empty. Tents are for the women only.

Yawn ! good morning !! Morning pow-wow meeting, plans are made for the day, people spread out all over the ice, 37 whaling captains and their crews.

Just imagine the force needed to drive these huge chunks of ice upwards, the crashing noise they make as the ice advances towards your location, is a scary sight to see indeed, - killigvuk - run !!! I hope to get some videos of advancing ice, from a safe distance w/ sound! You will not believe this ice show !! Not unless you actually see and hear the grinding, crashing!

It is getting messy, at places, we actually have to fill in these holes, chop ice, back to work, lots to do and acomplish to make this camp site safer.

 

[Majik Imaje]

You get the best tan in your life out here, with all the reflections of ice all around you, it takes about 3 days !! Just on your face and hands !!

Ducks by the dozen .. .. (chuckle) .. A duck was shot, it did a nose-dive straight down - @ a 45 degree angle, crash - right into a slab of ice, it stuck, the beak, embedded into the ice, the face torn, still moving - quivering, it was grabbed and neck snapped. That actually happend, you will just not believe some of these stories associated with duck hunting. side splitting laughter. We have some videos, hopefully tonight I can get these processed so that you can hear-from the natives- their stories!!

A very young boyer - in training - two years old !!

It doesn't take long, for a little child to learn simple things out here, especially when they are out here.. .. 24 / 7 for weeks !!

At least he does't have to chop wood & use 'sicpan' !!

Tent site or Camp site
Those are two different locations, for each crew!

Two different sleds are needed just for sitting. One at the lead opening, the other up at the tent site.

Here is the action portion of the hunt, everything (for all practical purposes takes place at the lead. Ssshhh! no hondas or snowmachines allowed here now, we are set up, voices much lower than usual.

It took us a month of work to get this far - 4.2 miles from land. The captains have GPS devices out here. Modern technology has made some aspects of whaling much easier. Here at the lead we can now communicate with the tent. We need more coffee, tea, hot chocolate, when will it be ready ? Ans: boyer is on the way with two thermoses!

Ssshh, sit wait, watch, there is excitement, you can feel it in the 'air'. Anything, can happen at any moment now, We wait, for weeks.. ..
No one cares - what time it is, what day of the week it is, or what month it is. Whales are coming .. .. .. !!!

 

[Majik Imaje]

Fredrick Brower - whaling captain for Eugene Browers crew - The Bomb maker, he also has a new nickname - Bomb proof ! Lots of accidents happen with these bombs. people always get hurt or lose something, Fredrick has had 3 bombs go off (over the years). you will listen on one of the video's of how he threw a bomb at the whale and it came flying right back into the boat, no one was hurt.

The shoulder gun bomb !! These things go for $1,000 bucks a shot I am told. That seems rather steep, but they are required by law to use these exploding harpoons, the Inupiaq do not like these, if you miss the vital spot on a whale, these things will not allow the whale to heal, as well as with the old style harpoons.

NOW... .. ... we are finally ready, believe it or not, we could be in this state (waiting) for weeks !!! sit and wait.. they will come ! All sorts of animals migrate through this lead, every year for many thousands of years, this just beats the heck out of standing in line.. in a grocery store!! When have you ever .. .. had this much fun.. .. shopping for food ?? (chuckle).

 

[Majik Imaje]

Wait & watch - all day long - the major work - is finished.

Excitement is in the air - anything can happen at any time now.. .. ..

and it did.. the harpoon bomb piece of wood somehow broke, Zacharia, is the only one who knows how to fix this. He is the oldest elder on this crew, He is down here on Eugenes crew for one reason - He knows the ice, much better than anyone else. These currents change, and not necessarly in the same direction as the wind, there is much to learn and understand - if he imparts that information, in an understanding manner for us to share.

 

[AKBassking]

Majik,

Keep up the great posts! They are wonderful my friend.

I notice a block of ice under one of the boats so it is leaning toward the water. Is this so it can be moved into the water faster?

Wow only one elder knows how to fix it. His knowlege must be wise and vast. I hope the younger generation will need to learn from him.

What I would give to just sit with him for a few hours and hear the stories he has locked into his memory.

Keep up the good work you are doing here.........

 

[Majik Imaje]

Eugene Brower & The Eves Boys
Give him a call, you will be shocked at what he has to say about these crew members !!

This was taken this morning, (Mid May ) by Eugene's daughter, I just received a copy. Look at those tanned faces. (happy faces) !!

