We returned to Nunavik today, crossing the Hudson Strait again. See the map above. The very friendly community of Salluit extended an incredibly warm welcome to us.
Following a walking tour of the village and lunch with the elders on the ship, we returned for a joyful community gathering.
The village threw a party for us at their cultural centre. On the floor were pieces of salmon and caribou. Upon an announcement in Inuktitut, the locals in the auditorium rushed forward with bags and dishes and scooped up as much as they wanted. Around the edges of the room, crafts people displayed their wares for sale. A meal was also available – one not including the floor offerings!
A woman displaying animal bones. 
A meal was offered, but I had just finished lunch on the ship … 
An elder tending a qulliq – stone lantern burning oil 
The stone lantern 
Young woman wearing a jacket with a big hood that acts as a baby carrier 
Community gathering 
Even the young boys got into the dancing 
Another baby carrier
A band onstage played original Inuit tunes and much to the astonishment of almost everyone from the ship including the staff, the accordian player was our very own Inuit culture expert Kyle.
One of our passengers is a blind man. When I first saw him, I wondered why on earth a blind man would want to come on such a visual trip. But once you meet Peter, you soon learn that he is as engaged in the trip as any other passenger. He and his wife Nadine are gregarious and talk to everyone. It only took a couple of days for everyone to fall for Peter.
Peter was born with glaucoma. He had some sight and so knows colours, facial characteristics and gender clothing and so on. As a child he gradually started losing the little sight he had. When Nadine met him he still had some sight left, but over time he lost it all. Nothing stops Peter! He had a career in IT (Nadine’s was in HR), he climbed Kilamonjaro, and he and Nadine head out on the most rigorous hikes offered by the tour – see the stick they use while hiking that allows Peter to follow with some notice in Nadine’s steps. During the Kinngait visit, Peter would carefully feel the sculptures while Nadine described the colours. It is amazing and incredibly heartwarming to watch the two of them.
Peter and Nadine also enjoyed the dancing at the community gathering.
Here are some of the images I took on our walking tour of Salluit.
Tomorrow we are heading back to Douglas Harbour where we stopped and hiked along the Qanattalik fiord. This time we will sail up a neighbouring fiord – the Tursukattaq. See you then!
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