Sanaaq by Salomé Mitiarjuk Nappaaluk Read Free Book Online

for air. I fired and shot it. It was wounded so I had to keep chasing and whenever it broke the surface I shouted ‘ ua! ua ! ’ while firing my rifle. Tikkuu! That made it dive. I paddled ahead as fast as I could while it was still under water. And when it reappeared at the surface, I kept on yelling and trying to make it dive again right away. After a while it was running out of breath and coming to the surface more often. I got closer and closer. I fired and finally shot it again when it was just alongside. It almost sank, but its back rose to the surface twice and I rushed ahead to grab it before it could sink.”
    Qalingu had finished his story. The two began to carry part of the animal away, each taking a chunk of meat they had carved off. Their folks, Sanaaq and Aqiarulaaq, came to help. When all four were together, Sanaaq said, “ Qatannguuk ai! Once we’re done carrying all of this away, we’ll have a feast with the kujapiit of the utjuk. ”
    They hauled the meat away two by two. The qatannguuk were carrying off a haunch between the two of them, chatting all the while. Sanaaq said, “ Qatannguuk! Let’s take a break. I’m really tired.”
    â€œYes,” said Aqiarulaaq. “But let’s rest up there ai! Where there’s no sand!”
    â€œSure! I’m really tired... i i i i. ” She burst into laughter. “Don’t you think I’m tired? Just look: my hand has gone all white... Let’s go! Time to get back to work. We’ve almost reached our tent.”
    The two of them started carrying the meat again. Suddenly the part that Aqiarulaaq had been hanging onto ripped away.
    â€œ Iirq! My handle has ripped off ai! There it goes. My handle has ripped off!”
    â€œ Ii! Autualu! Qatannguuk, did you get grease on you?”
    The dogs were now assailing them and they tried to get into the tent.
    â€œ Uai! Uai! Ii ! ” exclaimed Sanaaq. “They’re biting into the meat we’ve been carrying, those dirty dogs! They’re really starving. Ii ! That dog bit into the heart I was holding... Uai! Dirty no-good mutt!” Sanaaq grabbed a rock and threw it. “ Ii! Missed ... My aim must have been off!”
    They finally got in. The other two, Qalingu and Arnatuinnaq, were together carrying a shoulder and the adjoining head. They had left behind the other shoulder, a haunch, the two ringed seals, the skin of the utjuk, and the viscera. Those remaining pieces were being guarded by Qumaq on the shore.
    Before leaving her, Qalingu had said to Qumaq, “Don’t stop throwing stones at those dirty dogs ai! ”
    â€œI won’t!”
    Now left to herself, she was beginning to feel very afraid. She yelled, “ Uai! Dirty no-good dogs!”
    Qumaq had some stones in her hands to throw at the dogs but was very afraid. “ Iaa iaa a a a! ”
    The poor girl started to cry, letting her guard down. Immediately, the dogs descended on what she had been guarding. They fought amongst themselves and devoured almost whole the haunch and shoulder they had torn off. Qumaq wailed, “Mother! Come!”
    Her mother saw her trembling with fright and came running right away. She was now by her side and showering her daughter with affection.
    â€œ Umm! Cry no more, my poor little child... Aalummi! ”
    Qalingu also came running to chase the plunderers away. He pitched some stones and the dogs he hit ran off yelping, “ Maa maa ! ” The pillage was over. The shredded pieces of meat no longer mattered much to Qalingu.
    â€œThere’s no point in guarding those two pieces of utjuk anymore. They’ve been bitten into all over!”
    He began to drag the utjuk skin to a stone cache. After stashing it away in the cache, he went home and started eating some boiled chunks of meat for his arrival meal. He dipped them in misiraq.
    The women, meanwhile, were making preparations for a kujapiit feast. On the ground they