Nalukataq facts for kids
Nalukataq is a special spring festival held by the Iñupiat people in Northern Alaska. It celebrates the end of the spring whale hunting season. The most exciting part of Nalukataq is the amazing Eskimo blanket toss. This festival is a big event for the whole community. It's a time to share food, especially muktuk (whale blubber and skin). Nalukataq also honors the whaling crew captains, called umialik, for their successful hunts. Sharing food and celebrating together is very important for survival in the Arctic.
After the spring whale hunting season, successful whaling crews celebrate with a Nalukataq festival. These events usually happen in June, around the summer solstice. They are planned so that different villages don't have their festivals at the same time. This allows friends and family from far away to join in the fun and share the food. For example, in Utqiaġvik, Nalukataq is often held in the third week of June. Other villages might have theirs a week before or after. The exact timing depends on how many whales were caught and other important factors.
Over a few weeks, many Nalukataq celebrations might take place. Each one can be hosted by several whaling captains. Utqiaġvik has the most events because it's a large community. But villages like Point Hope, Alaska, Kaktovik, and Nuiqsut also host several celebrations.
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What is Nalukataq For?
Nalukataq has two main purposes. First, it's a celebration of thanks for a successful whale hunt. Second, it's one of the first times during the year when quaq (frozen whale meat) and muktuk are given out to everyone. In Eskimo cultures, it's highly valued to be able to share wealth with the community. Whaling captains who give away large parts of their whales earn great respect. A captain, or umialik, can host a festival after catching a whale.
People often wear festive clothing to the event. You might see beautifully decorated mukluks (boots) and parkas (coats). These are often made from the skins of animals like seals, caribou, wolverines, wolves, and foxes. An old legend says that the raven taught the Eskimo people the blanket toss.
How the Festival Happens
The Nalukataq celebration usually lasts for three days. It starts with a prayer or church service. Then, the whaling crews raise their flags around noon. A windbreak is often built in front of the captain's qalgit (traditional home). First, bread, coffee, and soups made from goose or caribou are served. After that, all the food comes from the whale. Parts like the flippers and certain guts are offered to visitors.
After a short break, filled with singing and storytelling, the whaling crews begin to share their catch. They give food to every family who attends the event. The amount of food given depends on the size and number of whales caught. First, they distribute quaq, which is raw whale meat cut into cubes and frozen. Next comes avarraq, which are thin strips cut from the whale's tail. After these, other cuts of muktuk are given out frozen, with the skin still on. Then, there's a break of a couple of hours for everyone to enjoy the feast.
The Exciting Blanket Toss
During this break, the Nalukataq blanket is set up. The blanket, called mapkuq, can be made from several walrus or bearded seal skins, or from canvas. These are sewn together into a large circle or square. Outdoors, ropes extend from each corner. These ropes are pulled tightly between four wooden beams, which used to be three whale bones. This raises the blanket to about waist height.
Men and women, called naluaqtit (pullers), stand around the blanket. They hold ropes woven around its edges. They pull the blanket rhythmically to throw the dancer, nalukataqtuaq, high into the air. It works like a trampoline! People can be thrown as high as twenty feet (six meters), and even forty feet is thought to be possible. The main goal is to land back on your feet. Advanced jumpers try tricks like kicks and flips.
Anyone can be thrown on the blanket. But traditionally, the captains and their wives go first. Long ago, they would throw out valuable items like baleen, tobacco, clothing, tools, or food. This showed their ability to provide for the community. Today, this tradition has changed. Now, the captains' wives often throw candy to the children watching when they are in the air. This giving is also known as nalluġruq or nullui. The blanket toss is the most exciting part of the festival and can last for several hours.
While it's now a fun celebration, the blanket toss might have started for practical reasons. It could have helped hunters see game from farther away. Or it might have been used to send signals over long distances. Tourists are welcome to watch the blanket toss. In 2000, famous hockey player Scott Gomez was tossed twenty feet high. Former champion and state representative Reggie Joule even appeared on The Tonight Show to talk about the blanket toss. Nalukataq is also an event for both men and women in the World Eskimo Indian Olympics. One goal in the Olympics is to touch the ceiling of the Big Dipper Ice Arena, now called the Carlson Center.
Music and Dance
After the blanket toss, everyone gathers for a traditional dance. Everyone is welcome to join in the dancing.
The rhythm for the dances is set by several men and boys playing drums. Traditionally, these drums were made from the liver or lung skin of a whale. Today, they might also be made from other materials. The men also sing special songs, called nalukataun, for the dances. After another prayer, the evening comes to a close.
Besides the dances where everyone participates, there are usually performances by the village's organized dance group. They sing traditional songs and put on a "stage show" for everyone. The best front-row seats are always saved for the elders.
Key Words
- Nalukataq: A festival held after the whaling season, featuring blanket tossing and dancing.
- Mapkuq: The blanket, originally made from bearded seal skin, used to toss people.
- Nalluaqtit: The "pullers" or "tossers," who hold the blanket.
- Nalukataqtuaq: The "jumper," the person on the blanket.
- Nalukataun: The songs sung during Nalukataq.
- Nalukattat: People who attend Nalukataq.
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