Staffe Islet

Staffe Islet

The story of Henry Hudson's mutinous crew passing by Saarqayaat (Digges Island) as told by Inuit is intact. Inuit did not know who they were.

As Peter Audlaluk told me: a story had been passed on to him that Qallunaat killed a man in a qayaq. This is how it happened:

Inuit were in a camp at Saarqayaat. A big boat with sails arrived. The Inuit had never before seen such an image. However, there was a celebration and some trading took place. Something happened. The men from the large boat suddenly fled the camp. There was a fight. Inuit used their bows. There was very loud noise from the big boat and a man in a qayaq was killed. The big boat went away.

As you may have studied in school, you remember that Henry Hudson discovered the bay that bears his name. History shows that he was the first "civilized" man to discover lands around here. In fact, I know that it wasn't such a successful story at all.

What really happened is this. Henry Hudson was hired by merchants and landowners. It was rather like sending the space shuttle into space to explore strange new things. It was a time when men got hanged for mutiny. It was, after all, 1610.

Henry Hudson travelled through Iceland and Greenland then to Nunavik. They were terribly hungry, cold, had bad teeth with rations running out. Henry went around Eric Cove, naming the Kangiqsualuk cape after some important man named Eric. He named the Northern-most cape in Quebec "Cape Wolstenholme", which is actually Anaulirvik. He named the two big islands "Digges Islands", which are actually Saarqayaarq and Qikirtaseett.

Anyway, they were able to kill the Akpyte (razorbill murres) that nest in their hundreds of thousands on Qikirtaseet. The crew was able to get good water and they ate Qunguleet, which are green leaves that are excellent to fight bad teeth.

The crew went on to what is now James Bay. They were searching for the Northwest Passage. They never found it.

They spent a winter. The grumpy crew was not used to such a harsh winter. They made a cabin under very difficult conditions. They also met an Indian a couple of times.

When, finally, the ice cleared, they were able to sail. Henry Hudson, having all the knowledge and a contract, did not seem to make sense to the crew. And so there was a mutiny.

Somewhere near the coast in Hudson Bay, the mutinous crew put Henry, his son John and seven others into a small boat and left them adrift. Nobody knows what happened to them.

The mutinous crew used the log book to navigate. They were intent on going home. They arrived at Saarqayaarq, anchored there where they were greeted by Inuit. That night, the Inuit performed dances and traded a few items.

The next day, the mutinous crew, being suspicious and strange in custom to the Inuit, fled the camp. One of them was wounded by an Inuk using a bow and arrow. On the ship, they used the cannon to shoot at a man in a qayaq and killed him. They weighed anchor and left.

During the return trip, the wounded man died horribly, cursing.

They passed an island and named it Staffe Islet. There they saw the sea-gulls with the young birds. That islet is actually Nauyaat Qaqqanga. Staffe was the second in command in that expedition.

Arriving in England, they had to explain the circumstances that took place. They had the log-book that they did not want to share with the authorities. They appeared in court where the sentence of death by hanging usually was carried out to mutineers. However, because their knowledge of this region was considered priceless, their lives were spared over a delayed period.

The Inuit's testimony of the event that happened in the summer of 1611, survives today. The story is still accurate after all these years.

Ice-fishing Arctic Char

Why Do Inuit Women Go Nuts About Ice-fishing In The Spring?

One Arctic Char is known as "IQLUPPIK", in my language. Two of them are "IQLUPPEEKK", three or more of them are "IQLUPPEETT".

Arctic Char is the favourate fish for Inuit men, women and children to fish through the ice during the spring. There are other species which are more abundant: the lake trout, the land-locked char, the white fish and the ivitaarruk, which is a species of Arctic char and whose meat is tan in colour.

Each person has a method of fishing. My wife and I like to place our bodies flat on the ice and look at the hook we are using. Depending on the depth of the water we are at or the visibility of the water, we can determine how best to catch the fish. It is most exciting to see a fish that's swimming back and forth towards the hook. It may last a few seconds, it may last several minutes.

We find that a near miss of a lake trout does not discourage it to come back. We can knick it around it's mouth or body, but it'll come back.

Such is not the case with the Iqaluppik. The Arctic Char is harder to get and a miss the first time will ensure the fish not to return at all. Even the slightest touch of the sharp hook will send messages to it that the hook is not to be trusted at all.

But catching one big one is very rewarding. We let out a big "YAY!!!", each time we get one and then kill it with the wooden handle right away, for if we don't there's a very high possibility the fish will return right back to where it came from all its writhing and quick moves. It is a very alive fish, very determine to get away. Indeed, many unwary Inuit will lose one if they're not vigilant.

Getting there is half the fun. That takes, in my case, pretty well a day and a half of planning and executing. The reason is that our camp is in a remote river South of us. On a good day, we may snowmobile there with all our gear in three hours. However, the shopping before that and the loading can be exhausting in itself because we don't want to forget anything for the two or three nights that we'll sleep there.

