Community Feast

Friday, October 26, 2007
Last night, we had a community feast here in Arctic Bay after our Career / Trades show in the gym. I have to say, the experience of just being there was quite ... well.... I'm still wordless on how to describe it. So.. I"ll let the pictures do the talking:


Tuktu


Tuktu, Iqaluk and Maktaaq


Natsiq


Maktaaq



At the feast there was tuktu (caribou), iqaluk (arctic char), maktaaq (aged narwhale) and natsiq (seal). All of these meats were frozen raw, except for the maktaaq, which is aged then frozen, and the seal was freshly prepared in front of me. There was also some cooked iqaluk and deep-fried bannock.

Before we began the feast, one of the elders said a prayer thanking God / Spirits for the food and brining us together, and then, in the traditional Inuit way, the elders were first to select their meat from the feast. Soon after, everyone else was asked to join.



Traditional Male and Female Seal Pelt Winter Clothing

2 comments:

Matt, Kara, Hunter and Cavan said...

So far the best maktaq that I have had was made by another Qablunaaq here in town (those are both spelled in the dialect from here). She fried it up and it tasted like pork chop!

I had some aged maktaq on a trip to Iqlauit and I definately prefer it fried!

Kennie said...

haven't tried maktaq yet.... i think its just the thought of putting it in my mouth after having the kids explain to me how it's prepared that has me all concerned.

One of these days I'll have the courage to try it.