We have just returned to Anchorage after visiting Barrow. What an incredible visit.
I love their values. If only all could so live!
Barrow is an Inupiat City where they still go Whaling with a Spring and Fall season. People have caught whales for centuries and they still do it the way it has been handed down for generations. Whaling is essential for the people of Barrow, and other local villages. The town is limited to how many Bowhead Whales may be harvested in any given year. The practice of harvesting whales is necessary for the sustenance of the local people. I was incredibly impressed to learn that there is no commercial whaling permitted at all. 53 different whaling groups exist in Barrow. Only 39 are currently active. 25 whales are permitted to be harvested per year including both seasons. The whaling groups invest their own dollars and when they are successful, they share the whale meat with the community. They do not profit from whaling at all. It is for the sustenance of the community. People are dependent upon the whale meat in order to survive. A single whale can weigh up to 65 tons and they pull it ashore with block and tackle. The meat is placed in either freezers or in their own hand dug permafrost freezers. Areas in Alaska, Yukon Territory and British Columbia are so cold in winter time that the earth never thaws; it is permanently frozen. So they work incredibly hard to dig, using a pick ax and 5 gallon buckets to create their own Mother Nature freezer. These are usually about 15' deep. Notice ice about 2' down. Though this freezer is no longer in use, you can get the idea.
The entry to the local beach is marked with jawbones of a bowhead whale.
You can see open water about a quarter mile out. We are told the ice may be gone by July 4.
Notice how thick the ice is. It appears to be about 3' under the water.
We enjoyed seeing all of the houses of the town. Most streets looked just like this one. The city has a truck that drives the streets all day long watering the streets to keep the dust down.
We enjoyed seeing the northernmost bridge in North America. To me, it doesn't matter that it is no longer in service, it is still the northern most bridge in North America.
We very much enjoyed a performance by a group of singers and dancers. It was incredibly interesting and entertaining.
We also enjoyed a tour of the Inupiat Heritage Center. It is actually a National Park. It has displays that educate visitors to the ways of the indigenous people and their whaling practice.
We ended the day with a polar plunge, fully emerging ourselves under water. Well fully emerging our entire hand under water. DID YOU HEAR ME...WE SUBMERGED OUR ENTIRE HAND UNDERWATER IN THE ARCTIC!!!!!!!!!! How many of you have done that?
And for you naysayers, please notice, I am actually standing IN the water!
As some of you may recall, we have been stopping at Police Departments along our route. We are attempting to get patches for our incredibly hard working son-in-law. Today on our tour, we passed the Northslope Borough Police Department. After the tour, we decided to go to the Police Station and see if we could get a patch for our son-in-law. Police Chief Hatch (I hope I got that right) and the Deputy Police Chief treated us to some awesome patches, coins and chips. Thanks Chief and Deputy Chief!
We witnessed something curious while waiting for our plane at the Barrow Airport. Multiple people were standing in line with empty plastic tubs; some with up to ten tubs. We knew there must be an explanation. A fellow traveler shared the secret of the mystery with us. The cost of goods is incredibly expensive. We saw an 8 oz. bag of M&Ms for $10. People of remote Alaska can get a free Airplane ticket to travel "down State" for medical reasons. So they schedule Doctor's appointments and take these bins with them. They then go shopping at Costco, Sam's Club, etc. in Anchorage at a drastically reduced rate. Alaska Airlines allows up to 5 checked bags for free. This is a great way to reduce living expenses.
We especially want to thank Qaiyaan (similar to Cayenne (pepper)), who educated us to the ways of the people of Barrow and surrounding areas. Our 1 1/2 hour trip flew by due to his interesting stories. We loved his passion and his energy. We actually learned more from him during our flight than we did in our 24 hours in Barrow. One take away from our visit was that the local people are not selecting an easy way of life. It is incredibly labor intensive and not a lifestyle for so many slackers in the lower 48. Imagine, work hard getting meat for your freezer only to share with your neighbors, whether you know them or not; all are entitled to a share of the bounty. I do believe we all could take a page out of the Inupiat Eskimos way of life and spend time looking out for others before ourselves.
Till Tomorrow!
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