Sanaaq

by Salomé Mitiarjuk Nappaaluk

  Qalingu went to share his thoughts with Taqriasuk.

  “Taqriasuk, thanks for your knowledge about what’s dangerous... Through you, I’ve learned that the meat of some belugas is fatal!”

  “A long time ago, my grandfather taught me the dangers of life... To this very day, I’ve never forgotten what he taught me. But now that I myself am an old man, I must tell it to others... Because I’m getting too old, I’ll soon be unable to help you by telling you what I know, for I’ll not be around much longer. You must act wisely towards what’s dangerous and not dangerous on earth... It’s not just the belugas with Lumaajuq that may threaten your life. Ordinary belugas can also be a source of danger… In summer, when they are not skinned immediately and are exposed to the sun, their meat, if boiled, will smell strong and may be fatal. You must pay very close attention, even if it has no special taste or smell!”

  “Thanks for all this knowledge,” replied Qalingu. “Keep on teaching the youngest among us about dangerous things! They must learn. I fully understand that an Inuk must know everything about food. Even though you’re old, your words are useful and will outlive you... Your teachings as an elder will continue to be passed on. Thank you, Taqriasuk!”

  “It isn’t just the belugas with Luumajuq and those whose meat is rotten that are deadly or dangerous. There are also the very skinny ones, whose meat should not be consumed. Their meat too can cause death, even though, in appearance, it seems good to eat! The fact that these belugas are very skinny is a sign that they’re dangerous. When I kill such a beluga, even if I’m starving or if it’s the first time in my life I’ve killed one, I absolutely will not eat it!”

  “I now understand why the meat of certain mammals isn’t edible. I’m glad you’re still alive because I didn’t know these rules. My father and my mother are dead and I no longer have anyone to give me advice on what I must and must not do. All I know is how to hunt, but without really knowing what’s dangerous... Tell me more of what you know to make me wiser... As you’re very old, if that tires you, I could also ask Ningiukuluk to teach me!”

  “I’m not tired… It’s the only way I have to help you… The belugas aren’t the only ones to pose a mortal danger. Some other mammals are even more dangerous, others less so... I’m old now and I’ve already been made ill by some mammals. Among them are very skinny ringed seals, whose meat, like the beluga’s, must absolutely never be consumed when the animal is too skinny. If its skin is of good quality, you may use it after throwing the meat away, even though the meat isn’t rotten, because the skinniness may result from an illness. I don’t mean seals that normally are skinnier in spring. I don’t mean them but those that have almost no blubber, the ones that have a strong yellow colour… Those seals are the ones whose meat poses a mortal danger. There are also the ringed seals that, without being skinny and without having been wounded by bullets, have some sort of illness… Eating their meat is very dangerous. There are also the seals that have had serious injuries, either new or old ones, due to ice, that have bones or ribs broken by the ice… Those ones you can eat without danger, as well as those that have funny-looking pelts!”

  “Taqriasuk! Thank you for explaining all these things. It’s reassuring to have elders.”

  “It’s known that animals with only skin on their bones have parasites. As do very skinny birds. It isn’t just the Lumaajuit that are dangerous. Some other mammals, such as foxes, can be too.”

  “Thank you! I won’t forget any of what you’ve told me and which I didn’t know before. I need to be taught. Those who aren’t elders are less knowledgeable than those who are. Without elders the Inuit are nothing, for there is much knowledge that the elders alone possess!”

  “My knowledge comes not from me but from my ancestors. It seems to be mine but, in fact, it comes to me from people who preceded me. I pass it on to all of you, to all of your descendants and all of your kinfolk!”

  25

  THE FIRST CATHOLIC MISSIONARIES

  A big boat appeared in the distance. Qumaq saw it first and said, “There’s a big boat!”

  Sanaaq called out to her cousin, “Yes! Qatannguuk! Look at it! Have a good look!”

  Qalingu ran to warn the Qallunaat at the trading post, telling them, “A big boat is arriving ai!”

  The Qallunaat went to unload the big boat, accompanied by Qalingu. Both Qallunaat and Inuit did the unloading. While they were on board, Qalingu noticed an iksigarjuaq. He looked like a very kind man. He seemed to find Qalingu friendly and spoke to him.

  “Ai! What’s your name?”

