A Day on the Ice
Week of February 16, 2004

Normally I talk about the business affairs of the Borough in this space, but I will take a vacation from that this week, just as I took a vacation from my office last Tuesday to go on a subsistence seal hunt. This is an ideal time of the year to hunt natchiq (ringed seals) and the weather conditions were perfect for an outdoor adventure.

While I enjoy my job as Borough Mayor, it is the days spent hunting in our great land that always remind me of why I love living here so much. As a proud Native of the Arctic, I never feel more in touch with my Inupiat heritage than when I am on the ice.

My partner for the day's hunt was James McClellan of Kotzebue. While I have often hunted alone, there are a number of reasons to have company when venturing on a winter hunt. First is the safety factor. In the event of an accident, which is possible for even the most experienced hunter, the presence of a partner can mean the difference between life and death. Secondly, the companionship adds much to day; a shared experience is always most memorable. Finally, when it comes to the tasks of spotting seals and ultimately dragging them from the ocean to the ice, four good eyes and four strong arms are certainly better than just two.

Our day began with a bright sky and nearly no wind. We headed seaward from Sadie Creek on my snow machine, towing my kayaq on a kamoun (flat sled). The lead (open water) was five to six miles offshore, just off the main sandbar that runs out about 12 miles southwest of Kotzebue. The ocean trails are extremely rough this year, with ice ridges and piles everywhere.

We found seals immediately and harvested three males in short order. Each was retrieved in the kayaq.

Although the wind speed was increasing, the weather was still favorable and we loaded the kayaq back on the sled and worked our way south along the lead. When we were unable to spot more seals, we sat and enjoyed lunch. The dried and smoked salmon that James packed was delicious with fresh seal oil. Our dessert was spotting and taking another seal!

Toward the end of the day, we observed a weather front developing to the southwest of us towards Cape Espenberg. Another huge dark cloud formed toward Cape Blossom to the south and still another took shape to the north of us, which would be our route home. Quickly moving back toward our original hunting site, we discovered more seals and James and I each took a female. We immediately butchered both and cleaned them thoroughly in the ocean. Just as the weather began to deteriorate with blowing snow, we followed our original trail back to Sadie Creek.

Upon our return to Kotzebue, Sandy Moto and I skinned my three seals but separated the skin and blubber only on the female. The blubber would render into seal oil within a few days. I sent two of the seals to friends in Selawik who will need them for the upcoming NANA meeting and festivities there in March. I distributed meat and intestines to four of our Elders here in town. In the Inupiat culture, it is the sharing of our foods that will insure success in future hunts.

James McClellan and I plan to go another hunt very soon, but I told him he will have to learn to shoot only the seals that are close to us. He is an excellent marksman and can hit a tiny target at very long range. However, I'm the one who has to paddle out and retrieve the seals and his fancy shooting is breaking my back!