High in the Arctic .. .. .. Eskimo !!

Majik_Imaje

High in the Arctic - 200 miles above the Arctic Circle,
is the land of the Inupiat Eskimo !

Point Hope Alaska .. .. TIKIGAQ (tick E uck)

The oldest continually inhabited settlement or village in all of North America.
Life can accurately be traced back to well over 3,000 years to this one spot of land.

TIKIGAQMUIT = Person from Point Hope.

800 people live in this tiny spot of land that has been occupied for many thousands of years. This lifestyle culture is hidden deep in mystery and shrouded in myths. Now for the first time, with high advances in technology.. I can bring you out to the ocean ice where hundreds of people are hidden in the ice.. .. .. waiting for food !

This is how we go food shopping in the Arctic... we wait.. for animals to migrate !! come along for the most spell binding journey of a lifetime, right from the warmth and comfort of your home or office. High in the Arctic.. .. Eskimo !!


We are heading out to the edge of the ice.. it is 7 miles out on the frozen ice pack in the Chukchi Sea, in the Bering Strait of upper Alaska. This seven mile journey snakes thruogh 12 miles of 'trails" that have to be chopped, picked, and smoothed out all by hand. Hundreds of people working on trails to get equipment, supplies, and all that is necessary for whaling every spring. The temp is well below zero.. .. .. come learn the Eskimo way .. .. ..

19 whaling captains are spaced out some 1/2 - 3/4 of a mile apart from each other on the edge of the ice... A guantlet has been set, now we wait. for animals to begin their age old migration routes past this point.



Come on along for a fantastick journey into the arctic, See first hand what these people have to do.. .. .. .. .. 'just to eat ". No one receives any pay for all of this incredibly hard difficult work out here.. .. .. .. The only reward, .. .. is you get to eat, that is all. No one ever complains about anything. These are very happy people ! I was sent to this village for just 3 weeks. as an electrician to wire two construction camps, when the job finished, I quit the company and stayed here. That was more than 27 years ago.. .. I am still here. ! I will NEVER leave the Arctic .. Heaven on Earth.. Paradise. !

These tents are for the women, who do all of the cooking and other hard difficult work. These tiny tents. are used to prepare the food for each crew. A Captain - 8 hunters - A boyer - 3 -5 women to do all the cooking, 3 - 5 times a day to feed these hunters in the most brutal weather immaginable !! No one ever complains. .this is life !! Some famlies stick together out here. The hunters sleep outside. with NO TENTS. !! 40 BELOW ZERO AND COLDER !!

This is a typical whaling camp 7 miles out on the frozen ocean ice pack. This image was created at midnight ! in mid May. Home sweet frozen home for the next 8 weeks .. .. right here.. 24 / 7 This is where these hunters sleep, eat, work, hunt, and a whole lot more.. !!



These people get just as cold as you or I would. There is no such thing as.. .. .. 'they are used to it'. It is extremly cold and very windy !!

bradnailer

Wow! "Cool pictures":D that's a great set of shots and some nice stories.
Do people earn a living from fishing and hunting or is there a need to earn, is your community self sufficient ?

Hugh_C

incredible

Majik_Imaje

Is there a need to EARN ?? .. Yes !! the need is greater than ever, because so many groups are trying to take away our rights to live.. our way. There are very few jobs in the small villages. Virtually no work per say, so people have to depend on other ways to make money and that usually is accomplished through Arts & Crafts. This is a huge business here in the Arctic and all over the state. Native Art is more popular than ever.


Some famlies are not so fortunate and have to make do with what little they have. Our food prices up here to purchase food is astronomical. Gas has been well over $ 5.00 per gallon for years. It is very easy to spend 1,000 on food and not get very much at all. I once purchased 300 dollars of food in Anchorage for a whaling captain. and it cost over 400 just to ship it up there.

Point Hope is a whaling village, they are allowed by the International Whaling commission 7 strikes.. 7 attempts.. that is all. These people live out on that ice waiting for the chance to receive their favorite food. This is what they live for "blubber" fat.. flammable fat.. maktak (muck tuck). this is their main diet for many thousands of years. Without blubber they cannot survive. This year the people of Point Hope are rejoicing .. greatly, they received two whales. that is not near enough to feed 800 people for a year.



T his is brutal weather out here, especially this day, I would scream when I had to change a roll of film for each of the cameras I had. Touching metal @ 50 below zero with gloves off is an excercise in pure torture. It would take a long time for me to gain use of my fingers, the pain was so intense. Try as I might, to figure out a better way to change film, was always the same results. Intense pain. numbness, frostbite, Pain for hours.... Only becuase I refused to listen to what these people kept telling me to do.. .. so I suffered. This was the day.. I could take it no longer, frozen tears..
Inupiaq Technology: time tested for many thousands of years.

This is why.. .. your nose runs so much when it is cold out. Use it !!

Valentia

Ah, great stuff Majik. Since reading Brian Keenan's book "Four Quarters of Light" Alaska has fascinated me. Haven't got to sit down and watch "Into the Wild" yet but apparently it has spectacular shots of the state.

Do caribou migrate that far north?

Majik_Imaje

is home for huge herds of Caribou. 400,000 in one herd alone. Caribou migrate up to the top of the world, Barrow, Prudhoe Bay and ANWR. We would enjoy 1.00 a gallon for gasoline if they would open ANWR. But people who have no idea how vast this area is. are keeping it closed for enviromental reasons.

There is one house here in the village of point hope that always has about a dozen caribou. on the roof of the house and a half dozen seals.



Food is abundant here in the Arctic. .but it is all soon to be taken away from us through mass deception and lies. Polar Bears are now on the endangered species list even though they are not in any danger. the population is at an all time high. We do not hunt the polar bear, they are much too dangerous and extremly unpredictable. But now that this animal is on th elist.. walrus and seals are next. The species that is in grave danger of becoming extinct is the Inupiaq Eskimo !!!

