On Tuesday Morning when I was walking the dogs on the beach a lady approached me asking if I would like to buy an ulu. It was very beautifully made but at the time I had no money and no real need for an ulu. Last night, as the air of excitement in town began to rise due to the success of the bowhead hunt I began to wonder if I had made the right decision. And so it was that at lunch time today I drove past their home to enquire if the ulu was still for sale, alas it was sold but he was making another already and invited me to come take a look.
Josipee and Elina (sorry if I have misspelled your names) introduced themselves and invited me into their home to choose the piece of caribou antler that would form the handle of my ulu. The piece that I chose has a gentle curve that fits perfectly in my hand. I particularly asked Josipee to leave the small spur on the antler as I really like it, it's presence somehow makes it more real to me that it is indeed a piece of antler. We chatted outside for a while and I was shown the various tools used to make the ulu which is comprised of three parts, the blade, handle and shaft.
I also learned that the hunters had delivered some maqtaaq to the pier this morning for everyone to help themselves. How could I refuse when they offered to share some with me! Josipee opened a wooden box to reveal a huge slab of whale fat with about 1.5cm of thick black skin and proceeded to start carving me a hunk of the skin. Finally Elina and I persuaded him to only cut me a small piece about the size of my little finger, he then cut it part way through half way along to make it easier to bite. I was surprised at how odourless it was and it had a faint fish like taste but a texture unlike anything I have ever encountered. Not slimy but sort of rubbery, although not in the way that squid can be... there is nothing for it you shall just have to try for yourself. They told me that you can keep it for ages and it just ferments, however they didn't think I should try fermented maqtaaq just yet.
After work I fed and walked the dogs then went back down to the beach and was delighted to watch the finishing touches.
The blade is pinned to the wooden block between Joe's knees, this is to hold it still while he sharpens the cutting edge. He is filing the shaft so that it fits properly into the handle which Elina is holding.
The handle was filed all over to make it smooth and to bring out the white colour. The blade is attached to the handle with two metal pins, a small guide hole is drilled into the handle then it is hammered into place on the shaft.
Joe hammers the metal pins flat to make sure the blade doesn't wobble as I slice and dice.
A final rub on the sharpening stone and my very own custom made ulu is ready!
Thank you guys - see you on the beach!
Footnote: According to Wikipedia the ulu "is utilized in applications as diverse as skinning and cleaning animals, cutting a child's hair, cutting food and, if necessary, trimming blocks of snow and ice used to build an igloo." Johnny will be pleased to learn that "The ulu is still used today but not for cutting children's hair."
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