Mitiarjuk Nappaaluk - Sanaaq - An Inuit Novel

“I’m very happy to have caught so many fish,” he said, stuffing them into a bag.

The chief factor, for his part, had caught two.

While the two qatannguuk were fishing, Aqiarulaaq suddenly shouted, “Over there, qatannguuk, are some iqaluit swimming in small schools. They’re heading to shore, in your direction. One of them is very big!”

“Yes!” said Sanaaq. “Right there! Very many iqaluit. Look at them. They’re fighting over my bait… I’ve got one iqaluk, and another one, and still another!”

The chief factor walked over to Sanaaq because she was landing a lot of fish, and he started fishing beside her.

“I’ve got an iqaluk! ” he said. “I’ve got one! Another one! Another one… None are left! I’ve taken them all!”

That night, they would be sleeping under the stars, without a tent. With Aqiarulaaq, Sanaaq looked for a suitable campsite. Her son trailed behind, while Qumaq gathered qijuttaq and Arnatuinnaq went to do the cooking. The chief factor stayed near the fireplace, as did the missionary. Arnatuinnaq was looking for a flat stone. When she came across one, she picked it up but found it too heavy to carry. Maatiusi helped her.

The chief factor said, “Maatiusi, give it to me. Let me carry it!”

“ Ii! ” said Maatiusi. “I dropped it and it broke!”

He went looking for another one.

“Isn’t this one suitable?” asked the chief factor.

“No,” answered Arnatuinnaq. “It’s too thick!”

“Here’s one,” said Maatiusi. “It should do the job, shouldn’t it, Arnatuinnaq?”

“I’ll bring it over,” said the chief factor, “because Maatiusi dropped the other one.”

And he carried it to the fireplace. Arnatuinnaq built a large fireplace beside the spot where she had prepared the tea. She lit the fuel under the flat stone, whose upper surface became burning hot. Onto this she put blubber, which crackled and gave off steam, and then one of the fish that she had cut into slices. In very little time, the fish slices were cooked on the flat stone. Everyone had some, including the chief factor and the missionary. Both of them enjoyed what had been cooked on the stone. After their first taste they asked for more. When everyone had finished, tea was served. As there were only four cups, people took turns drinking the tea.

After finishing their meal, they looked for a place where they could sleep in the open, there being no tent. Some of them created a makeshift tent out of bedspreads, by tying the edges together with a leather strap. They were Sanaaq, Arnatuinnaq, Qumaq, Aqiarulaaq, and Sanaaq’s son. The others — the missionary, the chief factor, and Maatiusi — had no tent. They went to sleep in the lee of an L-shaped rock. They did, however, have a few bedspreads and some brush for bedding.

During the night, a strong wind picked up and those who slept outside were cold. They got up very early. Maatiusi lit the fire in the fireplace and made some tea. Being next to the fire, he was no longer cold. While the women of the group continued to sleep, the early risers began fishing once more on the lake. On approaching a crack in the ice, they saw large numbers of Arctic char and said, “Look at all the fish! Today we’re going home!”

Meanwhile, Sanaaq’s companions were just awaking.

“Arnatuinnaq, wake up!” said Sanaaq.

“Yes!”

“Mommy, are we going home?” asked little Irsutuq. “It’s not warm in the tent!”

“We’ll go home after we’ve fished a little bit more, I and my qatanngut! ” said Sanaaq.

When breakfast was over, they both went fishing.

“ Ai qatannguuk! ” said Aqiarulaaq. “Take care not to go through the ice. This past night it didn’t stop melting!”

Arnatuinnaq was cooking while Qumaq and Irsutuq stayed in their tent. The men of the group were back. They had caught many iqaluit. Maatiusi had landed a big one — an isiuralittaaq. They began preparing to go home.

The chief factor found Arnatuinnaq very attractive. While she cooked, he even tried to kiss her, right in front of Qumaq, who thought, “ Ii, that one, that bad Qallunaaq who was our companion, he’s behaving badly. It’s really offensive!” Arnatuinnaq, however, did not mind, and the two of them would be having sexual relations throughout the spring, unbeknownst to Arnatuinnaq’s kinfolk.

Maatiusi was preparing to leave with Irsutuq while Qumaq chatted with the missionary.

“I again affirm my desire to follow your religion once we’ve returned home. I’ll go to prayer every day. My stepfather, Qalingu, when he comes back, will be happy for me and I’ll be happy all my life!”

The missionary replied to Qumaq, “If you always try to do good, Qumaq, and if you persevere in doing good, you will find happiness!”

With the return of Sanaaq and Aqiarulaaq, everyone prepared to leave. After having another cup of tea, they resumed their journey and soon arrived home, at Ningiukuluk’s place.

“So you’re back?” said Ningiukuluk. “Now we’ll be able to eat fish! Thanks!”

She received fish from the kinfolk of Sanaaq and Aqiarulaaq. So did Taqriasuk. They had stayed home because they were very old.

With spring well underway, people began to long for Qalingu’s return, because the airplane was supposed to be arriving.

“But when will my father arrive?” asked Irsutuq.

“I was told he would arrive tomorrow,” answered his mother.

“That’s great! Tomorrow I’ll stick around so that I can go and welcome him back. Little sister, they say my father will be arriving tomorrow!”

“ Ai! That’s great!” said Qumaq. “We’ll save some fish for tomorrow, Mom!”

Arnatuinnaq told Sanaaq, “I’ll go look for fuel, so that we’ll have enough tomorrow to keep us warm. That’s delightful news! We won’t be alone at home anymore.”

Sanaaq went to Ningiukuluk’s home. She walked in and said, “ Ai! Ningiukuluk!”

“ Aa! Sit down, Sanaaq, and have some tea!”

“Thank you, Ningiukuluk!”

When night fell, Sanaaq left and Ningiukuluk went to bed.

“ Uuh, am I ever tired! It’s tiring to be old. I feel exhausted each evening!”

She fell asleep. In the morning she awoke to a nice sunny day.

“My stepfather’s going to arrive,” said Qumaq. “What a happy occasion!”

When the airplane appeared, all of the Inuit came to welcome its passengers. Qalingu climbed down from the plane. On seeing his father, Irsutuq felt overwhelmed.

“Father! You’ve arrived!” They headed to the village, with the baggage. “Dad, may I carry these things? Where were you?”

Qalingu had brought gifts for everyone in the whole family. The chief factor came to visit. Taqriasuk also went. They recounted everything that had happened in his absence.

“Over there,” said Qalingu, “at our work site, three of us were Inuit. One of us, a young man, missed his mother and father a great deal and we sometimes thought we’d never be allowed to go home, despite our wish to go home. We were told the Inuit would always have work… By going away to work, I made a lot of money. I’ll buy a canoe and an outboard motor!”

“At the end of every month,” said Taqriasuk, “I’ve been getting money. I’ve bought felt and braid cloth — to tell the truth, just about anything… I’m very grateful!”

Qalingu was eager to go hunting now, for he was very happy to be back in his country. Maatiusi was happy to see his hunting companion return.

The airplane came again, with a nurse aboard. She brought her devices for diagnosing illnesses. The plane would stay two nights and the nurse would attend to the health problems of the Inuit. It was the first time that the Inuit met an aanniasiurti. The nurse used the missionary as an interpreter. That evening, the Inuit were invited to come. They heard for the first time that they would be examined. That same day, in the evening, they underwent blood tests. Maatiusi was the first to have a sample of his blood taken.