Up here, winter is still in effect, while down south, even in Dawson, the warmth of spring is being felt. Below you see some of the newer houses of Aklavik nestled in the snow which is still easily 3' deep. They are typical of many of the homes in these relatively new northern settlements.

One detail that I want to draw your attention to is the ubiquitous direct-TV satelite dish. Don't think that just because these places are 200 km north of the Arctic Circle that they are free of the trappings of modern technology and southern culture. Just like Dan and I have never had to go long without wireless Internet (let alone regular Internet) or the sweet strains of top-40 pop music on the radio, so too we have never been far from cable TV.

People up here watch just as much TV as they do anywhere else - long winter nights are perfect for relaxing in front of the tube. Considering all the images that they, especially the youth, are bombarded with on a daily basis is it any wonder that they're interested in getting all the same junk that the rest of Canada is obsessed with? Is it an wonder why they must struggle to keep their traditions alive when a "better life" exists just a click of the remote control away?
The next place Andrea brought us was to visit Aklavik Inuvialuit elders Donald and Elizabeth Aviugana. I would say they are both in their 70s. Donald is a respected member of the community. He is a hunter and trapper and also serves on the board of several committees in the community. Donald was among the many people who left Aklavik in the 1950s for Inuvik, but he returned in the 1970s and doesn't seem to regret the decision.

They were both very kind and welcoming as was their living room which was filled with photos of familyl and friends. They had us sit down gave us tea and served us eskimo ice cream and crackers. Eskimo ice cream is bits of dried meat in oil and fat, of the same texture as a pate, and quite tasty. Many of the traditional foods up here are high in calories, because they are needed to give the body energy and to keep warm when out on the land.

Donald told us a little about how the ice on the river breaks up and about his work out on the traplines this past winter. Elizabeth allowed us to look through several albums where she had collected the programs from community funerals over the past 20 years, which were really intesting to look over and some quite sad.

Dan got to talking with Donald about trapping and snaring, and Donald offered to show us his work hut where he stores his catches and butchers and skins them. Below you can see the corner of the work hut where he has hung some of his traps.

In his hut Donald had tools for fixing and cleaning his traps and rifles. There was also fishing gear which included hooks carved from caribou antlers.Donald snared 49 lynx this winter which will get him about $250/pelt on the market, though perhaps as much as $300. A good price, he told us. However, he said he had discovered several of lynx he snared had been partially eaten by birds or other animals. This damage makes the pelt worthless to buyers. The young lynx Donald has in his hands here (below) is an example: it's half eaten.

Anecdote: Andrea informed me that the singular of lynx in these parts is "link" - one lynk, two lynx.

Also in Donald's work hut were some big fish and parts of caribou and moose, but these were given to Donald by other hunters. It's custom in these communities for younger hunters to give a share of what they catch to the elders as a sign of respect. I don't know if these beaver testicles were a gift or not, but they sure are BIG! Though, I'm not sure what one does with them...maybe they just hang there?

I was pretty amazed when Donald told us that some beavers can be over 3' tall when standing on their hind legs. I always thought they were smaller.

Aklavik is another small town of between 600 and 800 people that by road is about 100 km west from Inuvik, located in the Mackenzie River Delta. Like Tuk, it is only accessible to road traffic during the winter by ice road.

Dan and I were fortunate to be invited by a new friend of ours to go with her to visit some of the people in the community. Andrea Hoyt is a Community Resources Specialist who helps to keep tabs on the fishery in the Northwest Territories.

Aklavik means "place of the Grizzly Bear" and was offically founded as a town in 1918 as a muskrat pelt trading post, though the Inuvialuit had been in the region for generations before. In the 1950s the Canadian government tried to relocate all the residents to Inuvik because they feared the town was sinking. Many went, a few stayed, and several returned after some years. Apparently though, another reason the government wanted to relocate the citizens was because Aklavik isn't in an area that would be good for expansion. Nevertheless the community seems to be continuing to do well. Here, unlike some native communities, there seems to be more racial harmony because of inter-marriage between the Inuvialuit and Gwich'in people - who once fought for trade rights in the area - as well as whites.

