Barrow Alaska - Top of the World

[Majik Imaje]

http://majikimaje.com/barrow/welcome.jpg


Lots more photos with text.. .. coming soon !!!

[bauerman]

Very interesting sign that you have captured here........I cannot make out all of the text, but interesting nonetheless. When you see 'Alaska" in a thread title though I think people are expecting scenery. :D

Please post more pics as I love that part of the world. Thanks.

[JenGrace]

Harry Potter fans wouldn't be happy with that sign, lol. :D

[Elaine]

Just a reminder about Majik Imaje's other Alaskan thread... :thumb

http://www.digitalgrin.com/showthread.php?t=58813

[Majik Imaje]

"Harry Potter fans wouldn't be happy with that sign, lol. :D
__________________
Jen"

Well in all honesty Jen.. I know nothing about "HP" movies or books. I have heard the name but have no knowledge of why Animals of the Arctic which for many thousands of years have sustained the peoples of the Far North. Why that sign would offend anyone.

Lifestyles are different all over the world. What some author wrote about "fictional" characters is beyond my understanding at the moment. For the plight of the Inupiaq Peoples is real and not fictional.

This rare unique lifestylel / culture must not be allowed to become extinct!!

Ukpik - Eskimo Chicken. These animals are not on any endangered species list that I am aware of. I have never witnessed anyone hunting them in Point Hope, although I have a photograph of one snowowl that "accidently" stepped into a trap for a fox, or wolverine.
http://majikimaje.com/OWL.JPG

Subsistence lifestlyle has been the primary source of food for residents of the 8 villages in the North Slope Arctic region, for many thousands of years.

And for those many thousands of years, these people have NEVER depleted any of the natural resources of the land, sea & air.!!!!!
http://majikimaje.com/barrow/NSB.jpg


They live in constant harmony: with nature, and show the utmost respect & thanks for ALL THE FOOD .. .. they harvest!

Hunting for food @ 40 below zero is a far far cry from walking into a "supermarket" or any food store. Hunting is hard, dangerous work and anything can happen!!

The midnight sun is high in the sky in Barrow in August.

http://majikimaje.com/barrow/sunset.jpg

Alaska: the land of magnificent majestic scenery. where ever you go.. .. it is different in all parts of this vast unexplored and inhabited wilderness.

from the white flat frozen tundra. to the towering majestic cold hardrock of the mountain ranges that stretch across this state in many different areas, directions and heights of many miles !!

Landing in Barrow was a nice smooth, relaxing ride. I have high aerial views of Pt. lay & wainwright taken along the way.

http://majikimaje.com/barrow/wellcome2barrow.jpg

The town is divided into two parts or portions.

The city of Barrow & "Browerville", named after the Brower family.

http://majikimaje.com/barrow/bus.jpg



Barrow has 5,000+ residents and it is growing and it is a most wonderful place to live and enjoy the treasures of the Arctic region which is vast and
sparsely populated.

http://majikimaje.com/barrow/upiksign.jpg


A "framed fine art painting" inside of the Hospital here in Barrow

showing the traditional ancient custom of the sacred bowhead whale hunt, every spring & fall. Which has endured for many thousands of years.!!

http://majikimaje.com/barrow/hospic.jpg

And here are a few fun facts on a sign that is outside the main building of the North Slope Borough building, This same sign is in front of the college and in front of the Inupiaq Hertige Culture building located in Browerville.
http://majikimaje.com/barrow/BWsign.jpg



Lots lots more to come, and I shall include photos, arts & crafts, and much more of ALL 8 (eight) of the Inupiaq villages in the North Slope Borough.

this region is 200 miles above the arctic circle clear up to Barrow which is the farthest Most Northern Incorporated City !!!

From the Arctic circle up just south of Point Hope, there are at least another dozen of so villages (Inupiaq) that are part of the Nana region.

I will tackle that area much later to give you a vast detailed view of EVERYTHING that exists in all of these villages, for a detailed journey of life. High in the Arctic..!!!

http://majikimaje.com/barrow/death.jpg

[JenGrace]

Forgive me, Majik. I was just being facetious. I understand subsistence hunting and have no ethical issues with it. Thanks for the info. :):

[JasonGawker]

Hey,

Those are some really nice pictures. I think Alaska is an amazing place, a "3rd world country" but actually very advanced, in many ways the modern man usually cannot see. I too don't see the relation to Harry Potter :) By the way, I wholeheartedly recommend this book (http://www.fetchbook.info/Final_Frontiersman%3A_Heimo_Korth_And_His_Family%2 C_Alone_In_Alaska%27s_Arctic_Wilderness.html) to people who are looking to investigate futher on Alaska and its beautiful habitat.

Jason

[Majik Imaje]

.. .. .. time to go whaling ! (again) believe it or not, it takes one whole year, just to get ready to go whaling, there is just so much work to do.

Certain things (chores) have to be done at certain times of the year.

New skins have to be placed on that umiaq and stretched to fit the umiaq.
this is not an easy task to accomplish, everything takes time, time to let the skins stretch, and then stretch them some more.


http://majikimaje.com/barrow/newskins.jpg

Even though we cannot see the lead opening from here in town, we know when that ice breaks and the lead opens, just by looking at the sky !
Provided it is cloudy out, and it usually is at this time of year. Barrow is way to hot today, it should be well below zero, but it is 30 degrees above zero instead of 30 below zero.. that is a 60 degree difference in temp change.


http://majikimaje.com/barrow/openwater.jpg


The snow reflects BRIGHTness up to the clouds, This is easy to see, but when there is open water, the snow / ice cannot reflect back up to the clouds, the darkness of the open water is revealed in the clouds and it is very easy to see - the sea !!

As the day approaches for whaling to begin.. An umiaq is chosen, and brought into the church, and the blessing of the umiaq's take place. Only one is used as a proxy for all of the umiaqs in the village.


I hope to have many more images of whaling here in Barrow, on this thread, which will be updated as soon as images are created !! thanks again for all your continued interest and appreciation of this lifestyle & culture which must never perish.

:D