Inupiak's Still Whaling in Barrow, AK

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Alaska Chronicle - December 2007

Inupiak's Still Whaling in Barrow, AK

December 24th 2007 13:54

Category: General

In Barrow, whales are still hunted and eaten by the Inupiak, Eskimos. This bowhead whale weighed in at about 25 tons. It was processed by a whaling crew, that hunted and killed it with a harpoon bomb out of an alarmingly small craft. Once back on shore they have about a hour to process the flesh or it will self cook from its own body heat. It's brought from the waters edge to the processing area by an all terrain track lift. The old method of ice hooks, block and tackle killed and maimed many villagers until recent history; most residents have sad tales and many bear scars from those harvests.

This animal was inspected by local fish and game officials, biologists from Ilisagvik College, but the processors never flinched or slowed down their harvesting. Delays could allow the meat to spoil. The whaling captain oversees every detail of the capture, butchering and distribution of the whale flesh. Everything is used, stomach, tongue, fat layer, skin, jaw bones, intestines and baleen; all that's usually left is a blood strain that the seagulls pick through.

The animals jaw is removed once its been stripped of its baleen and flesh; the jaw bone is occasionally left for the polar bears. The tail and flukes will be allowed to ferment, and will be served at a local gathering. Beautiful baskets and other art is made from the polished baleen. The jawbones were used in the roof structure of traditional sod homes. The only wood available to the Inupiak Eskimos, was drift wood or that wood salvaged from trading, ship wrecks or abandoned in ice flows. BTW, Alaskan Eskimos did not live in igloos.

In under an hour, this animal had been processed, distributed and partially eaten. The scraps were few and nothing wasted. The flesh will be stored underground in natural freezers carved out of the permafrost; the only flesh that will be stored in them will be whale meat to avoid cross contamination.

Those villagers lucky enough to be the recipient of the whale meat pick it up with snow machines pulling sleds; they still keep dogs and train them to pull sleds. But the modern work horse, and utility vehicle is the snow machine, they use it to hunt, shop, travel and for play.

Many of the locals, especially the elder Inupiaks with health problems, benefit greatly from the annual infusion of whale meat back into their diets. The impact of the whale in their diet is profound and quickly apparent as the results are very visible by their renewed vigor and energy.

The affair looks savage and it may be to those unfamiliar with these grand people, but considering that our modern diets of wheat based prepared foods, breads and cereals, sugary colas and alcohol literally kills these folks. You can appreciate that their digestive system is not fully acclimated to a modern diet. And bear in mind, these hardy arctic dwellers don't necessarily rule supreme in their domain, it isn't uncommon for crew members to be killed during the hunt, falling over board in arctic waters is a sure way to freeze, and quickly. And then there are the polar bears.

Raven

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Comments

2 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by Damo

December 27th 2007 02:39

For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics

I say Butler peel me another Whale would you.

Intersting post

Comment by tlcorbin

December 27th 2007 13:03

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A Global Citizen
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Alaska Chronicle

Your, "Butler peel me another Whale .. ," is my command, Damo.

The story was a counterpoint to some blogs about the Japanese whaling industry, there appears to be little reason for anyone to eat whale in the mindsets of most of those authors; ah, then we have the indigenous occupants of the arctic whose dietary systems have yet to adjust to the 19th century cuisine, let alone the 20th.

How do they fit into the equation, without seeing for myself the dramatic influence of whale in their diet, I may have been on the other side of this matter. Raven

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