Introduction-E
Introduction-E
Introduction-E
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Can you tell us a story about any other first catch?<br />
Paniaq: Yes, of course. I remember when I caught a walrus for the first time. I harpooned<br />
it first and then shot it with a .22 in the head. Apparently it was a baby walrus. When I<br />
started using a rifle, I started catching seals. I also caught a bearded seal that was on the<br />
ice. Those are the animals that I recall catching for the first time.<br />
How about the first time you had a dogteam and went on your first trip?<br />
Paniaq: I did not have my own dogs as I had two older brothers and a father and I could<br />
borrow their dogs. I finally got my own dogteam when I was an adult. I used to train<br />
dogs for other people, so I never really had my own dogs. The time I got to own a<br />
dogteam was when I got puppies from my second oldest brother’s dog. I did not have<br />
the best dogteam, but I still have a dogteam now.<br />
I didn’t have dogs for a while after I lost my dogs. I wanted to have dogs again, so<br />
I left Ikpiarjuk to get dogs from my brother (Kupaaq). So up to now, I still have dogs. I<br />
have travelled by dogteam to Naujaat, three times to Mittimatalik, and I can travel by<br />
dogteam to Ikpiarjuk. I would still like to travel by dogteam to Iqaluit as well. It was<br />
when I didn’t have dogs that a trip was made to Greenland. I really wanted to go with<br />
them.<br />
Next time?<br />
Paniaq: I have gone to Mittimatalik twice, attempting to go to Greenland. The first time,<br />
I just went back because it was thawing in Greenland in the springtime. The second<br />
time, I went with my brother-in-law (Tatiggat) by plane before anyone had ever visited<br />
Qaanaaq by plane. Two flags were erected as a sign that we were the first visitors, but<br />
we weren’t really the first ones.<br />
When a first catch was made, were there celebrations?<br />
Paniaq: Yes, definitely. Even now we celebrate first catches. We are so proud when that<br />
happens. Whenever we catch something the first time, we are always proud for the<br />
people making their first catch.<br />
What did you do when a first catch was made?<br />
Paniaq: We’d just be happy for the person. Myself, I wasn’t too happy when our<br />
adopted son Itani caught his first bear.<br />
Life Stories – Hervé Paniaq 51