SHISHMAREF

“The ugruk (bearded seal) is the main subsistence food source in Shishmaref. For me, the ugruk season is one of the busiest times of the year. The men and women go out hunting and bring the ugruk back for preparation. When the family decides that they have enough ugruk to last them the winter, the hunters no longer go out hunting. When my mom, aunt, and I prepare the ugruk, we may start the process in the middle of May, and the final product would be complete at the end of June or first part of July. It depends on the weather. Nearly all of the ugruk is used except for the head.

About 20 years ago, the men hunted ugruks at the end of May, well into June/July. Now, they hunt as early as mid-May, and the ice is usually rotten or gone by the beginning of June or mid-June. There are times that if it’s too warm, the ugruks can dry too quickly, and it is more difficult to process. We actually prefer to have some snow while we are working on ugruks, because it preserves it longer.

The families want to teach the children young so that they can continue to practice the subsistence lifestyle. If they are not taught, they might not know what kind of ice is good and when to go out. If you go out in a certain kind of wind, the ice can block you in, and you can be out there for days. So, they pay attention to the weather.” Katherine Kokeok is Inupiaq from Shishmaref, Alaska.