Below is a sign that notifys tourists that the so-called "Mad Trapper of Rat River" lies in this cemetary. The real identity of Albert Johnson is not known, some believe that he was an ex-con from Chicago who came up north to escape. Supposedly he made a few enemies out of his trapper neighbours and then shot several RCMP officiers, killing one in the 1930s. This lead to a man hunt of unprecidented proportions for the Territory, including the use of arial tracking by famous pioneer Canadian bush pilot Wop May. It 's something that is still an issue around, and a curiosity for passers-by. We saw a whole photo display on the subject at the Eagle Plains Lodge on our way up to Inuvik. Apparently, Johnson had some people who liked him enough to have him burried in the town. One of Andrea's first stops was at Moose Kerr School where she met with a few students who had participated in a fish hole monitoring project at Little Fish River this past winter. She was here to encourage them to attend a conference on coastal zones that will be held in Tuk in August. Bright kids who no doubt have a bright future either in or out of Aklavik.At the entrance to the school are murals which cover the walls depicting animals of the area, traditional activities, and contemporary scenes. The big plaque pays tribute to the elders of the community (photo below).

It's pretty cool to see a community strive to connect, or perhaps reconnect, its young people to their roots. From what I've heard, many schools have programs that try to get the kids out on the land for a few days with elders and hunters. This is done so that they can learn about the old ways. However, Andrea points out that in some cases these programs are too short. Without a larger period of time devoted to such experiences the lessons might be lost. Still, it's a good start.

The notice borad in the school's hall has many posters on it. One says, "drop the pop." I guess nutrition in these remote communities is a pretty big problem. Too much junk food high in sugar and fat has created problems with obesity, diabetes, and oral hygene for the young. However, when the price of fresh fruits and vegetables is so expensive (I'll get some photos up), it's easy to understand how the cheaper alterative of junk food wins out - especially seeing as it tastes so good!

Tuktoyaktuk, or "Tuk" as people refer to it, is located about 187 km north of Inuvik on the edge of the Arctic Ocean. It 's not accessible by road except during the winter months (roughly between December and April) when the mighty Mackenzie River is frozen and a thick ice pack exists. At that time, weather permitting, people come and go freely and big trucks with loads of up to 65,000 kg hurridly shuttle freight back and forth because it is the cheapest way to transport supplies.

Martin, drove me, his friends visiting from Washington D.C. Danya, Tad, and Troy, and fellow Inuvik resident Emma to Tuk on Tuesday morning. The weather was kind of blah: grey skys, periodic blowing snow/freezing rain/rain, and a damp wind.

This is the time of year where the ice breaks up, so the road is being monitored and could be closed within 24 hours of notice. But, as you can see below, currently it's in great shape. Don't be fooled by the pressure cracks, the clear ice shows the pack is strong. In fact snow on ice is a bad thing because it can insulate the ice and prevent it from actually freezing thick enough.

As we drove we saw frequent patches of this lovely blue ice, so we stopped to snap a photo of it. The lines across the top of the image you see are made by a road grater to give a little bit more traction for tires, though a 360 degree spin is a pretty common place.Tuk is a small town of about 800 or 900 whose residents live a pretty traditional lifestyle. We only had a short visit, so I can't really say much about the place.

Below is a boat that was used for 37 years as a supply ship, a missionary ship, and a shuttle for students of the Catholic residential school. Our Lady of Lourdes was in service until the 1960s and is now a monument.

This is a photo of the Catholic church in Tuk. It is pretty small and a little decrepit looking. I don't know if this is a comment about the state of the church in our time, or not.Here I am, dipping my foot into the Arctic Ocean. Yes, it 's frozen. Yes, my sock is off. And yes, my foot was VERY cold following this photo. Our intrepid crew with their backs to the open sea, from L to R: Troy, Tad, Danya, Emma, and Martin.