Kerosene (at least 8 litres) to heat the cabin, camping fuel for the open flame stove to heat water and the like, gasoline and oils for the snowmobiles and the motorized augers, tools, ropes, tarps, sleeping bags and a canvas tent in case we get stranded: these are all considered essential supplies. Then there is the ammunition for the shot-gun or the .22 calibre rifle for the rock ptarmigan that the women are sure to ask for. And don't forget the battery-powered radio-telephone to communicate with persons for emergencies. A satellite phone is a new tool to experience also, if you can afford it.

The snowmobile trail is marked by tracks already there by previous travellers. There are markers in the form of empty oil barrels with fluorescent tapes. These are good for night travelling. Usually, by the time we return home, we've used up most of the daylight and have to resort to such snowmobiling by light from the machine. Although it is more dangerous, it is important to know the trail by heart lest one gets into rocks and other objects that the machine doesn't need to run into.

Although we will use the machines in March, April, May and June, it is extremely important that we dress properly. It can get very cold if one hasn't eaten before the trip. The coat should not have zippers - preferably, it should be a parka. On the inside are layers of sweaters, woolen shirts and t-shirts and a light coat. The same is true for the pants and legs. One wears long-johns and jeans and a heavy layer of wind-proof pants, the kind that does not freeze in below weather. The rule is to keep them light and loose as well. Tight clothing, whether you intend to look "cool" or something, is considered to be foolish and life-threatening. Then come the footwear: wear socks you normally wear and wear extra large socks and duffle socks if possible. Again, you must remember to wear water-proof, wind-proof boots that are extra large for your feet. Tight foot-wear is asking for blue frozen toes and feet.

For the hands, I wear mittens with long sleeves. The mittens are seal-skin, which is water-proof and wind proof. These are easy to wear, light and flexible enough for long-distance driving.

For my head, I use a fur hat that completely covers my head. Then I'll use a mask to keep away frost-biting wind. Then over that, I wear goggles to keep away the wind from the eyes and the blinding glare of the sun.

And so, as you can imagine, I will look light an astronaut. I pretty well increase in size by almost double - but that is essential. It ensures survival, it gets you there without having to worry about freezing to death, even during the night.

Sleeping in the cabin is very enjoyable. You sleep until it's time to get cracking to the river. It takes a bit of preparation and depending on the weather, you may want a good breakfast before taking on the fish. After all, in a man's world, there's tons and tons of physical labour to do making all those five-foot plus holes. The woman points and you sweat to start the motor and sweat further still and huff and puff to get the excess ice before hitting the water. Then if she feels like it, she'll wait a few minutes and point again.

When you want to move, she won't. She'll be stuck there staring down that hole and the hook. Ever hopeful, always aniticipating the excitement of the bite.

One woman confessed: "If it weren't for the existence of the Devil and the wolf, I'd be content to spend all my life at this hole!"

Whirl-pools Mostly

It's Not a Perfect Translation

However, the name is one that makes you think of getting on the ice floes, especially without a rubber survival suit, or an astronaut's space-suit, even. "Ivujivik" is actually a piece of water that's located behind the village. A lot of elders now say that the people who first settled here had no engineering technical plans in mind for the poor descendents who have now to figure a way of getting to the nearest good quality drinking water, what with all this rocky, hilly surface to overcome. But it's the ice that is scary, in terms of survival thoughts on it. I know of at least three deaths contributed to the dangers of the floes in my lifetime.

In terms of the food-chains, even nature gets back to the basic water that is swirling around these parts. It's the krill, or "kinguitt" (one kinuk, two kinguuk) that may be the most obvious small food that starts everything else. Then it's maybe the "quleeligyte" (one quleeligaq, two quleeligaak) that the thick-billed murre (one akpak, two akpaak, three or more akpyte).

Come to think of it, there are surprising salt-sea mammals and creatures that are really quite abundant among these waters. I'm quite convinced that it's the actual swiftness of the waters that attract so much wildlife: Atlantic cod (one uugaq, two uugaak, three or more uuqyte), ringed seals (one nutchirq, two nutcheek, three or more nutcheett), beluga whale or white whale (one qilalugarq, two qilalugaak, three or more qilalugyte).

This particular place is the beginning of the really high and dangerous rocky cliffs that run up and down true verticals. What lays beneaths is first the ice, in winter and spring that one may fall into and injure himself or even plunge to his death. Then it's the dark, dark, unforgiving, extremely cold "imaq" or "imaqbik" (big water).

The respectful hunter came to the ice in the natural rocky harbour to listen first to the seals by placing the "unaaq" to the ice surface to determine the species around. Or he simplay hiked from the iglu and searched for the aglu. After which he waited most of the day for his kill that he's bring to his proud wife and children. At no time did he comtenplate on getting stuck on moving floe ice - that was guaranteed death. It was always a good idea to keep dry, on land, ice, qayaq or umiak.