Majik_Imaje

How do you stay warm when it is 30 below zero out here on the ocean ice 24 / 7 for 8 weeks, sleeping outside, with no tents. There are many tricks that are time tested for many thousands of years. Eating a warm hot meal out here has its drawbacks at times. Hot food tastes yummy, but later your body will relax, become lazy and you will not generate enough body heat to stay warm. How do you think we get delicious fresh drinking water way out here in the middle of frozen no where ? We melt snow for use in cleaning and washing, but snow tastes like yuk, no matter what you mix it with. but for cooking and drinking and such we need delicious fresh drinking water. Where do you suppose that comes from way out here?? There are many hundreds of people 'hidden' in the ice, waiting for animals, to migrate through the narrow lead opening, This requires a lot of fresh hot coffee, tea, hot chocolate, water for making soup(s). where do ou think all this water comes from ?


The ice on the other side of the lead opening is moving from right to left in this image. that ice is moving rather quickly, perhaps 5 - 10 mph due to the strength of the ever present north wind. the hunters are facing south, the direction the animals will migrate from. do not stare at that ice. It is very easy to hallunicate out here.. in this vast frozen land.. Just keep your eyes on that moving ice. I was constantly falling over much to the delight of these hunters, I provided much entertainment of a different type than what they were used to viewing. this dumb city boy from Boston could not keep standing. When you stare at that fascinating ice moving.. .. .. at some point.. that ice on the other side.. .. will stop and you will experience the sensation of moving in the opposite direction .. .. Katak (fall) I had these hunters in a near state of hysteria lauging so much at my inablity to stand up. I just could not take my eyes off that ice moving. Oops there he goes again.. over down and out.!

PopeBuckfastXVI

First photo is absolutely brilliant

Majik_Imaje

The first image of me on that sled for the very first time. @ 50 below zero. ! I have the flu.. I was literally dragged out of bed, dressed and put on that sled. .Jake Koonuk whaling captain told his crew. get him down here now with his camera !! The truth must be told!

this upset many people. a white man on the ocean ice with a camera !!

Polar Bears were recently put on the endangered species list. The polar bears are not in any danger at all. but misinformation and a different agenda are being used for deception of the masses. the walrus and seals will be added next.. the only species that is in grave danger of extinction is the Inupiaq Eskimo !! This culture must never perish !!



There is an incredible amount of work that must be done on a daily basis out here.
Ocean ice is not smooth.. .. this has to be chopped, by hand using an axe, smoothed out, and keep that trail open .. chop down the high spots, fill in the low spots smooth it all out and keep that trail open for vehicles to bring down the supplies. The gentleman in the image below is over 70 years young, doing his job. Work that trail, keep it open.


As you can easily see, this is an immense amount of work that must be done to keep these trails open, clean, smoothed out and functional. Tons of supplies must be brought out here for each crew.



Polar bears can suddenly appear and attack from any direction, People need to be alert of these immediate surroundings. This is a very dangerous place to be. anything can happen at any time out here in many unexpected ways, and usually does with bizarre outcomes.

sprinkles

Wow, some great pictures and a great story to boot. Love the first shot!

Borderfox

Love both the story and the shots.

Majik_Imaje

POLAR BEARS
The marine mammal act has governed industry activities in northern Alaska for three decades, and the result has been only "negligible" impacts on polar bears, federal biologists say.
BUT .. someone else says different and has put the animal on the endangered list , (MARCH 14TH) Much to the anger of the people of Alaska, this is headed into court for litigation. .because it IS NOT TRUE !!
UPDATE: Polar Bears are not in any danger !! They have been deciding for over three years now, whether to put them on the endangered list. Last year or so ago they put that animal on that list and then quickly took it off. Now, the decison is being pondered again, with much scientific research & 5,000,000 dollars.
If they succeed in putting this animal on this list, .. .. a tragic disaster would take place. The walrus and seal and caribou are next ! This unique culture will perish, - we do not hunt. for that bear. it is too dangerous.
Here is something your not even aware of.. Alaska; - the Arctic - Sibera. only counts for 20% of the Polar Bear Population of the entire globe. Now it is going into court for litigation !!
The federal government is with-holding the info needed to make this decision. There is so much you do not know about this ferocious beast. A mother can take her cubs into that water and swim for hundreds of miles. this is fact: Polar bears also know how to tread water. Do you actually think a mother would take her children on a suicide mission ?
These scientists cannot possibly cover this huge vast area up here. A hand full of scientits have to check out an area that is bigger than the us of a. We know how to deal with these animals. .. the white man doesn't. Just leave them alone. half the time they are running from the very people that are trying to study them. shooting them. performing their research. Just leave them alone. Only as an absolute last resort, do we have to take one down. single digits each year. We do not go out to hunt them. they are too dangerous.It has also been documented on the history channel with 'film' of a polargrizz. !!
Here are some facts and information, I bet you never knew.

Well lets pause here for a moment, (pun intended)

Danger warning: POLAR BEARS are not soft cuddly cute animals, they are ferocious beasts of prey that are extremly dangerous and very unpredictable.
There is much you do not know about these animals, this short segment will teach you much about this magnificent animal, that should never be underestimated.
ALL bears.. .. are left handed, they will always strike with the left PAW first!
Even after a polar bear has been killed, that bear can still kill that hunter if he is not careful when that bear is opened up.
The liver must be burnt and destroyed, anything that eats this will die!

