Sanaaq

  “Ii autualuk!” said Arnatuinnaq. “I wonder where she could have gone! Let’s both go looking for her, Qalingu! Aikuluk!”

  “I have trouble believing she did that just to keep her son from leaving... It’s as if she didn’t want him to get better... Let’s go, Arnatuinnaq! Let’s look for her with Maatiusi’s help!”

  Qalingu went to his camp mates and said, “My wife took our son and ran away without my knowing... Maatiusi! Join Arnatuinnaq and me in searching for them. Qumaq will be minded by my sister Aqiarulaaq.”

  “I will!” said Maatiusi.

  All three went looking for the runaway. The dogs sensed they were looking for someone and bounded ahead, in the direction taken by Sanaaq.

  “The dogs seem to be on Sanaaq’s trail!” remarked Qalingu. “All we need do is to follow them and start searching!”

  They searched all day without spotting Sanaaq.

  Meanwhile, Sanaaq was beginning to think of going home, for her son was crying from hunger.

  “I love my dear son so much,” she thought, “and I’m making him suffer... At home, there’s lots to eat while here there’s nothing... If I love my son, how can I make him suffer from hunger and prevent him from going away and getting proper care? I must go home. I’ve acted with no regard for common sense. If they want to take him away, I should accept it, even though it makes me unhappy... I know it’s for his own good... I must accept it, if I truly love him!”

  And Sanaaq headed home. Her folks were still looking for her.

  “I really feel like going home. I’m very tired!” said Arnatuinnaq.

  “No!” replied Qalingu. “I won’t go home until I’ve found them! My wife and my son must be weak and hungry... I’m afraid they’ll be attacked by a polar bear... I’ll continue to look for them until I find them... The two of you can go home if you so wish!”

  “I will,” said Arnatuinnaq. “I’ll go home because I’m tired and hungry. Let’s both go home.”

  “I agree,” answered Maatiusi.

  They both went home while Qalingu kept searching.

  Sanaaq, however, was already back home with her child and both were eating to their hearts’ content. Aqiarulaaq came and, on seeing her, said, “Qatannguuk! What’s been going on with you? We thought you were lost!”

  “Where are my kinfolk?” said Sanaaq.

  “Qalingu and his young sister-in-law have gone searching for you, with Maatiusi, while I minded Qumaq!”

  “He’s searching for us? But he’s the one who was responsible for my running away by wanting to send my son to a far-off place! If my son leaves, so will I!”

  Now Arnatuinnaq and Maatiusi arrived on the scene.

  “Angajuk!” exclaimed Arnatuinnaq. “I was looking for you! Have you been back for a while? I wanted to go home because I was tired and hungry... Qalingu decided to keep searching until he found you, even though he has no food... He had no idea you might have gone home... He’s worried sick about the two of you!”

  “I was weak,” answered Sanaaq, “and very hungry. So was my son. I had to go home. I felt sorry for my child... Now, his condition’s improving. Arnatuinnaq! Take care of him while I go looking for Qalingu!”

  39

  CONJUGAL VIOLENCE

  Sanaaq left to go looking for Qalingu. Both were now in search of each other. As he looked, Qalingu began to think, “My wife may be dead… Maybe a wild animal has killed her... Anyway, she must be dying of hunger...”

  Meanwhile Sanaaq was telling herself, “My husband must be tired... Had I not run away, he wouldn’t be in such a condition... I’ll go home only when I’ve found him!”

  Qalingu was accompanied by his dogs, whereas Sanaaq was alone. Qalingu’s dogs had smelled something and had located Sanaaq, but without her son. Qalingu too spotted her and was now thinking, “My son is surely dead! I’ll make Sanaaq pay for causing my son’s death!”

  When he caught up to Sanaaq, he questioned her. “Where’s my son? Is he dead?”

  Sanaaq kept silent. Because she said nothing, he asked again, “Where is he? Is he dead?”

  He began to hit Sanaaq. He beat her with his fists while heaping insults on her. “Ivvilualuk! You’re completely out of your mind! You’ve been furious ever since you found out that my son had to go away!”

