Churchill Dene elder Caroline Bjorklund realized a life-long dream and quest last week traveling south all the way to New Mexico seeking her roots and native connections with the Navajo nation.
Caroline had heard, and read from numerous sources, that her Dene tribe from Northern Canada was long ago part of what is known today as the Navajo nation in the United States. For as long as I have known Caroline she has dreamed about reconnecting with the lost brothers and sisters she has never known other than in her heart. This trip was a chance to see if a connection was there.
Caroline with a Navajo dancer. Steve Selden photo.
The focus of the journey, in which I had the pleasure of joining Caroline, was the Gathering of Nations held at the Pit on the University of New Mexico college campus. The beautiful sunken basketball arena served as an awesome venue for hundreds of tribal representative dancers, drummers, singers and crafts artisans. The gathering is the largest “pow wow” in North America taking place over a two day period. Two long exhilarating days. Having never been to a “pow wow”, this was far from what my mind had conjured up as the setting though I soon realized once the drumming and dancing started, the setting really made no difference.
Gathering of Nations grand entry. Steve Selden photo.
I used to follow the Grateful Dead back in the 80’s and the feel and vibe of the entire scene, not just the performance is what kept me coming back to the shows. This, as I realized by the second day of the gathering, was a feel quite similar to those experiences….minus any drugs or alcohol. That reliance on drugs for many “deadheads” is what, in the end, caused my interest to wane. As much as the drug “feel” was apparent at dead shows, the sober innocence “feel” was also quite noticeable at the pow wow. The energy inside the arena and friendship vibe outside around the food court and arts tent were refreshing. It’s funny how well people treat others when not under the influence of any drugs. Sincerity shines through.
Native dancer awaiting his call to the floor. Steve Selden photo.
The dancers from every possible native group wore their feathered “regalia”, not “costumes” as I overheard one dancer correct a woman from Texas. The colors were as vibrant as the energy rising from the floor in the middle of 18,000 or so people in the arena. Young as well as older dancers were judged by a panel floor-side with prizes awarded to the best in the competition. However, even though it was a competition..technically.. the feel of the whole thing never gave way to a competitiveness. It was as if the all were dancing and drumming to, at once, celebrate their past roots as well as fend off any demons that still exist.
Young dancers at the Gathering of Nations. Steve Selden photo.
Meeting and engaging in conversation with people allowed Caroline to feel part of a bigger native family here in the United States. In Canada, near Churchill, only a few native tribes exist..in the states, as we all know, there are numerous groups. A little overwhelming for a Dene woman living in a town of just 800 or so inhabitants..not all of which are even native. The gathering opened eyes and minds..both Caroline’s and mine..of the beauty of all peoples coming together as one…a dream truly imagined and found for these two days at least. More of this dream trip in the next post..stay tuned.
Dancers and crowd dancing together. Steve Selden photo.
I’ve been invited out to the Watchee Lodge in the Wapusk National Park near Churchill for several years now. Unfortunately the trip has not happened for me so far though after seeing the attached video piece by ABC television I hope to venture out there sometime soon.
Without question February and March can be cold beyond cold on the open tundra in search for mother and cub polar bears.The thrill of seeing the first interactions between mom and her young cannot be matched. When the bears finally break out of their winter homes, a once in a lifetime experience ensues and photographers stand shivering to capture amazing shots.
As much as Watchee lodge presents rare opportunities, mostly for accomplished photographers, to view these animals in their natural habitat, there are ample chances for others to see sows and cubs throughout the year. They reappear around Churchill after they emerge from dens they head to the coast to hit the ice for seal-hunting school. These encounters as well as Summer encounters can happen but are somewhat rare. Fall is still the best time to view cubs of the year or coy’s as they are known as well as one and two year-old’s with mom.
Big sparring males in October and November surely thrill the crowds of travelers however a serene day watching interactions of sows with their young is soulful.
The bond that exists between Churchill and Winnipeg, Manitoba is ageless. Churchill lies roughly 500 miles North of Winnipeg as the crow flies and is only accessible by airplane, train or dogsled….ruff! Yet, the link between the two towns is one of necessity as well as one which transcends bloodlines over many generations.