Admiral Perry on his expedition to the North Pole lost 3 members of his crew due to attempting to eat a polar bears liver, It is saturated with millions of units of Vitamin A. This is extremly toxic and deadly.
when that bear has been opened up for gutting, skinning, etc.. A hunter must be extremly careful, not to get any of that "juice' on himself, gloves must be worn. Great care must be taken when cutting the liver out of the animal. the tubes must be tied to prevent leakage of this "JUICE" it contains tooo much, Vitamin A and just by getting some on your skin it will kill you!
When the hunter is finished with the procedure of gutting that animal, any clothing that has "juice" on it must be burned and destroyed !
Barrow Alaska 1940's Vincent Niigak was gutting a bear, and all was well and finished, His gloves were removed and burnt. His hands were cold and he brought up his hands to warm them by blowing on them close to his mouth. Unknown to him at the time of this event. The tiny-est speck of juice touched his lip.
He Lived to tell about it in a very unusual way. He lived for many decades but he stood out in a most peculiar way.
Eskimo's are darkskinned and with black hair. Vincent's appearance was white as snow. His skin, his hair. ALBINO. pure white skin, pure white hair. Everything was bleached white by that small miniscule amount of vitamin A on his skin.
Everyone in Barrow knows of this famous hunter, He died in the late 1980s I believe. I have never had the pleasure to meet this famous man, but many have told me the same story in each and every village. His claim to fame was well known all over the area.
A polar bear can run at speeds of over 40 miles per hour, they can attack without notice, out on the ocean ice. They are ferocious predators. Each month, certain women must get off the ice. go home. come back later in a week or so. get off the ice. you present too much of a danger out here for everyone.
That bear can smell blood for many miles, these bears are extremly clever and will stop at nothing to eat, anything.
Seals are their main food supply. A bear will sit over a breathing hole in the ice and cover his nose and eyes with its paws, and wait for a seal to surface to breathe. One quick look around by the seal, and it is all over,.. ... ... .. burp!
BILLLY WEBER WAS OUT ON THE OCEAN ICE; and a polar bear came around the corner and ran towards Billy at full speed.
Billy turned and ran. he had a .22 rifle with only one bullet left. he took off running, he had no choice but to run.. that bear was gaining on Billly as he ran for his life. Other hunters out on the ice saw this event unfold, but were too far away to offer any assistance. There is only one place to shoot a polar bear to kill it.
that one vital spot is in the ear. While running for his life, with that bear quckly gaining on Billy he merly pointed that rifle back as he ran and took the shot.. .. ..
.. .. Billy lived to tell about this and everyone up here knows of this famous event.
That bear was that close, because Billy waited, and waited until the last possible second to point it at the ear and take the shot while on the run. That bear went down.
A very close personal friend in Point Lay Alaska, My electrical apprentice, Charles Stalker Jr. III was not so lucky. A polar bear was going after his pregnent girl friend. Charles distracted that bear away from her, and armed with only a knife, and a very thin jacket, that bear literallly cut him in half with the swing from the left paw. The villagers came out and blasted that very skinny bear, but much of Charles had already been eaten. Dec. 1990 sob!
1950's Allan Rock was out on the ocean ice. Same predicament.. A polar bear was charging him, armed with only a large knife, Allan was successful and jumping on that bears back and taking him down the hard way.!!!!!
During the 1970's it was LEGAL for the white man to hunt the polar bear in Alaska.
A permit had to be obtained and it was good for only one day. The cost of the permit was 10,000 dollars, This practice had to be discontinued because too many of the great white hunters were shooting polar bears from the planes they chartered.
Polar beat meat is the most delicious meat I have ever tasted in my life.
It is jet black, grainy like old gnarled wood, but it is so sweet and tender, 10 times better than the best prime rib I have ever tasted. In fact it was the ONLY time I had ever asked for seconds at a meal, and all at once everyone responded NO!
Scientists are puzzled at all the recent drownings of polar bears. They say it is because of the huge distances between ice packs, that the bear cannot swim that far. That is not the real reason for bears drowning, no.
The real reason for their drownings is they have no fear, they will attack a sleeping walrus on the ocean ice. A walrus will sleep on its back with head back revealing the vital neck region. when that bear pounces on that walrus, the walrus merely lowers its tusks around the bears head and rolls over into the water bringing the bear down to huge depths !

Polar Bears were recently put on the endangered species list and then quickly taken off that list. We are only allowed to take them down as a last resort to protect innocent lives here in the village. Each year a few bears will enter the village. Bears stay on the ocean ice pack, sometimes they wander into town.
We do our very best to get them out of town, back onto the ocean ice. Sometimes
that is not possible and we have to take them down quick, due to the fact there are children outside in the village. This year three bears entered town, two of those bears had to be taken down quickly, as they were trying to gain access into homes.. A mother with three cubs entered town.. We were successfull in getting that mother and those cubs, out of town back onto the ocean ice.
The bear and the meat is the responsibility of the hunter, the skin is worked on by the women. It takes many women to perform a "Native Tan" on the skin using very sharp Ulu knives. This can take as much as ten hours or more.

These women work hard to scrape that skin clean, this is not an easy task to accomplish. Sally Killigvuk, the mother of the hunter with the polar bear. Elizabeth Oviok (postmaster) work hard with these other women. Six - Eight women will spend the entire day, working on this skin, when that skin is cleaned, then it is put into the ocean, tied up to soak for a week or two, then it is placed up on a rack in the strong north winds to dry, for many months.

Well we live a simple life in a very dangerous place, under the harshest conditions known to man on the entire face of the earth. We would not have it any other way.
Believe it or not, YOU are all invited to take part in whaling festival next June in Point Hope !! A three day non-stop event held every year (coming soon).
J.J. Russell Lane, displays the skin of his very first polar bear.
J.J. caught two whales this year! His first, and His second.


Khristopher Nashookpuk caught these two bears, in fact his girlfriend took down the big one.!!
Actually, they caught three brown bears in two days.

Grrr... Grrr.. you ain't so tough !! Grrr.. Grrr.
These dogs just have to show how tough they are, when a dead animal is hung or brought into the village.

Well I truely hope that you found this all "bear-y" interesting !
Lots more to come, lets go back to the ocean ice and see what happens when a whale is received !!

OctoberFall

I'm trying to work out if this is some strange spam, of if the poster is just weird.