You may have noticed that Dan has been posting a whole lot of entries, while I’ve seemingly dropped off the map. Well, dear readers, I’d ask you to think of it more as a temporary sabbatical.

The thing is that I've been pretty distracted since arriving in Inuvik. Our host, Martin Landry, has been keeping me busy with all sorts of things to see and do around the town. I’ve been snowmobiling more than ever before, ice-fishing for the first time, and driving the ice road on the Mackenzie River to the Arctic Ocean and Tuktoyaktuk. This is not to mention all the fine and interesting people there are in town here who Martin has introduced us to (names that I’m sure will come up over the course of the next month). It’s become apparent that not only is Martin the consummate host, but he’s a man with his fingers on the pulse of things going down in and around Inuvik. Gratitude to Martin, his roommates Terence and Richard, and his friends and colleagues CANNOT be emphasized enough.

Nevertheless, for me, activities of this sort are a two-edged blade. On the one hand, so much of Dan’s vision has to do with finding silence and being away from “it all” in order to gain a clearer perspective on the film’s focus: human connection to the natural world and the sacredness of place. On the other hand, I feel the only way to really gain that perspective is by breaking the silence and talking to the people who have this knowledge, the people who Dan has identified as the “dragons” we are searching for.

As a sociable person who finds so much learning and happiness by being around people, I'm finding it difficult to strike the balance between these two areas. And this matter is further complicated by the seemingly endless scope of the project. I can’t see where research stops and simple interaction begins though, I know the first is needed to move the project forward, and the second takes up valuable time and by it the project gains nothing.

But, I’ve talked about this before, and I knew this would likely be the biggest challenge for me when I undertook the roll of assistant. I know I must figure this all out. Oh, did I mention that as we are ready to start filming this fact is more present then ever? No PRESSURE Forbes!

Many people I have had the chance to talk to since coming North-people who came from the bigger towns and cities of the South-talk about how they quickly came to realize life up here moves at a different speed from the rest of Canada. For example, you have the expression "On Yukon time" which tells people to just forget about their schedules and let things happen. John Walker, a filmmaker we were lucky to talk with in Dawson, spoke about the mistake of rushing an interviewee in order to get the information you want or need, and counseled that we should rather be patient and take what we are given. Likewise, many city people, often whites, come up here and despite good intentions look for an instant postcard-like experience with the native people; yet, they will never get what they are looking for if they insist on this tack.

With this in mind, I guess it's appropriate that I'm now dealing with my biggest enemy: my impatience. I’m the kind of person who has always done things to the extent that my natural abilities allow me, without really striving for better or best results. I want this project to signify the turning of a new leaf. However, I have to realize that such ways cannot be changed with a snap of my fingers. So though it might be difficult and frustrating, I will remain committed to the goals I have set (i.e. finding a balanced approach to the project and doing it in my voice) and, with patience, allow them to be achieved.

So, if you now ask me, "How will you find this balance?", "How will you define your 'voice'?" or, "How will your voice differ from Dan's?", I will simply answer this: "Patience kind reader."

I know I've been neglecting my blog of late. The past week was so busy here in Dawson City, because of the film festival, that I really didn't feel that I had time to sit down and devote the time I needed to write. As anyone who knows me will testify, I'm no Speedy Gonzales when it comes to getting things done; like an old locomotive, I need time to build up a head of steam before I get moving. Here in the quaint comfort and relative seclusion of our friend Rachel's cabin, I think the steam is up.

First, before anything, I have to quickly acknowledge all the people who made our past week here in Dawson so memorable. It is wonderful to be made to feel so welcome when you are a complete stranger to a place. From the people like David and Lou-lou at KIAC (Klondike Institute of Art and Culture), to attending filmmakers like Dan Sokolowski and John Walker, to the crew at Bombay Peggy's, to Kyla, Dylan, Georgia and the good people at the "Chineaster" celebration, we say THANK YOU! Dan and I could not have asked for a better reception. Thank you!