I am the 'baker' for this crew !! Naqachii (mix dough). Cheese, Onion, Jalepeno biscuits, That combo is their favorite, But Eugenes wife,said .. .. " I want you to make me some of those Onion biscuits that I have heard so much about. Hmmmmm.. yummy ! I love to make bread and just give most of it away, We do our best to make a lot of people happy, I (we) love to give !!

One of the greatest 'promises' I have ever read.. .. .. says these words.. (basically) (Malachi chapter 2) ... TEST ME .. Prove me wrong. Give... and I will give back 3 times, 5 times, pressed down, running over !!

I have been practicing this for over 50 years,, and ya know what ?? It always works !!!

Notice: how dirty the ice and snow is begining to look !!

Can you see the animal.. in this image ???

A sled load of ice, to move, to fill in thin ice with water. Holes, depressions must be constantly filled in. This trail requires a lot of work to keep smooth - to enable the machines to travel back and forth - quickly!!

 

[Majik Imaje]

Majik,

Keep up the great posts! They are wonderful my friend.

I notice a block of ice under one of the boats so it is leaning toward the water. Is this so it can be moved into the water faster?

Wow only one elder knows how to fix it. His knowlege must be wise and vast. I hope the younger generation will need to learn from him.

What I would give to just sit with him for a few hours and hear the stories he has locked into his memory.

Keep up the good work you are doing here.........

Only one elder, on this crew, knows how to fix that harpoon!

The block of ice serves one important purpose. To prevent the umiaq skin, from 'sticking' or freezing to the ice. To prevent that skin from getting wet. Every umiaq, at the lead, is in this same position. In every village.

Thank you for your wonderful comments and continued interest in this documentry of the Inupiaq traditions of whaling.

Lots more pages to follow - with some more videos !!

 

[Majik Imaje]

We have to move our location. (trouble is brewing). Too many crews, that were too lazy to cut their own trail have taken over our trail and moved into our location, with too many people coming to the lead on hondas and snowmachines, too much loud noise, too many girls laughing too loud . We have no choice but to move.

5 crews hyjacked our trail. We get up. we move ! That settles that.

We move as far west was possible, to the point, on the left side, we have to cut a new trail.

One of the 'Inupiaq Values' is avoidance of conflict

Notice how 'mittens' are carried. Using a woven harness, they are drapped over the shoulders, when your mittens are off, they are 'crossed' behind your back and twisted once. They are easily out of the way, and ready for use when required. The harness is essential because these mittens are too expensive and you do not want to ever lose one of these.


I want you to notice, the massive amount of ice, that was removed to create this site here at the lead opening !!

We are not talking about an hours work here, many hours to remove all of that ice.

Remove it all, and throw it into the ocean !!

Look !!

What a life.. .. this is just the most exciting time of the year.

Now we wait, watch, look, listen.. .. .. .. did you see that ??

 

[Majik Imaje]

All of the action, takes place.. .. at the lead ! This is our new home.

Repeat the same set up procedures as we had at the last location. Every camp site at the lead is identical, Only that which is needed is here at the lead.

Every captain has his way of doing things, nothing is taken for granted, The Captain is the boss over all. He alone makes the decisions for the crew. Everyone works as a cook, at some point in time during the hunt, everyone including the captain is a 'dish washer'. In Point Hope it is the boyer who does it all. (during his watch @ night), He stays with the women cooks in the tent, helping them and making trips to the lead - with thermoses, doughnuts, other food. He is busy most all of the day, He is awake and alone at night @ the tent to keep it warm and keep thermoses filled @ the lead.

What next ? Captain ?? What do you want set up next. If you have to go back to the tent area, you walk - no machines at or near the lead opening. No noise. Stay away from the left side of the umiaq, I have heard those words many times. I could not understand why ? Until I noticed, .. .. this is the direction in which the animals arrive.
Always stay on the right side of the umiaq is what I was always told in Point Hope. Only certain 'colors' are allowed here, Red is the one forbidden color. It is too bright and animals can easily see.

Lastl year, shell Oil was 'thumping' the ocean floor some 60 miles off the coast of Point Hope. All the entire walrus herd moved to the Russian Side of the Sea, to avoid that noise. We had no walrus now for two years. Sad, so sad. Peoples lives and livelyhood are being changed because of these noisy testing procedures.

 

[Majik Imaje]

When you are tired out here, you rest - where you can, and when you can. It doesn't matter where, just slump back and get comfortable, you are out here, all day / night with no place to go.. .. .. none.. .. to warm up.

The avatakpak (float) is covered up, the color is red, that is the only color forbidden at the lead opening. No machines down here, quiet.