Kintarō Hattori

Hmnn he's posted this story before:
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://majikimaje.com/PullSled.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/lofiversion/index.php/t375.html&h=626&w=800&sz=110&hl=en&start=4&um=1&tbnid=bTlfSCmY9CjuwM:&tbnh=112&tbnw=143&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpoint%2Bhope%2Balaska%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-ie:IE-SearchBox%26rlz%3D1I7GZAZ%26sa%3DN

http://majikimaje.com

Why ? did I post it on so many forums ?? Ask any good business man. He would never just choose one channel to advertise on. As a businessman. I have spread the word about some of the greatest people who need the worlds help. I have worked very hard to tell the truth about some of the greatest people that, I love !!

pvt.joker

I'd hardly call it spam. It's very interesting stuff, even if he does write in a weird way!

Kintarō Hattori

pvt.joker wrote: »

I'd hardly call it spam. It's very interesting stuff, even if he does write in a weird way!

It is possibly commercial spam as it seems from reading the website that he has flooded dozens of forums with this story and these images. Also if you visit the website there are various items/trips etc for sale. So while it may be interesting it can I think be classed as spam.

Majik_Imaje

pvt.joker wrote: »

I'd hardly call it spam. It's very interesting stuff, even if he does write in a weird way!

Well I am sorry if my english is not perfectly up to your standards. I have been living, thinking, acting like Inupiat people. I am accustomed to their ways.. for close to 3 decades now... ..No this is not spam.. these people need the worlds help..
the polar bear is in no danger.. they are thriving in record numbers.

It is the Inupiaq peoples that are in grave danger of becoming extinct.. the world wants to take all of our food away.We cannot afford to eat your type of food, it is just much to expensive for us. do you pay 20 bux for a box of cereal ? do you pay 10 bux for a small bag of cookies ? do you pay 200 bux for a small turkey.? We have been paying over 5.00 a gallon for gas for many many years.. we never complain.. it hits 3 bux and the whole world is going beserk over this.. in the 1980s we were paying well over 3 bux a gallon for gas..!! there are no jobs up here, very few people get to work.

This is a photo essay.. . people do not respond to 'spam' by saying we want more.. more photos.. more stories.. more more more. !!

Majik_Imaje

3 people out of millions have accused me of spam. We get 1,000,000 hits a month. from over 97 countries.. Do you just watch one channel on television? 58 photo forums to spread the word.. to the world.. we need your help. We are about to become extinct. this culture must never perish. North America's oldest people are in grave danger. 10,000 strong in the mid 1800's then the whaling companies arrived with their greed. We were reduced to just 190 people. in the Mid 1950's we were recovering and our population was 300 people then the government decided to conduct a little experiment.. they spread nuclear waste all over our area and watered the area to spread the radio active waste. "to see what effects it would have on the animals the enviroment and the people.

GOOGLE : PROJECT CHARIOT GOOGLE THE FIRECRACKER BOYS.

300 OF MY CLOSEST FRIENDS ARE ALL DEAD FROM CANCER !

No one is held accountable for this bizarre act. The world famous whale bone graveyard. It is the wierdest feeling in the world to walk into a graveyard and you personally know every name in there. I cannot possibly describe this ..



"trips etc for sale.???"

Majik_Imaje

There are NO trips for sale !! you just didn't take the time to read the posters comments to the blog.. he was looking for informatoin about the Arctic..

When people do not read ALL of the words.. they come up with these brilliant interpretations that are always WRONG !!

12,000 Eskimos. are on the verge of extinction because people are not aware of the TRUTH.. that is what all this is about.. to spread the truth, about our way of life.

Our need for our food !!! We need to eat ! groups, agencies, commissions are trying to take away our right to eat !!

Spreading lies about global warming. let me tell you about this new thing called global warming. I am aware that YOU KNOW all the facts.. !!

During the beginning of the 1980's we were 7-10 miles out on the ocean ice pack, then each year of that decade. Ice was les and less.. closer and closer to shore. by the 1990's decade we had no ice. we were whaling from shore. 2003-2008 we have had the best ice in decades.. 2007 we were 11 miles out on very solid ice.

pvt.joker

Hi mate, I wasnt criticising your language skills, just passing an observation.
Please keep posting photos and stories, its fascinating.

Do you have any of live bears? arctic foxes / penguins?

Keep up the good work

Majik_Imaje wrote: »

Well I am sorry if my english is not perfectly up to your standards. I have been living, thinking, acting like Inupiat people. I am accustomed to their ways.. for close to 3 decades now... ..No this is not spam.. these people need the worlds help..
the polar bear is in no danger.. they are thriving in record numbers.

It is the Inupiaq peoples that are in grave danger of becoming extinct.. the world wants to take all of our food away.We cannot afford to eat your type of food, it is just much to expensive for us. do you pay 20 bux for a box of cereal ? do you pay 10 bux for a small bag of cookies ? do you pay 200 bux for a small turkey.? We have been paying over 5.00 a gallon for gas for many many years.. we never complain.. it hits 3 bux and the whole world is going beserk over this.. in the 1980s we were paying well over 3 bux a gallon for gas..!! there are no jobs up here, very few people get to work.

This is a photo essay.. . people do not respond to 'spam' by saying we want more.. more photos.. more stories.. more more more. !!

City-Exile

I don't really care why you chose to post on this forum.
The pictures are of great interest & I'm fascinated to see how far removed their daily lives are from my own.

Valentia

I agree. I'm really enjoying this journey too.

Dink

Me too, it's very interesting.

Majik_Imaje

Thank you all very much.. I promise you a spectacular story with amazing photographs .. with facts you will just never believe.!!

first of all .. .. .. these images were created in 1982 ! 1983, 88,89 90 ! I have been on five whale hunts with these .. the greatest hunters in the world. this is all done the old fashioned way.. .. using FILM.
Mechanical cameras, no batteries, no light meters. One image, one exposed frame of film, move on, no bracketing !!