  “My name is Qalingu.”

  He then noticed an ajuqirtuiji who also looked like a very kind man and who invited Qalingu to follow him to his cabin. He did, and there the minister offered him a book, without saying what it was... Qalingu took it back with him, thinking it to be nothing important, that is, he was told nothing about the book and was taught nothing, so he clearly had no idea what it was. Nonetheless, the ajuqirtuiji did tell him what he thought of the iksigarjuaq.

  “You must not listen at all to people like him, for they are big liars! They will come and move into your camp!”

  Because of this warning, Qalingu remained very reserved when the Catholic missionaries came and moved into the camp. He helped them only grudgingly, for fear of being tricked. Qumaq, her mother, and their family stayed on the dry land. The iksigarjuaq disembarked and went to Qumaq and her family. He shook many hands and smiled broadly at Qumaq and her little brother. But Qumaq was reserved.

  “Ia-a!” she said shyly, her little brother too.

  Qalingu left the big boat and went ashore. He took back a large bag of gifts for his family. Qumaq came to meet him. Her little brother tried to come too, but he still had trouble walking. Qumaq was growing up to be a big girl. Qalingu gave his son and Qumaq some oranges and then went home, carrying his son on his shoulders and taking Qumaq by the hand.

  Sanaaq said to her husband, “Look at that! You were given presents for your family?!”

  “Yes!” said Qalingu.

  He hurriedly returned to the Qallunaat, who gave him many gifts. He was even short of containers to put them in. They treated him well, for it was their first meeting. In exchange for a sealskin and a few small objects, he was offered cloth for a pair of pants. Coming back to his family, he said, “We won’t let Qumaq go to the iksigarjuaq because he’s a liar. That’s what the ajuqirtuiji told me!”

  “What do you mean?” said Sanaaq, very astonished. “Why? Just listen to that! We now have to be afraid of being tricked!”

  The next day, Qumaq very much wanted to go and visit the iksigarjuaq, but Sanaaq tried to stop her. Qumaq was on the verge of crying. No one could change her mind, and finally she was allowed to go, accompanied by Arnatuinnaq. Qumaq was very happy. When they arrived, the man picked her up in his arms. With Arnatuinnaq, she played billiards. Qumaq was even given a short catechism lesson and no longer wanted to leave. She and Arnatuinnaq nonetheless headed home. On arriving, Arnatuinnaq said to Sanaaq, “He’s very kind and really puts you at ease!”

  “But why did the ajuqirtuiji call him a liar?” said Sanaaq and Qalingu. “Is he one himself?”

  “He probably didn’t tell the truth,” answered Arnatuinnaq. “The iksigaarjuaq carried Qumaq in his arms and even began to teach her what’s good and what’s bad. That’s how she was treated! The other man probably didn’t tell the truth!”

  Arnatuinnaq wished to follow the Catholic faith, but had not yet said so. “I want to join their faith,” she often thought to herself.

  In truth, she still had to talk it over with her family… She was afraid, though, of being prevented from doing so by Sanaaq, her older sister, and by Qalingu. She was scared that her family would give her a hard time. The thought made her very ill at ease.

  “Never mind ai! Since I’m afraid of no longer being well treated, it’s not possible for me
now...”

  Meanwhile Qumaq was thinking, “It’d be better if I followed the iksigarjuaq, even if I have to face the opposition of my kinfolk. It doesn’t matter... Can’t be helped... As for my body, it will die, and then where will I go? What does my body matter!”

  She was eager. Aanikallak shared the same ideas, but she felt helpless because her mother forbade her from following the iksigarjuaq. Qumaq, whose mother was still making some effort to hold her back, stuck to her choice. Aanikallak too persevered, despite strong opposition.

  Arnatuinnaq, Qumaq, and Aanikallak all wished to convert. Qumaq was very keen. Arnatuinnaq was afraid and self-conscious. She made obstacles out of anything for herself. As soon as someone talked to her, she immediately began to have doubts, just as Maatiusi did. Qumaq was very happy and said, “I’m going to follow this faith because I think about it continually!”

  She strove to push herself whenever she felt like lazing around. She developed a habit of working fervently and, though she had other occupations, began to pray more. Anything became a motive for her to think about her family. She had found a way to be happy now.

