Introduction-E

In Pangniqtuuq, these were the terms remembered for February and March:
February: kullutanittuq; referring to a thumb, because when you hold your
thumb up to the horizon, light is visible below the thumb and the sun is
visible above it.
March: natsialiaqut; the time of early seal pups.
Seasons
Some of the terms for the seasons are still used, although today we have adopted the
Southern way of telling what time of year it is. The Northern terms were more detailed
in describing whether it was early spring, late spring, or real spring, etc. There were
more terms for the seasons used in Pangniqtuuq compared with Iglulik and
Mittimatalik, although I’m sure they used the same terms when describing the season
in detail.
These terms are used in Iglulik:
Upirngaksaaq: Early spring, corresponds to March / April.
Upirngaaq: Spring, corresponds to May / June.
Aujaq: Summer, corresponds to end of July / August / early September.
Ukiaksaq: Early fall, corresponds to September / October.
Ukiaq: Fall, corresponds to November / December.
Ukiuq: Winter, corresponds to January / February.
These terms for the seasons in Pangniqtuuq were told by Pauloosie Angmarlik:
Ukiuq: Winter in the months of January and February. At this time of year,
ice will have formed on top of the water.
Upirngassaaq: Early spring in the months of March and April. At this time
of the year, it is getting warmer even though it still gets cold at night.
Essays – Moon, seasons, and stars 127