I got rid of my light meter(s) in 1973 when I first purchased a mamiya RB 67. I am using two cameras out here.. King & Kong the temp is 50 below at times (beginning of the 1st hunt). with vicious winds that never seem to stop.. At times we approach 100 degrees below zero with wind chill factored in. I have a pentax K1000 extremly rugged and able to withstand these extreme temps mounted on a tripod for 2 months. !!

I enjoy a very high degree of confidence using film.. I learned how to 'read light' It is not difficult to do.. it just requires a bit of practice.. then you begin to understand.. very easily and I will teach you how to do this. so effortlessly ! and in time you don't even have to think about it ..your eyes become automatic.. not the camera !!



First of all.. .. there are ONLY 3 things that happen, when you release that shutter, and capture that image.
That image is too light, it is too dark. or it is right on perfect !! (thereabouts)
Now, knowing that, usually you have to do one thing.. open your F stop or close your aperature.. I always choose the shutter speed I need first .. then I adjust the Aperature.
So, in essence, I walk around out here, year after year using just one shutter speed and my aperature is the only thing I have to adjust.

Now look at my surroundings.. .. the most difficult scene to 'read' for any light meter because of all the brightness bouncing in all directions !!



this is a typical whaling camp. Each camp is set up identical in each and every aspect. Time tested methods, dating back many thousands of years. This is their life, this is their culture, this is their FOOD !! This is extremly hard, difficult work in the most unforgiving climate on the earth. All this work is for one purpose.. .. food to eat! No one receives any pay for all of this work. Just the right to eat! No one ever complains about anything. these are very happy content people.




That sled under the umiak (00 me ack) is to protect the thin skin(s) that are used to make this craft sea worthy, six ugruk (00g rook) skins from the bearded seal are used. These skins are hand sewn together with a zig- zag type water tight stitch.. .. .. using 'dental floss' !!

pvt.joker

Have you any photos of whales?

Very interesting posts, Im glad you chose to post here.

Majik_Imaje

Last summer, while walking along the beach, with Ernie Phillips of Wainwright, My electrical apprentice whom I worked with in wainwright in 88,- 90 ! First time we have seen each other in 17 years ! quite a surprise when this shark showed up..! Dave.. that is not a shark.. tis a whale.. bottom feeding this close to shore.



well it looked like a shark to me.. I dunno nothing about whales.. but I have seen sharks on television.. I thought it was two sharks..(chuckle) yes these people laugh at me constatnly.. for my stupidity when it comes to the ocean the animals and even the birds. fish ?? I can't tell one from the other.. !

Majik_Imaje

Living out here in the middle of frozen no where, is mind boggling, day after day, week after week, at times you become very cold, there are tricks to keep you much warmer. One of the most important aspects of keeping warm is eating the 'right' type of food. Certain foods do certain things to your body. You need very thick blood, blubber is what makes your blood thick so you can endure, now to kick start your blood to circulate, requires more tricks, and it is accomplished by eating in a certain manner of two other types of food, You need to generate massive amounts of body heat, This is accomplished by eating raw, frozen meat,



(caribou = tuttuu (two-two) is how it is pronounced). Or.. raw, frozen fish. This is a hunters breakfast, ( kauq,) when a hunter is going to embark on a long journey out on the tundra or out on the ice, he carries this type of food(s).. Pick up that 'hacksaw' and slice some very thin strips of the meat from those ribs. If a fish is available, then cut thin small slices that you can swallow without chewing. Just swalllow, and fill your stomach full. This is what happens when you eat out here in this manner. Your body has to work very hard to digest all that raw frozen food, you will begin to generate body heat the likes of what you have never experienced. You become very hot.. !! @ 30 below zero, people are taking clothes off.. .. they are too hot ! You can go all day without ever getting 'thirsty'. ! do not ever attempt this and stay inside. your gonna burn up and end up in the hospital !
Can you tell who has recently eaten in this manner ??

secman

Where are you from originally ?

Facinating photos


Secman

Majik_Imaje

Well I guess you can 'read' my Boston accent ! only joking.. I was born and raised in Boston, proper. South Boston - 'Southie'

Photography became my obsession / passion 'hobby' in Oct of 1969. I just had to learn how to do this.. the darkroom was what fascinated me beyond what words can ever describe. I just had to learn how to process color @ home. Everyone told me it can't be done, it is too expensive and it is much to difficult for anyone to accomplish at home. I like those odds. I love a good challenge.. I was an apprentice electrician in the Union in Local 103 IBEW. and as such I was able to afford decent equipment and slowly I built a very good working color darkroom and began to make all the associated mistakes that are all too common when home processing.

It took me many years and many different darkrooms, but I did learn mostly by reading books and making mistakes. by 1974 I was teaching out of my darkoom in Peabody Mass. I had a huge darkroom, and I placed an add in the news paper.. Learn how to print color. Color darkroom printing classes.. $200.00 for an 8 week course. Instantly I had 25 students. 5 students per night each class was held once per week. I now have $5,000 to play with. Each student received 8 rolls of color film 36 exp 100 ISO and during the 8 classes they would process themselves 50 8 x 10 color enlargments 15 11 x 14 color enlargements and perhaps 6 -8 16 x 20 " Color enlargments. which was a good deal. I have trained students from the 4th grade up to an including women in their 80's !! I kept this going for many years, in Boston and out west in Washington state.

here is a very small portion of darkroom #15 in Kennewick Washington, I was in this area for almost 4 years working on the Nuke Projects @ Hanford.


I always wanted to learn how to turn my new hobby into a fun way to generate money. that was my main objective since 1970. How can I use my new hobby to make bucks. I refuse to ever stoop to creating 'filth'. I had many offers but always refused them. Back in the early 70's very few people in the country had the means and space and such to learn this, new technology. Home processing for color.. was not enjoyed by the majority of the massess as it is today.