For thousands of years aboriginal tribes gathered in Winnipeg at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers ; a place now known as the Forks. The tribes would come together to exchange goods,mostly furs, stories and old fashioned companionship..some not always of the friendly variety. No email, no texting, no cell phones…actual human interaction…something sorely lacking in my opinion in today’s world. Stories and encounters…later on with Europeans, passed on at these gatherings live on today through multiple generations of Manitobans both native and of European descent.
Winnipeg is still a place today where a wide range of ethnicity abounds. Still a gathering place of sorts.
As the late Winter, otherwise known to most of us “Southern folk” as Spring, churns on in the Churchill region, a few more breaks in the ice, known as leads, appear. The temperatures have remained fairly steady the past week or so with minus 20’s C filling the air most days. Some scattered snow showers have kept the snow around the area looking fresh with a white top-coat.
The consistent cold bodes well for polar bears hoping for an extended season of seal-hunting on the Hudson Bay ice pack. With the late freeze -up last Fall, the ice still has some fragility despite the normal cold of this Winter. If the region were to receive an extended unusual thaw period, it could be devastating. The thaw coupled with heavy Northern winds allows for the propensity for ice break-up. Fortunately, it looks as if the season will continue without any risk of such early weakness in the surface ice. Consistent cold temperatures have allowed ice to continue forming throughout the season without interruption. We should see some healthy bears come Summer and into Fall. Can’t wait.
Winter in Churchill is a perfect time for the many local artists to work on their craft. Painters and stone carvers comprise the majority of local artisans, however technology has opened up a new door to artistic expression. Check out this animated video of Churchill by artist Kim Hunter. It portrays Churchill and the North in a refreshingly new way that anyone who has been fortunate enough to visit or live there would appreciate deeply.
Churchill has seen a little warming trend with temperatures just above the freezing mark. Melting snow and fear of an early break-up have fueled the global -warming theories. Fortunately the current temperature is -9C with light snow and the extended forecast for the week is colder temperatures in the -20s C …back to seasonally cold weather. The longer the ice lasts into Spring the better…especially with the l;ate freeze last Fall. Numerous sows and cubs as well as their tracks have been seen crossing the land between Wapusk National Park and the Hudson Bay as the family units make their way onto the ice to hunt seals. We will be watching the weather intently over the next two months…stay posted!
Meanwhile up North…while the bears are doing their thing on the ice encrusted Hudson Bay, another marine mammal literally lies in wait for the break-up.. allowing them to migrate South for the Summer. I know it seems a little backward in the migration process.
Photo: Steve Selden
At the outset of my Arctic Summer guiding career about 14 years ago, I could not grasp why beluga whales migrated North at the end of the late Summer. Believing that as you traveled further North you would encounter colder temperatures and more ice -pack in any body of water, I was constantly questioning the beluga’s decision making. Should they not be searching out a ” Southwest passage” of sorts…a hidden estuary or river system that would land them in the Caribbean for the Winter? And how, at any rate, could they survive the Winter up North when everything is frozen and they need to have access to open water to breathe every 10-12 minutes at the very least.
Well, we all know about open “leads” in the pack ice…the water lines that appear when ice pans or floes break apart due to currents and winds. Most of these leads are unpredictable and close up almost as fast as they appear. For beluga whales to Winter over in a certain area they need that predictable open water. Enter the Hudson Straits. As you can see on the map, the straits are pretty far northeast of the Hudson Bay. When one sees how the lower Hudson Bay as well as the Churchill River freezes up solid, it’s natural to assume anywhere North of 58.44 degrees latitude would as well. Well most of the open water does but there’s a current system in the Hudson Straits that allows for a wide expanse of continually open -water. This area is known as a “polyna”, a Russian word describing an enclosed area of open water surrounded by ice.
Researchers have found polynas in the Hudson Straits and have tracked large pods of Hudson Bay beluga whales to these sights. They still have not discovered exact evidence as to why the whales migrate to this location. One theory is for the whales to escape predation by killer whales though their isolation in the ice surrounded polynas increases their chances of polar bear predation. Another thought is rich Arctic cod and char fishing grounds. However, many theories still point to the fact that this current influenced, open water is a predictable Winter respite where the whales use their fine tuned echolocation capabilities to dive below ice and return to the open expanse of water. Continuing research should provide more answers.
When you arrive on the Environment Canada page, scroll down to Hudson Straits and click. You will see the open polyna in the straits. Browse through the other areas that are current and you can see ice depths and coverage.