The only problem for all of these fine souls is that their hospitality has ensured that Dan and I will be back to impose on them when we travel south. !

Now, back to business.

The road between Whitehorse and Dawson was not very long, however it provided sufficient time to affect a major change in me - a change in my consciousness. What brought about the experience is difficult to say, but part of it definitely had to do with the pristine landscape and the lonesomeness of the Klondike Highway we were on. The "experience" (for lack of a better word) was one that I can't easily put into words. The emotions it caused were so strong that I was a bit of a basket case for about an hour. I drove as they washed over me.

Now, after some time for refelction, I think I can explain what I realized then. I think I came closer to terms with loneliness. Partly this has to do with me on a personal level, as I've always wanted to be close to people, and haven't really ever been "on my own." And though Dan and I are on this trip together, we are both traveling a different road.

This lead to the greater realization that like Dan and I, so too each human being is on their own path. We share many things in common on cultural, intellectual and spiritual levels, yet we are still alone in our experiences - or rather how we relate to our experiences. That is because each of us lives a unique life which forms the unique way we see the world. And even the most honest, wise, and eloquent person cannot accurately describe their experiences such that another person can say they fully understand.

This idea, made me so profoundly sad at first. To think that, things like recording my thoughts to give the reader insight, are useless, or that it is impossible to bring even our loved ones to the state of consciousness that we exist within. It felt hopeless.

When this feeling of loss subsided, and I accepted this new idea of reality, the feeling changed to one of liberation and awe. For while we may be alone in this way, this diversity of experience, this uniqueness, is seen not just in us, but in every natural component of our planet. Isn't it amazing, that somehow, it's these differences that make the web of life so strong? Conversely, the elimination of difference, weakens this web. Monoculture is a weakness, whether it is the farming of species of salmon that eventually breeds out several natural species in an area or the march of Western (esp. American) cultural values and habbits into foregin lands.

As the cutting edge of organic technology, I'm confident that we humans are capable of using our differences to evoke the world we want. The catch is that first, as individuals, we have to identify what we want. Hopefully, here we'll find common ground.

As I read back over the previous paragraphs, I feel these words almost deminish the real feeling of catharsis that I felt on that afternoon just one week ago. If this is so, all I want to say is that I'm beginning to understand why everyone says "There is just something about the North." Here there are moments where nature seems to pause in collective contemplation and even the asphalt road keeps silent. It's in these moments that the wind brings titanic whispers that change people's lives. It's in these moments that you know this land is sacred.

This is the S.S. Klondike, one of very few stern-wheelers left in the north. When the Klondike Gold Rush was on there were something like 40 or 60 of these boats working to bring supplies and people from the south to the booming mining towns like Dawson City.
While in Whitehorse we were welcomed into the home of the Porter family (Marg, David, Sarah and Shaun). They are the relatives of a my good friend John Crombie's family from back home.The Porters had two beautiful Huskies: Willow and Cody. I miss dogs! These two were very qutie the pair.
Had a little return to my childhood days when I slept on Dukes of Hazard sheets that I used to sleep on when I stayed overnight at John's house. YEEEE HAW!

Here is a snap from the early morning routine. After waking, we take a deep breath and pull our bodies out of the warm comfort of our sleeping bags, plunge into the cold air of the van, and dress as fast as possible. We dress quickly not only because it is cold, but also because our bladders are usually ready to burst. After stowing our bedding, we get to breakfast. This brings us to the art of the breakfast smoothie. Here Dan show's his proficiency with the hand-mixer.On Sunday, March 9th it was a beautiful day. We met our friend from Watson, Katie, for a walk around the Yukon River. It was a time for a good chat about the path of our lives and to get a new perspective on the project.Ice-bound mud...spring is not in full swing.Looking south across the bay from the south side of of Whitehorse.

"Coming though!" shouts this new cyclist. I wasn't planning to have him in this shot, but I think it's better because of him.