It was at this sink, I would process 100 8 x 10 color enlargements in less than 3 hours time of the same image, using just two trays, for over 3 1/2 months. these 100 images would sell @ 3 bux each, out on the Job site, every morning. It was a photo of a huge construction crane called big blue built by Lampson. sorry I do not have the original image. I have moved around too much and all too many times, things, - boxes, equipment was lost or stolen. We made just over 12,000 on that one image in 3 1/2 months time. The work force on a nuclear power plant is many tens of thousands of people. 1000 workers for each craft or trade plus engineers and draftsman and other assosicated quality control personel were available, and the price was right ! This crane was 3 city blocks long, it could lift, and move 1000 tons. It was expressly built to lift the huge containment dome. A pick up truck looked like a tiny toy. The block and tackle was the size of a 3 story building. It required 5 miles of rigging and 7 people to operate this huge monster, 2,000,000 million pounds in huge concrete slabs were used for counter weights were used.

Majik_Imaje

On many forums -this particular thread appears - EVERYWHERE.

What to purchase for a camera ? The answers are similar on every thread - no matter which country that forum is posted on.

I have some results to post- using inferior - cheap-O cameras that might shed some light on this subject.

sunny2004

Love the images. keep posting..

AnimalRights

Majik_Imaje wrote: »

Food is abundant here in the Arctic. .but it is all soon to be taken away from us through mass deception and lies. Polar Bears are now on the endangered species list even though they are not in any danger. the population is at an all time high. We do not hunt the polar bear, they are much too dangerous and extremly unpredictable. But now that this animal is on th elist.. walrus and seals are next. The species that is in grave danger of becoming extinct is the Inupiaq Eskimo !!!

I'd love to give my political counter argument back to you but it's a photography forum and you say the world lies abbout Global warming? I say you are the one with ur head in the sand...er ice.

Majik_Imaje

Thanks for the wonderful comments - !! I have lots of photographs of the Inupiaq way of life - living out on the ocean ice pack for two months each year !!
I have been living in Alaska's Arctic for 30 years time - In fact if you go to any good library - you will find a BOOK - a big white coffee table book that is named - ALASKA'S ARCTIC. My photographs begin on page 128.

This book was published in 1991. I have many bizarre - strange - unbelievable stories to share with you - THAT YOU WILL NEVER BELIEVE.

One such person or individual a BOYER. On each whaling crew - there are 8 hunters. The hunters sleep outside with no tents !! No matter what the weather is like. MINUS 30 BELOW ZERO - MINUS 60 BELOW ZERO - We sleep outside - no tents. The tents are for the women only (Point Hope). In Barrow it is much different - but in every village - A BOYER - Is in charge of the tent !

When the women go to sleep at night the boyers job is to maintain that tent and keep it warm. He has many responsibilities. Chopping wood with an axe to keep that home made wood stove fired up and the tent nice and warm. He also has many other duties - such as Make hot coffee - hot tea & hot chocolate and keep the thermoses full and delivered to the hunters at the lead. He must also pay attention to the wind - always checking his area for new cracks in the ice. He is well armed incase of a polar bear attack. He is well trained - lie down - go to sleep, your in good hands. He must 'make' water for the different chores he as to do. Melt snow to obtain water for cleaning and washing dishes- Make delicious fresh water for drinking & cooking. In some whaling camps, this boyer is only 3 years old !! Hand him your lighter or matches and go to sleep !!




GLOBAL WARMING IS A PROVEN HOAX !!!

During the 80's (decade) Ice was receeding every year. In 1982 we were 7 miles out on the ocean ice pack. Each year - we were closer and closer to shore - the ice was poor.
during the 90's (decade) We had no ocean ice - we were whaling from shore.

2003- 2010 - We have experienced the best ocean ice in many decades !!

2003- we were 19 miles out. 2010 - The Arctic Ice pack is at an all time high - Arctic Ice pack is at a ten year high !! (documented as largest growth in the arctic ice pack since 1979 !!

Perhaps the question most often asked: Where do you go to the bathroom when you are living outside on the ocean ice pack. The answer is obvious !!



You hide - behind any large piece of ice !!

QUESTION: Where or how do you suppose we obtain delicious fresh drinking water - miles from land on an ice pack that is FROZEN SALT WATER ??? Yes we melt snow - for cleaning and washing; but for drinking and cooking - we need delicious fresh water. HOW DO YOU SUPPOSE WE OBTAIN all that we need out here for each crew ?? Where does that delicious fresh water come from ???

DaireQuinlan

Well, I think this thread has officially jumped the shark (or killer whale perhaps)

Blogger with an axe to grind:

OMG CLIMATE WARMING IS A HOAX OMG OMG !

Majik_Imaje wrote: »

During the 80's (decade) Ice was receeding every year. In 1982 we were 7 miles out on the ocean ice pack. Each year - we were closer and closer to shore - the ice was poor.
during the 90's (decade) We had no ocean ice - we were whaling from shore.

2003- 2010 - We have experienced the best ocean ice in many decades !!

2003- we were 19 miles out. 2010 - The Arctic Ice pack is at an all time high - Arctic Ice pack is at a ten year high !! (documented as largest growth in the arctic ice pack since 1979 !!

European space agency ...
"Satellites witness lowest Arctic ice coverage in history"

http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMYTC13J6F_index_0.html

(chosen from amongst thousands of other, reputable, sources saying much the same thing)

Diabhal_Glas

Spam or not Its fascinating stuff, I've been in -30c and my ears felt like they were going to snap off with the cold.
How the heck can anyone sleep outside and not slip into a coma and die at those temperatures you mentioned.

Majik_Imaje

Very strange .. indeed that you have to use (propoganda links) I use my eyes and report actual conditions here in the Arctic that we SEE !!!

WHY ?? WOULD AL GORE EVER SAY AND ADMIT HE WAS WRONG ?????

um ????

DaireQuinlan

Majik_Imaje wrote: »

Very strange .. indeed that you have to use (propoganda links) I use my eyes and report actual conditions here in the Arctic that we SEE !!!

WHY ?? WOULD AL GORE EVER SAY AND ADMIT HE WAS WRONG ?????

um ????