This is the area that Inuit hunters developed into fishing place for the iqaluit that came by migrating from close-by rivers in the spring, developed into trapping area for the silver, red, black, white and cross-fox, developed into a perfect whale hunting ground, because one could always resort to using the hook to retrieve the sunken whale in the relatively shallow water of the harbour.

In the Ivujivik area, though, behind the village, where Inuit used to compete for women in the hummaq built for that activity, the water was extremely dangerous. The water, even mixed with small ice floes, would be whirling around a lot, especially with the winds contributing to the chaos of the weather - it was then that even your deep hunger could not assist you to retrieve the qilalugaq which got caught in such a whirl-pool, which then brought it to the depths of the unknown.

Gigantic glaciers or "piqaluyite" used to stay in one place all year, until the ice beneath it had been eaten away by the currents and then, with very little respect for anything around it, just decided that it was time to completly topple over revealing it's other side. Even the most seasoned hunter knew the power of such a force and would not dare to foolishly get on it without first making darned sure of any glimpse of safety.

Many a woman have opted to first hike to the "Itivia" (entrance) before continuing on by boat to places of camping in order to avoid the waters that appeared to be boiling in white water. The cape of the village is known to come alive with the slightest development of a breeze during the summer months. It is the beginning of awesomely deep areas, where only the hardiest of birds, seals and whales reside. Man is no match for it's wild and untamed behaviours.

Whirl-pools Mostly

It's Not a Perfect Translation

However, the name is one that makes you think of getting on the ice floes, especially without a rubber survival suit, or an astronaut's space-suit, even. "Ivujivik" is actually a piece of water that's located behind the village. A lot of elders now say that the people who first settled here had no engineering technical plans in mind for the poor descendents who have now to figure a way of getting to the nearest good quality drinking water, what with all this rocky, hilly surface to overcome. But it's the ice that is scary, in terms of survival thoughts on it. I know of at least three deaths contributed to the dangers of the floes in my lifetime.

In terms of the food-chains, even nature gets back to the basic water that is swirling around these parts. It's the krill, or "kinguitt" (one kinuk, two kinguuk) that may be the most obvious small food that starts everything else. Then it's maybe the "quleeligyte" (one quleeligaq, two quleeligaak) that the thick-billed murre (one akpak, two akpaak, three or more akpyte).

Come to think of it, there are surprising salt-sea mammals and creatures that are really quite abundant among these waters. I'm quite convinced that it's the actual swiftness of the waters that attract so much wildlife: Atlantic cod (one uugaq, two uugaak, three or more uuqyte), ringed seals (one nutchirq, two nutcheek, three or more nutcheett), beluga whale or white whale (one qilalugarq, two qilalugaak, three or more qilalugyte).

This particular place is the beginning of the really high and dangerous rocky cliffs that run up and down true verticals. What lays beneaths is first the ice, in winter and spring that one may fall into and injure himself or even plunge to his death. Then it's the dark, dark, unforgiving, extremely cold "imaq" or "imaqbik" (big water).

The respectful hunter came to the ice in the natural rocky harbour to listen first to the seals by placing the "unaaq" to the ice surface to determine the species around. Or he simplay hiked from the iglu and searched for the aglu. After which he waited most of the day for his kill that he's bring to his proud wife and children. At no time did he comtenplate on getting stuck on moving floe ice - that was guaranteed death. It was always a good idea to keep dry, on land, ice, qayaq or umiak.

This is the area that Inuit hunters developed into fishing place for the iqaluit that came by migrating from close-by rivers in the spring, developed into trapping area for the silver, red, black, white and cross-fox, developed into a perfect whale hunting ground, because one could always resort to using the hook to retrieve the sunken whale in the relatively shallow water of the harbour.

In the Ivujivik area, though, behind the village, where Inuit used to compete for women in the hummaq built for that activity, the water was extremely dangerous. The water, even mixed with small ice floes, would be whirling around a lot, especially with the winds contributing to the chaos of the weather - it was then that even your deep hunger could not assist you to retrieve the qilalugaq which got caught in such a whirl-pool, which then brought it to the depths of the unknown.

Gigantic glaciers or "piqaluyite" used to stay in one place all year, until the ice beneath it had been eaten away by the currents and then, with very little respect for anything around it, just decided that it was time to completly topple over revealing it's other side. Even the most seasoned hunter knew the power of such a force and would not dare to foolishly get on it without first making darned sure of any glimpse of safety.

Many a woman have opted to first hike to the "Itivia" (entrance) before continuing on by boat to places of camping in order to avoid the waters that appeared to be boiling in white water. The cape of the village is known to come alive with the slightest development of a breeze during the summer months. It is the beginning of awesomely deep areas, where only the hardiest of birds, seals and whales reside. Man is no match for it's wild and untamed behaviours.