  “My son’s at home!” shot back Sanaaq. “I left to go looking for you because I love you, and now that you’ve found me you accuse me of all kinds of evil things! My son is fine. Arnatuinnaq is taking care of him. If I wasn’t fit for you, why did you marry me? I love you and that’s why I went looking for you, and here you are beating and hurting me!”

  The two of them headed home. Qalingu felt very bad about beating his wife. Sanaaq had to stop and rest several times because of her severe pain. Although Qalingu regretted what had happened, he was still angry and simply continued on his way. He left his wife behind so that he could go home and see his son again. When he arrived, Aqiarulaaq came to visit and asked him, “Did you see my qatanngut who went looking for you?”

  “I saw her in a totally mindless state. She could no longer walk because I had hurt her by hitting her!”

  “You’re the one who’s mindless! She went looking for you, out of love for you!”

  Qalingu stood silently before his sister. Aqiarulaaq added, “I’m going to tell everyone how my cousin got beaten up, when it was out of affection for her husband that she’d gone looking for you!”

  Sanaaq arrived just then. Qalingu felt bad and angry and his folks were very unhappy.

  Sanaaq continued to suffer and was unable to work. When the Qallunaat were informed of her condition, they told her she would have to go away with her son by plane. She prepared to leave. At the time of departure, she was asked about the cause of her pains. She answered, “Qalingu beat me when I went to meet him. I had abducted my son because he was going to be taken away, but because we were starving we returned home. Meanwhile Qalingu had gone looking for us with others. I left my son at home and went looking for Qalingu because I love him. When we caught up to each other, he accused me of causing his son’s death and he beat me and swore at me... I have no desire for vengeance against him and if I must leave, I will, for it’s no fun at all to suffer as I am now…”

  “It will be necessary for you to go away,” she was told. “Your son seems alright now and no longer needs to leave, but you must go!”

  The plane had arrived. Sanaaq prepared to leave and made arrangements for her children, who were heartbroken to see her go. They were left in the care of Arnatuinnaq, who would look after them like a second mother, with Aqiarulaaq’s assistance if need be. Thinking about his wife, Qalingu felt unhappy. He suffered from having behaved badly. He felt very uneasy towards his kinfolk, the Qallunaat, and his son. When he saw just how sad his folks were, he felt responsible.

  40

  A SORROWFUL QALINGU

  When the police officers learned that Sanaaq had to leave because of injuries due to spousal abuse, they came to give Qalingu a warning. He greeted them, red in the face and speechless.

  “We’ll let it go this time, but if it happens again, you’ll go to jail for five years!”

  Qalingu fell into a worsening state and became increasingly ill tempered, although he tried to lift his spirits. After the warning from the police, his sister Aqiarulaaq felt no sympathy for him anymore.

  Sanaaq was gone for a long time. An operation was needed to mend her bones. When Qalingu learned she had to be operated on, he became even unhappier. His folks resented him for causing Sanaaq to leave. Aqiarulaaq, feeling very depressed, wrote her cousin a letter and sent it by the next plane.

  As Sanaaq’s convalescence drew to an end, preparations were made to send her home. The news delighted Qumaq and her little brother when they were told, but Qalingu was shaken. He feared a confrontation with his wife.

  When Sa
naaq arrived, her kinfolk, accompanied by the whole community, came out to welcome her and shake her hand. Aqiarulaaq broke into tears and said, “Qatannguuk! I missed you so much! I’ve been unhappy since you left and I haven’t stopped hating my brother.”

  Qalingu too spoke to Sanaaq. “After what I did to you, I’m now afraid to be your husband. I no longer feel worthy of having you as my wife and I’ll make myself your servant because I fear you!”

  “But you’re a true Inuk,” answered Sanaaq. “You’re able to do anything and you’re in the prime of life! I’m the one who’s been weakened and who’s no longer able to do much. Now, if you want me to remain single, if you no longer want me as your wife, it’s up to you.”

  “I don’t want you to be single. I want to help you and listen to you always, for I’m ashamed of what I did to you!”

  Although he had tried to improve since the incident, Qalingu felt very unhappy and was still haunted by what he had done. For this reason, he wished all the more to listen to his wife’s advice.