Sure. The European Space Agency. Propaganda. It's probably the New World Order or something, Hmmm ? Conspiracy theories forum is right here

Majik_Imaje

This is a photo essay and as such I will use photographs to illustrate my point(S)!!

Alaska's Arctic is extremely dry, the cold gets on you - it doesn't penetrate your clothing.

It depends mainly on how you dress and what you eat - to help generate more body heat. There are many 'tricks' to surviving in these frigid temperatures. These people have been living here - doing this - for well over 3,000 years in this one spot of land (Point Hope).

IMAGINE: having to chop a trail through the arctic ice - by hand - using pick or axe, for 5 miles or more. Long 12 - 14 hour days; incredibly hard work - for one month!! No one receives any pay for this hard work - just the right to eat !!



We each have our own opinions - we can agree to disagree without any name calling.

In the above image the temp was - 40 F w/30 mph winds bringing the chill factor to minus 80 below zero !!! I will post images of people sleeping outside ZZZZZZZZZZZZ !!!

I am reporting on what I SEE here in the Arctic and what we EXPERIENCE. Some people have never been to the arctic so they rely on the mainstream media ! (as their only source).

I HAVE THE PHOTOGRAPHS (dated) to prove and illustrate my point(s).

DaireQuinlan

Majik_Imaje wrote: »

We each have our own opinions - we can agree to disagree without any name calling.

I'm not resorting to name calling, I'm saying that your grandiose assertions about climate change being a hoax are complete nonsense. You're the one making the original ridiculous claims.

Majik_Imaje

ALL I AM SAYING... .. is that 2003- 2010 we have EXPERIENCED the best ice in decades !!!

Call it what you want - I could care less. Our summers are cooler and the winters are better!! ICE IS THICKER - and further out. I do not need a 'name' for this other than - this is great !!!

Mjollnir

Majik_Imaje wrote: »

Thanks for the wonderful comments - !! I have lots of photographs of the Inupiaq way of life - living out on the ocean ice pack for two months each year !!
I have been living in Alaska's Arctic for 30 years time - In fact if you go to any good library - you will find a BOOK - a big white coffee table book that is named - ALASKA'S ARCTIC. My photographs begin on page 128.

This book was published in 1991. I have many bizarre - strange - unbelievable stories to share with you - THAT YOU WILL NEVER BELIEVE.

One such person or individual a BOYER. On each whaling crew - there are 8 hunters. The hunters sleep outside with no tents !! No matter what the weather is like. MINUS 30 BELOW ZERO - MINUS 60 BELOW ZERO - We sleep outside - no tents. The tents are for the women only (Point Hope). In Barrow it is much different - but in every village - A BOYER - Is in charge of the tent !

When the women go to sleep at night the boyers job is to maintain that tent and keep it warm. He has many responsibilities. Chopping wood with an axe to keep that home made wood stove fired up and the tent nice and warm. He also has many other duties - such as Make hot coffee - hot tea & hot chocolate and keep the thermoses full and delivered to the hunters at the lead. He must also pay attention to the wind - always checking his area for new cracks in the ice. He is well armed incase of a polar bear attack. He is well trained - lie down - go to sleep, your in good hands. He must 'make' water for the different chores he as to do. Melt snow to obtain water for cleaning and washing dishes- Make delicious fresh water for drinking & cooking. In some whaling camps, this boyer is only 3 years old !! Hand him your lighter or matches and go to sleep !!




GLOBAL WARMING IS A PROVEN HOAX !!!

During the 80's (decade) Ice was receeding every year. In 1982 we were 7 miles out on the ocean ice pack. Each year - we were closer and closer to shore - the ice was poor.
during the 90's (decade) We had no ocean ice - we were whaling from shore.

2003- 2010 - We have experienced the best ocean ice in many decades !!

2003- we were 19 miles out. 2010 - The Arctic Ice pack is at an all time high - Arctic Ice pack is at a ten year high !! (documented as largest growth in the arctic ice pack since 1979 !!

Perhaps the question most often asked: Where do you go to the bathroom when you are living outside on the ocean ice pack. The answer is obvious !!



You hide - behind any large piece of ice !!

QUESTION: Where or how do you suppose we obtain delicious fresh drinking water - miles from land on an ice pack that is FROZEN SALT WATER ??? Yes we melt snow - for cleaning and washing; but for drinking and cooking - we need delicious fresh water. HOW DO YOU SUPPOSE WE OBTAIN all that we need out here for each crew ?? Where does that delicious fresh water come from ???

Why does the drinking water have to be delicious? Is it because of the wombats?

DaireQuinlan

Majik_Imaje wrote: »

Very strange .. indeed that you have to use (propoganda links) I use my eyes and report actual conditions here in the Arctic that we SEE !!!

WHY ?? WOULD AL GORE EVER SAY AND ADMIT HE WAS WRONG ?????

um ????

Incidentally, just having read that link, I'm bemused. Why would you link to a report that almost directly contradicts what you're claiming ? I know wacky climate change deniers love bailing on Al Gore, but you probably should have actually read the rest of the article as well.

Dr Maslowski wrote:

Dr Maslowski said that his projections suggested that the North Pole would be near ice-free, but that some ice would remain beyond 2020.

times online wrote:

Most researchers agree on a 20 to 30-year time-scale for near ice-free conditions in the Arctic.

Indeed most of the criticism aimed at Al Gore from scientists is apparently because he based " his talk on unpublished data, rather than relying on the latest peer-reviewed studies.", that unpublished data having come from the US Navy research unit which "was in a stronger position to give predictions as it had unique access to measurements of ice volume by submarines".

sprinkles

Really enjoying the stories and pictures but I have to agree with Daire on the Climate Change Hoax stuff. You may be experiencing the best ocean ice for decades but that doesn't mean that that entire continent is the same, nor that the ESA is wrong - they are seeing it with their own eyes too after all. But alas, that's diverging off topic....

In anycase, keep the pics coming!

