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ARCTIC SURVIVALTRAINING YOUNG HUNTERSAND EXACTINGBy Howard Rock ?Times EditorDown through the ages in the Arctic, great hunters held sway in their communities. News of their exploits traveled up and down the coast. Hunters were praised almost to the point of worship by the people around them, not the least of which were growing boys who aspired to be as great, or greater, than thetr hero?.From ancient times to the present, the severe conditions under which man has existed in the Arctic has demanded extra efforts on the part of tvtiyone in the community. The people who excelled as great hunters won great acclaim from the people.Hunting conditions in the Arctic are not always ideal The portent of this hung heavily over the existence of the people. The best antidote for this situation was to develop competent hunters. If these hunters were great, the reward the community reaped was so much the better.Thus, the development of a hunter was one of the foremost tasks the I Arctic communities performed. It was pursued with religious fervor because it was a great necessity economically.Great AcclaimExceptional hunters were accorded great acclaim by grateful people. They were glorified in legends. Therefore, their stature in the society was a goal each hunter strived to achieve and in doing sothrough generations, that in ancient times initiation ceremonies were held about a month after the birth of a male child and after it was nursed into a strong and healthy child.The baby was taken to the nearest open water, either a lagoon or a lake, where the mother immersed it in very cold water. This ritual was to initiate the child to the great rigors of the Arctic, the elements with which the infant would have to contend with during his hunting career.Toughness, llie ancient Eskimos surmised, was a prime requisite of a hunter in order to take full advantage and avoid the pitfalls of the conditions, the severe climate and the treachery of the Arctic country.Rigorous TrainingAs soon as a boy was big enough, and aware enough, of life around him, training was begun in earnest. It was rigorous in many aspects andsternly enforced.Within the memory of older natives living in the Arctic today, growing boys were required, first ] thing upon waking in the morning, to relieve themselves out in the weather, around the back of the house, sans clothes, sans, mukluks.This was a strict routine for a certain length of time regardless of the weather, blizzard, 30 below zero, or mild.The boy was required to take this training like a man. To whimperwas to disgrace himself. To give he economy of the Arctic common- (way to tears of complaint was metities was kept at more or less stable wdth sternness and certain privileges were taken away, He had to learn to be a man and a man heparlance of developing endurance which he would need, in many instances, to cover large areas and distances. Here again, the lad was required to take weariness like a man.Musi Know WeaponsDuring the lad's growing years, he was given thorough knowledge of the weapons he must use as a hunter. True replicas of bows and arrows, spears, and harpoons to play with, were furnished to him by his father or grandfather.In modern times boys are taught the art of using the rifle. Good care of this weapon is thoroughly taught and the need for good marksmanship is stressed. Where ammunition is dear, it pays the user of the weapon to be a good marksman.By the time the budding hunterwas around fourteen he was allowed, occasionally, to hunt by himself. At that stage he had had thorough indoctrination on what to do while hunting. He had been thoroughly briefed on what kind of weather was best to hunt in. how to judge dangerous ice conditions, and to notice sudden changes of wind directions. In all he was trained tobe able to recognize danger hewould have to face throughout his hunting career.The young hunter hunted small game at the start. Hair seal fell into this category but it was the first important animal the boy must take. Getting a hair seal was symbolic of the start of a hunting career.Budding HunterThere came a day when the fledgling got his first seal. This eventlevel.Development of hunters was a collective effort on the part of villages,where each family undertook the | great hunter, task to raise and train a boy offspring to become competent hunter, a great one if possible. Because they aimed for the latter, the caliber of hunters was kept at high level.PrestigeTo have a good hunter meant food for the family, as well as the community. The other motive, of course, in having a great hunter in the family meant prestige and high standing in the village, as well as other villages along the coast.RitualsAnd so. in the Arctic, the goal of developing a hunter was pursued with great seriousness. Its importance was such that special rituals were performed in hopes of producing exceptional hunters.must be before he could become aRewardedEach time a boy came through this series of tests with flying colors, he was rewarded with genuine affection from his parents. He was served his meal with finesse deserving of a future fine hunter.He was rewarded in other ways too, especially by his mother, who made for him fine parkas, mittens, and mukluks. All of this served to give the boy a sense of wellbeing.By the time the lad reached the age of about twelve, he was occasionally required to go on hunting trips with his father. He was made to observe. without fail, the art of hunt*ing.Some of these were purposely lengthy trips on foot to acquaintIt was told in stories, passed down 1 and impress the boy with the im-i* W— ******triggered a flurry of excitement in the village, especially within his immediate family. He was greeted with great display of mirth by relatives, as well as other people in the village.As was the custom, the occasion called for special commemoration. A feast for the community was called by the doting parents in honor of their son’s first real demonstration as a hunter.The Send-offPeople gathered in the kalagee, including the great and near-great of the hunters, who came especiallyto pay their respects to the younghero.Performances by medicine men followed who, invariably, predicted a fine hunting future for the lad. The people rejoiced in anticipation of the probable fine hunter who would help to provide food for the community.An so, the young hunter was launched on his hunting career with an elaborate show of confidence from the people of his village. Whether he would blossom into a great one remained to be seen. He still must conquer the oogruk, walrus. polar bear, beluga, caribou, and the great bowhead whale.The pursuit of these animals would be fraught with danger, and in many cases, with unexpected suddenness.The boy had tasted glory and found it good. He would be spurred on by the honor his village had bestowed upon him and would pursue his calling with dedication, He would meet danger with presence of mind, as he was trained to do. His effectiveness as a hunter would be tested to the limit and often with danger to his very existence.Shows MettleThe budding hunter had been subjected to rigorous training and had come through in fine style. He had learned the basic principles of hunting geared to the severe conditions of the north country He had shown courage and mettle, both fine requisites of a hunter.Duties to perform had been laid before him and he would pursue them with vigor. The promise he had shown might carry Him to thepinnacle of hunting glory and acclaim by his people.And so, down through the ages, the development of the great hunter was vitally instrumental in the. survival of man in the Arctic.
Newspaper Details
Tundra Times
Fairbanks, Alaska, US
Mon, Jan 07, 1963
Page 4
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 13 Apr 2022
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