Eskimo Olympics Day 2

Carol’s bit


Went back to the Eskimo Olympics . It was the finals of the ear pulling contest.
Bit sadistic this, akin to bull fighting but the contestants are trying to separate their own ears from their heads. The contestants were in agony, walking around with bleeding ears and ice packs.


Anyway ,on a more normal note, there were a couple of extra craft stalls from yesterday. The stallholders seem to turn up if they feel like it, Indian time this is called, mebe I will mebe I won’t.
There was a nice little gadget that would do well on sale in English garden centres
. It’s a wooden tool made for berry picking. Saves a lot of thorn damage and is quicker than the conventional method, although at $70 a time I’ll stick to gloves.






The fashion show
was interesting, I preferred the Native American regalia, especially the dancing bells dress.





The carvings are interesting, and one of the craftsman explained what they used different parts of the animal for .He was demonstrating a drum made from walrus skin, and saying that the physiology of a walrus and a seal was the same as a human, with the internal organs in the same place. Bit like di-secting the mother – in –law I guess.


I have a problem with this half tradition and half modern to suit arrangement. Tonight is a seal skinning contest. It doesn’t seem to be necessary to hunt for food and clothes these days, as the Eskimo’s seem to eat the same junk as we do if they feel like it ,and wear store bought clothes, I’m all for keeping traditions ,language, and religions alive but I’d feel happier if the unnecessary butchering of animals was avoided.

JOHN'S BIT

i LOVED THIS DRESS. What made it special for me is that the wearer is studying Aeronautical engineering.






















If you look closely at the back you can see the symbol for Beech aircraft, apparently a favourite marque fo her.




















I was wandering around the stalls and this piece caught my eye. I thing it just proves that I have expensive tastes as it was priced at $3200





It is Walrus ivory and is covered by a blanket ban on importing ivory to the UK. Although we could take it to Canada.