Majik_Imaje

The 'internet' is a poor choice - for attempting to PROVE "anything". A simple search will lead to 'choices' ONLY !!

DOES GOD EXIST ?? Do a search and the results are astounding !!

GOD DOES EXIST; = 3,790,000 pages

GOD DOESN'T EXIST: = 7,460,000 pages

End of discussion !!

When you have to sleep - out on the ocean ice - you sleep with your boots and gloves in place.





Being exposed to brilliant sunlight 24 hours a day - out on the ocean ice pack produces some startling results. You easily become 'solar powered' (as long as you are outside). It is very easy to stay awake and alert for 3 days or longer. when you do get tired - just lean back on the sled and rest for a few hours and your all charged up - ready to go again for another 3 days (or longer).



Why should 'water' taste delicous ?? FOR THE SAME REASON FOOD SHOULD TASTE GOOD !!! NO ONE - wants to drink yuk for water. We need delicous fresh drinking water - HOW DO YOU OBTAIN THAT ??

Where or how do hundreds of people - camped out on the ocean ice - many miles from land. How do they obtain fresh water ? We need many gallons of it daily in each camp site for 12 or more people. IN Barrow there are 35 whaling crews x 12 members for each crew. That is a lot of water (daily). where do you think this is obtained and how ??

TRUE; we can bring fresh water ice out to the camp sites but that is extremely time consuming and expensive. Our gas prices are more than six dollars per gallon !! A much better easier time tested method is used.

We are surrounded by salt water frozen ice- it is all around us. How do you suppose these people magically turn this ice into fresh water that is incredibly delicious !!

DaireQuinlan

Majik_Imaje wrote: »

The 'internet' is a poor choice - for attempting to PROVE "anything". A simple search will lead to 'choices' ONLY !!

DOES GOD EXIST ?? Do a search and the results are astounding !!

GOD DOES EXIST; = 3,790,000 pages

GOD DOESN'T EXIST: = 7,460,000 pages

End of discussion !!

Wow. Way to go with the conversational non-sequitirs. I gotta say, if most climate change deniers are as eloquent in argument as you then we don't really have a problem. I can only assume that you're conceeding that your original assertion was completely baseless and nonsensical.

Majik_Imaje

The Arcitic Ice Pack -
Arctic sea ice reached its maximum extent for the year on March 31 at 15.25 million square kilometers (5.89 million square miles),” the National Snow and Ice Data Center stated in a recently published report. “This was the latest date for the maximum Arctic sea ice extent since the start of the satellite record in 1979.”

Global Warming or Climate change - which is the politically correct term to use ??

decimal

Majik_Imaje wrote: »

Global Warming or Climate change - which is the politically correct term to use ??

Misguided troll

Mjollnir

Majik_Imaje wrote: »

The Arcitic Ice Pack -
Arctic sea ice reached its maximum extent for the year on March 31 at 15.25 million square kilometers (5.89 million square miles),” the National Snow and Ice Data Center stated in a recently published report. “This was the latest date for the maximum Arctic sea ice extent since the start of the satellite record in 1979.”

Global Warming or Climate change - which is the politically correct term to use ??

At the real axis, the erf(z) approach unity at z → +∞ and −1 at z → −∞. At the imaginary axis, it tends to ±i∞

DaireQuinlan

Majik_Imaje wrote: »

The Arcitic Ice Pack -
Arctic sea ice reached its maximum extent for the year on March 31 at 15.25 million square kilometers (5.89 million square miles),” the National Snow and Ice Data Center stated in a recently published report. “This was the latest date for the maximum Arctic sea ice extent since the start of the satellite record in 1979.”

Global Warming or Climate change - which is the politically correct term to use ??

Like most misguided conspiracy theorists , you've selectively quote mined your source as well to try and support your position.

The original article is here:
http://nsidc.org/arcticseaicenews/

Which once again does nothing but CONTRADICT your assertion that ice levels are increasing year on year.

I particularly like ...

gloobag

http://www.southparkstudios.co.uk/clips/sp_vid_103844/

charybdis

Majik_Imaje wrote: »

GLOBAL WARMING IS A PROVEN HOAX !!!

During the 80's (decade) Ice was receeding every year. In 1982 we were 7 miles out on the ocean ice pack. Each year - we were closer and closer to shore - the ice was poor.
during the 90's (decade) We had no ocean ice - we were whaling from shore.

2003- 2010 - We have experienced the best ocean ice in many decades !!

2003- we were 19 miles out. 2010 - The Arctic Ice pack is at an all time high - Arctic Ice pack is at a ten year high !! (documented as largest growth in the arctic ice pack since 1979 !!?

WND.com is a media outlet closely aligned with the American crackpot right, after 9/11 they published an article suggesting "God (has) raised up Shiite Islam as a sword against America" because of the moral depravity they thought New York and much of America represented. I would consider them several orders of magnitude less trustworthy than Fox News.

Majik_Imaje wrote: »

QUESTION: Where or how do you suppose we obtain delicious fresh drinking water - miles from land on an ice pack that is FROZEN SALT WATER ??? Yes we melt snow - for cleaning and washing; but for drinking and cooking - we need delicious fresh water. HOW DO YOU SUPPOSE WE OBTAIN all that we need out here for each crew ?? Where does that delicious fresh water come from ???

ANSWER: FROZEN SALT WATER is the exact same thing as FROZEN FRESH WATER. When SALT WATER freezes is expells the SALT through a process called BRINE REJECTION. YOU OBTAIN FRESH WATER by MELTING SNOW. Also, if you haven't yet realised you're using fresh water, I hope you don't think it's a good idea to clean and wash with saltwater.

Majik_Imaje wrote: »

TRUE; we can bring fresh water ice out to the camp sites but that is extremely time consuming and expensive. Our gas prices are more than six dollars per gallon !! A much better easier time tested method is used.

Also, "gas" in Ireland currently costs about $6.75 per gallon.

Incidentally, how do you feel about 30 Days of Night?