Cutting whale for the Thanksgiving feast
Saturday, November 16, 2013 at 5:37PM 
This is maktak from the whale Larry Aiken lost his cell phone for when he threw the harpoon into it. Larry is here in the Iñupiat Heritage Center too, along with his captain George Adams, Wayne Toovak and other crewmembers cutting bowhead for the Thanksgiving feast.
I was going to use a picture of Larry cutting with these men as as a carry-over from breakfast, but I think I need to be sure the whaler women also get credit they so greatly deserve. On the right is Diana Martin, Iñupiat Heritage Center Museum Curator. She is an expert on the weapons, tools, clothing and other implements from her culture reaching back into time immemorial. As curator, she watches over and cares for the Heritage Center's growing collection of artifacts. Today, she has also been watching over her daughter Katherine who she has been teaching the Iñupiat ways of food preparation. She has also taught her how to prepare the backstrap from caribou into the superstrong, waterproof thread used to sew ugruk seal skins into the boat cover for the umiak used in the spring hunt.
Text added at 5:40 PM. The Squarespace nightmare continues - day 56 and counting.