  26

  A CHILDREN’S QUARREL

  Qumaq was growing up. Today, she was going to do the laundry with Akutsiaq. She gathered everything to be washed and put it into a bag, saying, “Mother! We’re going to wash, I and Akutsiak... Give me some soap!”

  Akutsiaq and Aanikallak, who were still little girls, accompanied her and took along some little things to be washed. Qumaq had a heavy load and chatted on the way.

  “Tomorrow ai! We’ll go fishing on the foreshore, at the far end of the cove!”

  “We’ll go ai!” said Akutsiaq.

  “I won’t go,” said Aanikallak. “I have bad boots that let in water and are in very bad shape!”

  “It’s because you’re lazy!” said Qumaq. “You don’t take care of them!”

  “Oh! I’m going to tell my mother!”

  “Don’t!” answered Qumaq, who wanted to be forgiven and was looking for a way out. “Don’t do that! Here, I’ll give you this bar of soap... Tomorrow, we’ll have fun making a little tent ai! Aanikallak! Here ai! Take the soap... It’s real soap!”

  “That Aanikallak is really a tattletale,” said Akutsiaq. “She even tells things that aren’t true!”

  Once they had arrived, they began to wash in the river. Qumaq was fast and had already gone through a lot of laundry when her two much slower companions were still at the beginning of theirs. Aanikallak washed very poorly and left some parts dirty. She was ridiculed a second time by Akutsiaq.

  “Autualu! Look, Qumaq! That’s been really badly washed. It’s still dirty here and there!”

  Aanikallak, predictably, again began to sulk. She glared at her companions and started to cry. She called out, “I’m going to tell my mother you’ve been very mean to me!”

  “Ii!” shouted Qumaq suddenly. “That old jacket over there is being carried off by the current!”

  Akutsiaq jumped to her feet and began running. She ran after what was being carried away by the river, saying, “Irq! I’ve got to grab it fast, when that stone stops it!”

  She managed to grab what the current had snatched away before it got to the waterfall. She then washed the laundry that Qumaq had brought. Once they had finished, they wrung the laundry and laid it to dry on the ground. Qumaq stretched out a large atigi for it to drip-dry. Unable to wring it with her hands, she let it drain on a rock. They stayed a long while.

  Meanwhile Aanikallak had gone to tell her mother.

  “Mother! Qumaq and Akutsiaq are always being mean to me!”

  When her mother heard that, she said, “Suvakkualuk! My daughter has been badly treated. I’m going to find those two rascals who think so highly of themselves!” She believed her daughter, who had not told the truth. She indeed went ahead and scolded them. “Why have the two of you been picking on my adopted daughter? You wicked tormentors!”

  “She didn’t tell the truth!” answered Akutsiaq. “We simply told her that she hadn’t been washing properly! We just treated her as being clumsy… We don’t have any bad feelings against her!”

  “You’re really hurtful! She’s not to be humiliated, for she’s mine and mine alone!” said Aqiarulaaq, who then went home, the little girls doing likewise.

  27

  A COMMUNITY FEAST OF BOILED MEAT

  Ningiukuluk was cooking outside. She was preparing aqiluqi and was bothered by the smoke. When the pieces of meat were done just right, she pulled them out with a fork. She did not follow the example of Makutsialutjuaq who, according to legend, burned her hands when pulling the pieces out with her fingers. Onto a plate she put the various pieces. There were pieces with bones: siqruit, kuutsinaat, akuit, taliit, qimminguat, kiasiit, sakiat, tunirjuit, tulimaat, kujapigait, kuutsiniit, niaquit, alliruit, qungisiit, ittunguat, pamialluit, akitsirait, and ulunnguat. She also cooked the guts: kanivaut, tinguit, aqiaruit, qitsalikaat, qinirsikallait, matsait, qinirsiit, inaluat, uummatit, qalluviat, pavviit, umirquit, qaritait, puvait, iggiat, and turqujaat... These were the pieces that she boiled.

  She called for everyone to come. “Uujun-ukua!”

  Sanaaq and all of her camp mates gathered for a community feast. Qumaq got a rear flipper and Akutsiaq a front flipper. Qumaq was keen on saving the little bones from her share of the meat, Akutsiaq likewise.