So, after 2 days of driving on the Alaska Highway, we arrived at the Yukon/BC border town of Watson Lake.














We hit up the Watson Lake recreation centre for a workout and shower (only three bucks drop-in fee, how sweet is that!). There we met a new friend in the centre's manager, Katie Sutherland, whom you've probably already heard Dan and I talk about. Katie took us to a scenic place she knew where we could park. It was right near the old Watson Lake airport, which actually was where the town was originally located - now the town basically lines the Alaska Highway. In the morning we drove up to the derelict old main hanger. I just thought it looked so interesting, I wanted a closer look. It was built probably around the same time as the highway (during WWII), as a supply relay station.

Here is closer look at one of the hanger doors. I really like the texture of the time and weather beaten plywood, which is slowly losing its last coat of paint, and how that contrasts with the relatively modern jet fuel barrels.
Watson Lake is also famous for it's signpost forest. A post card I bought says that it was originally started in 1942 by a homesick American G.I. who was working on the construction of the Alaska Highway. Now, there are now over 10,000 signs. These signs are from all over the world...though mostly North America - and strangely many from Germany and Switzerland. Go figure.

From Edmonton we made tracks north. These aren't our tracks...but they look pretty cool, eh? They were made by a big rig at the Valleyview (AB) Huskey truck stop. Where we spent our first night. Moving north from Valleyview, we hit Grand Prairie, and then crossed into BC passing Dawson Creek where got on the Alaska Highway. The Alaska Highway was built during World War II by the American Army as a supply route, and it was completed in 1942 - though not really used until 1943 'cause the road was too dangerous.
North of Dawson Creek we stopped at a place which appeared to be a disposal site for road kill. Pretty nasty, but interesting in the way that dismembered and rotting animal corpses are. (Maybe it's a guy thing). Anyway, at this same place was a very steep ravine which looked amazing, so we got out a camera and tried a few shots.
The second night out of Edmonton we stopped in Pink Mountain. Here you see the Pink Mountain RV camp ground, liqour store, gas station, and post office.As we moved north on the Alaska Highway the views started getting awesomely beautiful!We've been neglecting the expense accounting because of our recent computer problems. Here you see Dan's wallet, full of bills, compared to mine...pretty much empty.

Leaving Edmonton and the comfort of my cousin's Jess' condo was our first tentative step into the realm of uncertainty. The place where questions like "Where are we going today?", "Where should we sleep?" and "What should we do here?" are common. And it feels good!

We spent a week in Edmonton because of various obligations, but without even realizing it. It shocked us to when we realized how easily that time had drifted by. At the same time there was a slight feeling that the city had sucked us in when we didn't want to be there, eventhough we really had little choice in the matter.

The past four nights we have been living out of the van (finally!) and with that has come more time to focus on the project and percolate ideas that we are presented with: from the places and things we see; from discussions we've had with each other and people that we've met; from radio programs we've listened to; and from the books we are reading.

I'm reading a very interesting book called In the Absence of the Sacred: The Failure of Technology and the Survival of the Indian Nations by Jerry Mander. This is another book from Dan's reading list. Compiled over the past few years while the project developed in his mind.

Mander is a former advertising exec. who in the late 1960s became involved with various groups working in the public interest. He is a skeptic and could be considered a neo-Ludite. He writes well and with a flare for the sardonic.

Though I have basically just cracked the book, the ideas he presents are prehaps some of the most revolutionary I have ever read - at least, revolutionary with respect to contemporary times. He is frustrated by how Western culture has been bombarded with so much technology over the past few years and how easily all such technolgy is absorbed into our culture. He questions the real value of these new technologies and wishes more people would "holistically" critique and examine new technologies.

