Arctic Culture

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I took a trip through Canada to Greenland to see the Arctic. The Arctic is defined by a circle that goes through Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia and Alaska. To see a map of the part of the Arctic in Canada, Greenland, Iceland and Alaska, try this link. Notice that a new province was formed in Canada in 1999 called Nunavut. http://canada.gc.ca/canadiana/lmap_e.html

This is Ottawa, the capital of Canada. The tour of the Parliament is free. The murals and changing of the guard were excellent. The buildings and grounds were beautiful. A surprise was when an actor spoke to us, portraying Canada's most famous statesmen, Wilfrid Laurier. To read a speech of Sir Wilfrid's, try this link. He was way beyond merely diplomatic.
http://www.nelson.com/nelson/school/discovery/cantext/speech/1910lana.htm

The Nunavut coat of arms.

We proceeded on from Canada to Greenland. Greenland surprised me. Growing up in the United States, we learned little geography in school. I didn't know Greenland was part of Denmark. They use krone (DK) for money. Five percent of the people are Danish, five percent are mixed Danish and Inuit, and 90 are Inuit. There are about 59,000 people in Greenland. Greenland has a local government, but also has representatives on the Danish Parliament. Denmark is promoting the conversion of Greenland from a subsistence economy to a cash economy. In the last generation whole towns, hospitals, harbors and fish processing plants have been built. There are no jails or prisons in Greenland. The Inuit justice system fines wrong-doers rather than imprison them. A serious offender would be sent to prison in Denmark.

Most of the places we stopped at in Greenland were very small villages, one road or even no road, just a nice path winding between the houses. We tend to think in terms of cars and roads in North America because that's how we're set up. In Greenland, you don't need many roads. It's too far and mountainous and icy from village to village to build and use a lot of roads. The villages are located on the ocean or fjords. People use boats to get around. This village had a lot of fish drying racks. The houses are built perched on solid rock. A network of well-insulated plumbing, heating and electrical pipes run above ground all through the villages.

Bulldozers are used in place of trucks for moving goods from ships to warehouses to stores. You can see them loading the bulldozer's bucket with crates. They use bulldozers for trash collection too.

One of the largest towns we visited had a substantial commercial fishing fleet. Every village seemed to do fishing in small boats, packing and sending the catch forward to a larger fish processing plant for export.

Arctic char drying. It tastes like salmon. Notice the plastic bag of water hanging up with the fish. We saw these all over, near windows or doors. The Inuit use these to repel mosquitoes. They said the glint of sun off the water keeps mosquitoes away.

Soccer game about to start. The streets were crowded with people heading for the game. The fire engine is wetting down the dirt field.

This town has a large department store. Every village has at least a one-room store, selling a lot of Danish products. Guns might be sold next to the cheese.

Here and there around town sled dogs were chained up. The dogs are half-wild and we were warned not to try to pet them. I saw a man arrive in a taxi, take out three plastic garbage bags filled with halibut, and throw the fish to his dogs, while they barked and howled and wagged their tails over the excitement.

Sometimes dogs are put on an island so they don't have to be chained up. When our zodiac boat engine flooded, we drifted so near to this island that the dogs came down to the water's edge and waded out to try to jump in the boat. They thought we might have fish for them.

The word "Inuit" in the Inukitut language. If you would like to read about the Inuit people, try these links.
http://arcticcircle.uconn.edu/culturalviability/inupiat/1800s.html
http://siksik.learnnet.nt.ca/inuuqatigiit/1/index.htm

Want to see some Inuit art? It's really good. http://www.inuitart.org/

  There are three cultures you are likely to encounter on a tour to the Arctic. Canada, Greenland -- and the one on the ship. Ship culture was the same in the Arctic as it was in the Antarctic. You get to know a lot of people quickly. Everyone calls each other by first names. No one locks their doors. There is no theft. Cameras are left here and there don't get stolen. The travelers tend to be retired or to have no kids, which gives them more money to take trips. Many are teachers. Everyone shares what they saw. Jean, for instance, told how she needed to relieve herself while we were way out in the tundra. She went to a private spot, and was taking care of business, when she felt someone was looking at her. She looked up to see a caribou staring from just a few feet away. 

The ship is a hotel and restaurant. They take advantage of things like good weather by throwing barbeques. They also bought fresh fish for us. The food is really good.

Zodiac landings are the heart of Arctic touring. The zodiacs are hoisted overboard by a crane. Each boat has an experienced driver/guide. The passengers are divided into zodiac groups of about 12 people. When a wet  landing is happening, you put on your gear (rubber boots, waterproof pants and jacket, life vest, backpack and camera) and assemble in the gangway when your zodiac group is called. 

To get into a zodiac boat from the ship requires some care. The boat is rising and dropping next to the ship. You have to step in at the right moment, grabbing the forearm of the zodiac driver as you do.

By 6AM the serious bird and whale watchers would be on deck 8. That's Margaret in the lower right. She's from the Isle of Man. Did you know that Manx cats are called Manx because they are from the Isle of Man. Manx is the name that refers to being from there.

Donna and Mike. 

Steven, Rabina, and "Doc Rock," a geology professor. 

Phyllis and Sandy.

Carol and Marion.

Lois and Sally.

Chris, one of the two naturalists for Quest, has a rare Greenish Blue butterfly clinging to his finger. Jim, the other naturalist for Quest, and I had a good time seeing our first Sea Eagle. At first, a Sea Eagle looks like a ratty vulture, but then you notice how big it is. When I saw it coming over a ridge, everyone was too far away to yell to. So I ran over to Jim and pointed up in the sky breathlessly -- "Look!"

Mary enjoying the Greenish Blue butterfly on Chris' finger.