In Qaanaaq's icy waters: Utuuniaq Simigaq's life as a fisherman and trapper

Five dinghies have set course for a pod of walruses. Utuuniaq Simigaq is at the helm of one of the dinghies, surrounded by the hidden dangers of the sea. He has to keep an eye on many things at once: Are there rocks in the sea? How close are the walruses? And even though it is the middle of the day, the prisoners can only orient themselves with the help of their headlamps.

The fresh, cold wind feels like a familiar breath on his face - a breath that reminds him of his childhood, when he looked up to his father, who was a trapper. One of his earliest memories is of his father going out hunting polar bears.

It is caper (winter darkness, ed.) that has made the view quiet and impassable. But to everyone's great surprise, the waters are open and ice-free, even though the calendar only says the beginning of November.

- Such an opportunity must not be wasted, thought Utuuniaq Simigaq.

That's why he's also brought his uncle with him, the uncle he sees every day anyway, and who he'd rather share the trip with when nature suddenly shows itself from an unexpected angle.

On this sudden and courageous trip, Utuuniaq Simigaq and the other trappers managed to capture 15 walruses and bring them home.

In the video below you can see their walrus hunt at 12-1 pm in the middle of the day.

Sea ice is a challenge

Utuuniaq Simigaq is 25 years old and was born in Qaanaaq. He is a fisherman and a trapper.

- I became a fisherman and trapper after primary school, he says, explaining that the city's trappers and fishermen currently have very little work because the sea ice is so unstable that it limits their opportunities to go out.

- It's like this every year now. It really affects us, because when we want to go fishing, we can't because the sea ice is so unpredictable, he says.

Utuuniaq Simigaq also says that he can clearly feel how families with children are also hard hit. He does not have children himself. - The prisoners have no income right now, and therefore only the wives earn money, he says.

Utuuniaq Simigaq states that it has now been three months since he himself last received a salary.

"It's very challenging. We don't make any money until Christmas, for example. My diet consists mainly of family dinner invitations," he says.

As for Utuuniaq Simigaq, he has used the darkness to build a hut.

"I built it for myself. It's for use when I'm out fishing. I just finished it," he says.

Dream comes true

Utuuniaq Simigaq had some very close role models. When he was a child, he looked up to his father and uncle.

- I would like to be like them. They are incredibly skilled hunters. I remember how much I admired my uncle. He had fantastic motor skills and his sled dogs were always so beautiful, says Utuuniaq Simigaq.

That's why he knew since he was a child that he was supposed to be in that profession.

- When I was little and my father was going sailing, I cried my lungs out because I wanted to go along, he smiles.

He was allowed to, and at the age of six, he experienced a violent weather event that he has never forgotten. At the time, the family lived in Siorapaluk, about 45 kilometers north of Qaanaaq.

- The weather changed very suddenly and it started to storm. We had obviously been drifting out to sea. I had no idea because we were on the sea ice. Luckily we had a dinghy, recalls Utuuniaq Simigaq.

Life as a fisherman

When Utuuniaq Simigaq was about 20 years old, he was already among those who bought the most fish.

- We fish all year round - from the time the sea ice sets in until it melts again, we are out at sea, he says.

It means a lot to him to be able to provide food for his family.

"I always try to make sure my family can eat fresh meat every year," he says.

Utuuniaq Simigaq loves the way Inughuit gather supplies – as he puts it – it is different from other towns and settlements along the coast.

- We can take the narwhal as an example. We put narwhal meat in a meat pit. They don't do that in the other southern towns and settlements. We do that, and we save them for holidays like confirmations and the like, says Utuuniaq Simigaq.

The meat of walrus, narwhal, seal and kingfisher is also buried in the ground as a reserve.

Of the large animals, the Utuuniaq are the Simigaqs favorite catch the narwhal.

- I love all hunting, but narwhal hunting stands out. I love rowing in my kayak and following the whales. When I was 20, I killed my first narwhal, he says, adding that he makes his own hunting tools, such as harpoon tips and the like, with the help of his father.

In Qaanaaq they have lists of the best-selling fishermen and trappers.

"I once ranked second on the list of those who sold the most narwhals and third on the list of those who sold the most matak," he says.

This is how Utuuniaq Simigaq lives during the dark period. Catches are limited during these months, but he continues his work as always. Although darkness is part of his everyday life, there is still hope for support that can make life easier during periods of fewer resources.