Sanaaq by Salomé Mitiarjuk Nappaaluk

rack.”
    Because many holes had formed in the snow wall overnight, Qalingu got to work plugging them from the outside. Meanwhile, Sanaaq was laying out a sealskin, to be traded at the trading post, to catch any bits of falling snow. Qalingu asked from the outside, “Have you laid down something to protect against the bits of snow?”
    â€œYes, go ahead!” answered Sanaaq.
    Qalingu cut out some pieces of hard snow, for use as plugs. He asked, “Where should they go?”
    â€œPut one of them a bit lower,” said Sanaaq . “That’s enough. Irq! You brought down quite a few bits of snow! Over here too! But it’s not a hole. It’s a cavity made by the heat... Will you plug it? Wait a little and let me pierce it!”
    â€œYes, there it is! Go ahead! Lay down the protection against the bits of snow!”
    â€œYou can plug it,” replied Sanaaq. “It’s protected on my side!”
    Qalingu came in to examine the wall and said, “ Ii! Autualu! There sure are a lot of cavities from the heat. They can’t be seen from the outside.”
    â€œLeave them be!” said Sanaaq .

15
JIIMIALUK’S FATAL ACCIDENT
    Qalingu and Jiimialuk wanted to go hunting on the fresh sea ice. Jiimialuk went to the home of Qalingu, who told him, “ Ai ! Jiimialuk ai! Let’s get ready!”
    â€œThe ice looks dangerous to me!”
    â€œIt should be safe enough to walk on. It was very cold overnight.”
    The two headed out to the new sea ice. They were carrying their rifles, tied to their backs with ipiraq. In their hands were their cutting knives and harpoons. They waited for the tide to go out, the water having risen very high and partly covering the ice. Now they tried to make their way to the pack ice.
    â€œWe could get there by this small point of land,” said Qalingu .
    â€œThat’s right. Let’s go ai! ”
    â€œOK!”
    They walked out to the pack ice, which the ebbing waters had left fairly high and dry. In places, however, the sea was still partly open with cakes of floating ice. They crossed these cakes while talking.
    â€œThere are a lot of ice cakes,” said Qalingu, “and they’re separated from each other. Hope we don’t fall in!”
    â€œI’m scared,” answered Jiimialuk. “I want to go back to dry land. I’m scared! I’m scared! There I go, I’m starting to fall into the water! I’m telling the truth. I want to go home!”
    Qalingu smiled to hear such words from his companion, who really was very afraid. But Jiimialuk persisted in wanting to turn back and said, “Let’s go home!”
    â€œWhy?” retorted Qalingu. “We’ll get to the solid pack ice by steering the floating ice cake we’re on now!” He took the opportunity to lecture him. “Jiimialuk! You must always remember that you are a hunter and that at all times you will face danger and live through unpleasant moments. You should act in such a way that your loved ones will never suffer from hunger and you should think more about them than about yourself. You should never sit still and do nothing when an opportunity comes to provide for their needs, ai! ”
    Jiimialuk complied. They began to steer the ice cake, a tiny floating slab, by rowing with their harpoons. They navigated their way to the pack ice, even though the slab tipped dangerously back and forth. Jiimialuk could no longer hold back his fear and panicked.
    â€œI’m scared! I’m scared! We’re capsizing! I’m falling in! I’m telling the truth, the honest truth!”
    â€œYou really think so? You’re telling me the truth? What a fearful person you are!”
    They finally made it to the solid pack ice and began walking on it to small stretches of open water. When they got to one, they several times saw puiji. Jiimialuk shouted, “ Ai! Look! A puiji! ”
    But the animal would not let itself be