  “I’m collecting my little bones!” said Qumaq. “We’re each going to do that, ai! Akutsiaq! We’ll play a game of pulling bones out of a mitten, by using a sinew with a noose at the end!”

  After eating her rear flipper, Qumaq saved the following little bones: a qimminguat, arnanguat, an iglitikallak, a paannguaq, a natsinguaq, a qajuuttalutuq, a sirpalutuq, an illiti, an utsuluttuq, and an angutinnguaq. Akutsiaq, Qumaq’s partner, saved the following little bones: a qimminguat, an aquviartulutuq, a sappa, a qulliq, a kaivvasuk, an illaulusuk, an utsulutuq, and a kuutsitualik. They would now play the bone game.

  “Akutsiaq!” said Qumaq. “Use the sinew noose to pull some little bones out of a mitten ai!”

  Qumaq began pulling some bones out with the noose. “Aa! I caught one!”

  They each took turns.

  “Irq! Autualu! I’ve just been pulling for nothing! Look, Qumaq! I i i!” She laughed. “I haven’t caught anything at all! You’re so lucky. You’ve caught a lot, Qumaq!”

  With their little bones, they each made the outline of a snow house and a meat cache. Qumaq tried to break into Akutsiaq’s meat cache while Akutsiaq’s pawn was asleep. She was careful not to make any noise, but Akutsiaq, who was being very attentive, said, “Listen! What’s it doing, that one there?”

  “Over there! There goes a mouse!” answered Qumaq through her pawn. “It’s gone in to hide... I’m going to look for it!”

  Qumaq’s pawn lied to conceal its intention to steal what was in the cache and because it had been taken by surprise. The two pawns were now going to fight each other. They were tossed into the air and the one that fell convex-side down was the loser... That was the bone game.

  28

  SPRING HUNTING, FISHING, AND GATHERING

  Spring had come. Qumaq and Akutsiaq went to gather some airait.

  “Akutsiaq!” said Qumaq. “We’re going to gather some airait on the plateau!”

  “Sure! Wait ai! I’ll first look for something to dig the ground with and a bag to put them in.”

  “Sure, go ahead! Hurry before night falls!”

  Akutsiaq went home for what she needed. On her way she walked through a patch of soft snow and got her boots wet. As she came in, she said, “Mother! Qumaq and I are going for a walk. We’re going to gather some airait. Give me something to put them in and a digging tool!”

  “To dig with,” answered her mother, “take the old file. And to carry them, take the little bag.”

  Akutsiaq rushed to
catch up to Qumaq, who had already set off.

  “Qumaq!” she shouted to her. “Wait for me!”

  They harvested many airait on the little flat mounds where the snow had melted.

  “Here’s an airaq!” said Qumaq. “I’m going to dig it out... It’s really a fine airaq!”

  She unearthed it by digging all around it and then yanking it out. She then cut the stem off with a stone, on a rock, and put it into her bag. She and Akutsiaq kept digging the ground up for more airait. They chatted.

  “We’ve got enough!” said Qumaq. “Are we going home ai?”

  “Yes!” said her companion. “Look, Qumaq! Some people with a sled are approaching... They’ve been hunting on the sinaa... Let’s go! Let’s hurry over to them!”

  They ran down the slope. The snow, however, had turned quite soft and when Qumaq sank into it she was flung forward with all of the airait she had gathered raining over the snow. She began to cry with grief, for having lost all of her airait. Her companion picked them up.

  “Qumaq!” she said. “Don’t cry, little one! Here they are. Put them into your bag. Look, over there, the people on the sled. They’re almost here... Don’t cry anymore! They’ve been hunting on the sinaa.”

  The two girls arrived home.

  “Here are some airait!” said Qumaq, tossing them at her mother on the ungati.

  The girls ran off to meet the new arrivals. The sled passed Akutsiaq but caught Qumaq by her feet in the tuglines and dragged her along in the snow. Qalingu and his companion, who were bringing back an ujjuk, both used their feet to brake.

  “Au!” yelled Qalingu.

  Qumaq was dragged over the bumps and hollows of the ice. When they finally came to a stop, she freed herself and walked to the sled... Akutsiaq joined her. The men got moving again, arriving at home shortly after and unharnessing the dogs.

  “You’re going to have kujapik meat to eat!” announced Qalingu. “I’ve killed an ujjuk!”