  Sanaaq, now disabled, was again in pain. She had trouble with anything that required effort. So she let Arnatuinnaq take her place in doing the chores.

  Qalingu no longer hunted because his wife was very weak and because he tended to tire quickly, having long been inactive. His son was now in good health. The child was glad not to have gone away and to have his mother back.

  Qumaq too was glad, even though her mother was still so weak. She made a top out of an old sewing spool. With an ulu, she cut out a piece of wood to make a peg for the top and a piece of cardboard to make it spin. She handed it to her brother, saying, “Here’s a toy for you!”

  41

  SANAAQ’S RETURN TO HOSPITAL

  Sanaaq’s condition was deteriorating, so her camp mates came to pay a visit.

  “Qatannguuk!” said Aqiarulaaq. “You’ll have to go away again. It’s important for you to recover completely.”

  “It sure is. I can’t sleep at night. I can’t eat and I’m again having pains, more acute than before.”

  Qalingu went to tell the Qallunaat.

  “My wife is ill again. Maybe she didn’t get enough treatment... If she has to be taken away again, I’ll be unhappy, but she’s suffering a lot and I don’t want her to die!”

  “If she’s very ill,” he was told, “we won’t be able to treat her here. She’ll have to be taken away again, perhaps as soon as tomorrow.”

  Qalingu, saddened that nothing could be done locally, added, “I really am the one to blame. A while ago, I hit her when she was behaving badly. I hit her without meaning to hurt her and it’s my fault if she’s not doing well now. If she must leave, I’d like to go with her!”

  “You can’t go with her. You’re not ill. Only Sanaaq has to go. She should get better this time, and you’ll not be held accountable as long as you don’t repeat the same offence.”

  Qalingu went home and said, “Aippaa! You’ll have to be taken away again, but this time you’re going to be cured completely!”

  “Alright, if that’s what has to happen, even though it doesn’t please me at all!”

  When a plane arrived, she was taken away to the hospital where she would be treated.

  “As soon as you’re cured,” she was told, “you’ll go home. Don’t bother yourself about having to be taken away!”

  She nonetheless longed for her family. Whenever Inuit, either men or women, are sent to hospital for treatment, they are always very anxious to return home. They fervently wish to return to their loved ones. They miss the country food and suffer from staying in an overheated place. Sanaaq, after being in pain for a long time, now noticed a daily improvement in her health. She and the other Inuit were happy, for they were being well taken care of. Yet they dearly wanted to go home. They preferred their country, where there was no overheating. Sanaaq was thankful to the nurses and the hospital, her pains having gone. But she could not forget her son. She thought continually about him, from the moment she got up to the moment she went to bed.

  After a long while, Sanaaq regained much of her strength, so much so that she often went for walks outside. She was back in shape and would soon be going home. Out of affection for her, the other Inuit at the hospital came to see her off on the day of her departure.

  Her folks were likewise very happy to have her back. Everyone was on hand to greet her when the plane arrived. She herself was happy to be finally back with her family, but she was also tired from the trip and, since it was late, her whole family decided to go to bed. Sanaaq tried to sleep but could not. All kinds of thoughts came to mind.

  “If my son had died, how would I have reacted? Maybe that would’ve broken me... Had he been the one to go away, I would’ve been shattered...”

  She eventually fell asleep, late at night. She had an uqumangirniq. Her body became paralyzed and she dreamed that someone very bad was trying to enter her home. Still asleep and dreaming, she heard footsteps in the entranceway. She opened her eyes in her sleep and then tried to shut them, but could not. She feared seeing a big tuurngaq, but her body was frozen. Unable to close her eyes, she thought, “I’ll shut my eyes as soon as I see something!”

  Another thought crossed her mind, with her eyes now closed: “Maybe if I tried to move during the uqumangirniq, I’d actually move and I’d break free of it...”

  She made an abrupt movement in her sleep, while dreaming that the big tuurngaq who had been trying to enter had succeeded and was now grabbing hold of her. Increasingly afraid, she tried to kick her feet and move her body. And so, bit by bit, she managed to move and come out of her deep sleep.

  “I really had an uqumangirniq,” she told herself, “and if I just roll over onto my other side I won’t have another one!”

