Point Lay Nalukatak: To Feed the People (part 5 of 10)

Julius and Marie Rexford - captain and wife of Atkaan crew, who brought the whale home and fed the community.

Sadie Rexford, mother of Julius and wife of the late Atkaan (Burton Rexford) addresses the crowd before the blessing is said.

Nora Itta offers the blessing.

As Nora prays, member of both the Atkaan and Nukapigak crews join hands. Atkaan put the first harpoon, with float, and bomb into the whale and that made it their whale. Even so, Julius explained, the Nukapigak crew came right behind to help finish the kill and land the bowhead.

After the blessing, everyone cheers.

Captains Rexford and Nukapigak are joined by Lily Anniskett, daughter of Warren and Dorcas Neakok. As explained in part 1, the Neakok's were the couple that remained in the village when it was abandoned after World War II. They kept their peoples' claim strong upon the land. Both wanted to see bowhead whaling return to the village.

Thanks to a letter written by  the late Dorcas in the 1930's describing her own role in helping to harvest a Point Lay whale, the people were able to prove that they have a history of whale hunting and so received a quota.

Lily tells the crowd that if her 87 year-old father is up to braving the wind and cold of the day, he might put in an appearance later.

Time to serve the people.

Whale meat is distributed.

Duck soup is served.

There is food for all the families that come.