These exploding harpoons require a lot of work and great care.
The shoulder guns require more of the same. Now it is against the law.. .. to shoot a whale! that is major jail time offense. Beluga whales can be shot using a rifle. But you cannot shoot a Bowhead whale. It is a federal offense. A whale must be 'harpooned' first, then and only then may the captain or crew use the shoulder gun.

The Inupiaq people do not like the quota system imposed on them by the International Whaling Commission. but they always obey.

Well once, a whaling captain didn't obey and he did harpoon a whale which exceeded the quota. He was arrested & had to pay a very steep fine. We know him quite well, as he is an elder & master carver of Ivory.

Last October, during fall whaling, two of these exploding bombs, went off, even though the safety was on. Lucky no one on the metal boat got hurt.

 

[Majik Imaje]

Time to call home, the tent site. We need more coffee and tea & hot chocolate. All day long.. .. all night long.. .. fresh coffee, tea & hot chocolate. That requires at least a half a dozen thermoses or more. On every crew. Everyone works as one. It doesn't matter which crew you are on. The exact same procedures and equpment are used in each and every camp. Whaling is thousands of years old in the Inupiaq traditions. They have this down to an exact science.

Inupiaq Technology - time tested for over 3,000 years!! WoWoW!!

What a view, sitting here - waiting for food to arrive! Chuckle - it sure beats the heck out of standing in line in some crowded grocery store. This is so exciting - just waiting for that whale & other animals to appear.

We have a great location here now, ALL other crews are east of us. We are first crew in line to see animals.

Can I drive ??​

The two pastors from Tenn. that purchased bracelets from us!! Everytime one of them would pull out a camera, they were politely told, could you please put that away ? NO photographs down here.

Some people take too much for granted. We always ask permission first. Is it ok? yes sure. They respect that. We give away hundreds if not thousands of 13 x 19 prints and many other sizes also. We just love to give! They all notice that and are surprised each time. It is much better to give than to receive and we get much joy and blessings everytime we give.

 

[Majik Imaje]

Videos

Videos

Updating Links / videos
I am currently working as fast as possible HERE

Thank You all.. .. so much.. .. for taking the time !!!

 

[Majik Imaje]

Barrow Alaska - exactly 4.2 miles from our location at the lead.

Train up a child.. .. ..
.. .. in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it! .. .. .. 'book' of Proverbs !!

Can you guess ?? what is the reason for this 'cross'. Why is this area or section marked in this manner ??

Finally .. .. SUCCESS !!
I promise we will get better at doing this, but for now, here is excellent quality short video - cleaning a shoulder gun harpoon

I have dozens and dozens to go, to bring you, out on that ice, in ways never before possible !!

A ten foot wall of ice - take it down - move it, break it up. One thing about working out here, that is at times frustrating, is trying to stay on your feet with all the chunks of ice, your walking on.


Whose watch is it ??
Wait - watch - look & listen - waiting for whales !!

This is home - for the next few weeks - We have midnight sun.

Moving right along.. ..
Other crews are using our trail to check out the lead opening

 

[Majik Imaje]

The incredible, indescribable beauty of the frozen remote Arctic ! Gosh I love this world. I would not leave this pristine solitude for anything anyplace else in the entire world.

 

[Majik Imaje]

Lets go hunting .. .. sit - wait - watch. This is an excercise in patience. Many hours of waiting. watching - looking and listening. Always be aware of which way the wind is blowing. Failure to pay attention out here, can cause loss of life.

 

[Majik Imaje]

The sun & moon are clearly visible @ the same time in the skies in the far north. One in the east and one in the west and they circle - visible all day - night long.

That animal in the water is a 'bearded seal' Ugruk, These are the animals that are used to cover the skin boat. 5 - 6 skins are required to create the cover for the umiaq. Women sew the skins together using dental floss. A zig / zag water tight stich is used.

A polar bear is spotted off far in the distance.

 

[Majik Imaje]

Although you cannot see that polar bear in this image, we have it on video and it is posted on our web site under (videos)

What is that over there ??

Can you see it ? That animal ? what type is it ? what is it ?

It appears to be a seal, resting in the sun, taking a nap!

 

[Majik Imaje]

5 A.M. at the lead, as you can see, it needs to widen, the only thing that will accomplish that is.. .. the wind!! You can see, our tracks on the other side of the lead, We lost two miles of trail that we worked on, we were at one point - Just about 7 miles out. That was a lot of work for one month!!

 

[Majik Imaje]

 

[Majik Imaje]

Practicing for the Olympics
Skateboarding - miles out on the ocean ice pack !!