  But before she could roll over, she fell asleep again and had a new nightmare. Fear took hold of her and she let out a scream. She tried to talk but could made no sound... Qalingu, who was sleeping beside her, finally awoke and saw her trying to talk while the rest of her body remained still. He grabbed her by the hand and tried to wake her.

  “What’s wrong with you, Sanaaq?”

  “Oh, thank you! I’ve been having nightmares all night long... I wanted to roll over onto my other side but was just too drowsy... I dreamed that a tuurngaq was trying to grab me... I had the impression he was really there... If I had managed to roll over, I think I would’ve snapped out of it!”

  The next morning, everyone woke up, but Sanaaq was still groggy from lack of sleep. She spent the whole day not wanting to do anything.

  42

  RITUAL FEAST FOR THE FIRST KILL

  Qumaq was growing up. She was now a young woman. Her brother too had grown up and was almost old enough to think for himself. His father had bought him a qukiutiaruk, and he was going to fire it for the first time. He took aim at a stone and completely missed it five times… His mother watched closely, fearing the recoil might throw him back. Sanaaq told Qalingu, “My son shouldn’t fire too many times. He might hit someone by accident!”

  “It’s better if he’s trained to shoot now,” answered Qalingu. “Otherwise, when he reaches adulthood he might be thrown off-balance even more and lack judgment. By then, it’ll be harder for him to learn.”

  “Ai!” said Sanaaq.

  Her son took his new rifle and went hunting for aqiggit with his sister Qumaq. When they reached a small plain, Qumaq was the first to see a ptarmigan.

  “Look, little brother. An aqiggiq. Are you going to shoot? Look over there!”

  He fired.

  “Yes, I got it, little sister! I broke its wing!”

  Both brother and sister ran after the injured bird. With its broken wing, the ptarmigan could no longer fly… They ran for a long time, holding back their shouts of glee, so as not to lose sight of it… The little brother finally caught hold of the bird.

  “I caught an aqiggiq!
I got my first aqiggiq! Come, let’s go home, little sister!”

  “Yes! Let me carry your rifle. It must be very heavy!”

  “Go ahead!”

  They came home and walked in. Their mother was inside. When her son opened the door, she said, “This aqiggiq, are you the one who killed it?”

  “Yes!” answered her son.

  “He killed the aqiggiq after hurting it in the wing,” recounted Arnatuinnaq.

  “Suvakkualuk!” said Sanaaq. “We’ll quarter it, all of us together. First take it to his arnaquti!”

  Sanaaq went to Ningiukuluk’s place. She entered and said, “Your angusiaq has just killed his first aqiggiq!”

  “I’m so delighted to hear that! We’ll all quarter it together… I’ll hold the head of the first aqiggiq of my angusiaq!”

  Ningiukuluk left with Sanaaq. She took hold of the aqiggiq and began calling. “Ilakka! come right now for an aliktuuti!”

  “Listen! We’re going to have a quartering!” said her camp mates as they went outside.

  Irsutualuk, Arnatuinnaq, and Qalingu all came. Ningiukuluk took hold of the head, Sanaaq a foot, Qalingu a wing, Irsutualuk the other wing, and Arnatuinnaq the other foot.

  “What fun this is!” said Ningiukuluk.

  “Let’s go! Pull! This is so much fun,” said Irsutualuk.

  “I hope nobody will snatch the part I’m holding onto!” joked Ningiukuluk.

  The boy who had killed his first aqiggiq began laughing heartily. The two playmates, Qumaq and Akutsiaq, both watching closely, also burst into laughter.

  “Look, Qumaq, someone’s snatched what my mother was holding onto,” said Akutsiaq.

  “Ii, look at her! She’s laughing anyway!”

  The quarterers stopped their work. Ningiukuluk began eating her share of the aqiggiq. Qalingu ended up with part of the breast, Irsutualuk with a piece of flesh, and Arnatuinnaq with a foot… Everyone was dunking their pieces in seal oil. All the eating had dirtied their hands, which they rinsed with wet snow. After cleaning themselves, they wiped their mouths. Ningiukuluk was offered a pair of scissors as a qillaquti gift. She was also given chewing tobacco and a bar of soap that Sanaaq brought to her home.