Introduction-E

How long after being together, after seeing each other for the first time, did
they have to get married? As soon as they saw each other?
Pauloosie: Probably not when it was not convenient. Those for whom it was convenient
probably got married right away, though I don’t think they just stayed together for a
long time.
Did people also get separated, ones that were married, that is?
Pauloosie: Yes. I think people have always gotten separated, but nowadays it seems to
be almost a daily occurrence.
Even back then, people who were wedded used to separate?
Pauloosie: Separation is something that has always been known. But compared to
today, they did not get separated as often. Today it seems as if they just follow their
whims.
Can I return to your childhood?
Pauloosie: You’re free to do so.
When you were a child, what kind of games did you play?
Pauloosie: Oh, all kinds of games, so much so that we even played with dog excrement.
When dog feces were frozen, we used to play with them when we didn’t have seal bones
to use as little toy dogs. Frozen dog feces would be the only things around.
You used them as toy dogs?
Pauloosie: Yes.
Saullu: Yes.
Did you hold them?
Pauloosie: No, we would arrange them as a dogteam, outside. When we were playing
outside.
Did you have other things that you played besides playing dogteams?
Pauloosie: Well, yes, we used to make little iglus when there was snow. Also, when it was
snow-free, those things that are called playhouses (illunnguaq: rings of stone), we used
them as playhouses, and we used to pretend to have families. That’s what we used to do.
104 Introduction to the Oral Traditions