Two of the most thought provoking pages of the book so far have been his "Ten Recommended Attitudes About Technology" from which I want to highlight two points (but I think all of you would do well to read all 10):
2. Assume all technology "guilty until proven innocnet." and



Why so negative? Mander says that we have been duped into believing that all technology is neutral and that only the people who use technology decide it's value or social, political, and environmental consequences. This is because since the end of World War II, when so many "advances" were happening so quickly, the advertising spin was that all technology was good and going to make life easier. Such things were considered "progress" and far be it from anyone oppose progress; however in the process, this created a dangerous blind spot in our culture's evolution. And we can see this today: so many new things are coming in (faster computers, smaller MP3s, "better" drugs, etc...) and we are just trying to keep up, let alone evaluate it.


Mander worries about the lack of democratization in the development and introduction of new technology. He talks a bit about his first book called Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television and how he was shocked when he found out that out of 10,000-odd books written on the subject of television in society, his was the first to advocate its removal. All other critical opinions were simply out to make content "better" but these failed to see how much of a benefit television was to a very small percent of the population (see Attitude 5).

His view is perhaps extreme, but the point is clear: there should be a wider public debate about new technologies. And I believe there is a very strong case for this. Perhaps we see this happening currently vise a vis genetic research, but even there, it's not as intense as such a huge topic deserves. There is only the occasional flourish in the headlines and otherwise the debates are kept to very exclusive circles of intellectuals and public officials - 'cause the general public shouldn't be bothered with such "trivialities" as the building blocks of life.

I'm worried that I'm not effectively addressing these ideas, and I've already blabbered on too long about them - re-writing Lander's words more or less. So I'll save furhter ruminations for another time. Let me leave you with a quip from the chapter "Seven Negative Points About Computers" that again shows the keen and sardonic style of Mander:

At the 1940 World's Fair, American industry promised that
computers...would eliminate toil, and thus free us to pursue higher
goals. In the 1980s industry said computers would...ease the burden
of office workers....What automation and computerization actually
do achieve is the elimination of jobs, which liberates human beings
to stand in unemployment lines.

He's a barrel of laughs, I tell ya!

After reading about some of Mander's ideas, it was cool to learn of someone who is trying to help one culture in this vein of sorting through the massive flow of technology that is enveloping the world. Last night we attended a screening of some selected entries to the 2005 Banff Mountain Film Festival. Most of the movies were rather shallow, just about various forms of adrenaline junkies - examples of what I talked about in my Feb. 22 entry "What Kind of Nature Lover Are You?": i.e. people who love the outdoors mostly because of its capacity to be their playground.

However, two films The Hatch and The Magic Mountain were more profound. The latter, in particular, interested me. It talked about a Canadian woman, Cynthia Hunt, who independantly started an NGO called HEALTH (Health,Environment and Literacy in the Himalayas) in Ladakh, a remote area of India in the Himalayas with a unique culture. Her efforts are centered around helping ease new beneficial technology and knowledge into the remote villages of Ladakh, at a speed that won't threaten to overwhelm their ancient cultural fabric or threaten their sovereignty. It was an inspiring story. You can read more about HEALTH at www.health-inc.org. And if you want to know more about the Banff Mountain Film Fest go to: www.banffcentre.com/mountainculture/2005/

I'd apologize for the increasing length of my entries, but I'm not sorry.

Until next time!

f

Well, we're in Whitehorse, the capital of the Yukon. And we stopped in at an Internet cafe for the first time since we left because there's no Starbucks in the vacinity and no wireless (yet) access for our good ol' problem magnets, I mean...computers.
I looked over my shoulder and there is Dan writing a short blog update and I thought, I'll be damned if he continues to one-up me with these updates...I want to show I'm on the ball too!
We've been traveling for about 3 days to get here since leaving Edmonton on Monday evening and what a drive. We've got lots of pics, but let me just say for now that the Alaska highway is Bea-U-Ti-Ful! Very different from driving the Rockies.
But, I can't really elaborate....the clock is ticking ont this crazy Internet connection and we are due to hit up an "extreme" sport/outdoors film-fest which we just found out about while I was buying (yet another) pair of boots.
So that's all for now.
More to come!
f
(take that Dan!)