First Whale!

A crew got the first whale of the season today! They were out in a boat, hauled it in, and hoisted it up on to an old runway away from the main part of town. This one was a little smaller than they typically are, but still an important accomplishment.

So many people from town gather down at the site where they pull the whale up to see it before butchering, and during. Everyone who helps in the process--whether it is pulling it in from the water or cutting it up--is given a share of the whale meat. Later, the crew will put their whaling flat outside their house to let people know that they have muktuk, or whale meat, and anyone is welcome to come in for a share.

We went out this time before the butchering, so we have some good pictures to share. We have some of the "after" pictures from the last time we were here, but they aren't for the weak stomached!




Student Weekly Challenge: Find three facts about bowhead whales and several uses the Eskimos have for them.