Mitiarjuk Nappaaluk - Sanaaq - An Inuit Novel

“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!”

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.

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 Sanaaq 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.