Why I loved my time in Rankin Inlet

Many of my life adventures have been a result of serendipity.    Not familiar with that word?  Serendipity means a "happy accident" or "pleasant surprise"; specifically, the accident of finding something good or useful without looking for it.  A British translation company has voted Serendipity one of the ten English words most difficult to translate. 

So not to be labour the point, in the spring of 1990 I attended a Library conference where I complimented a woman on her attire.  Later, over drinks, I learned she was the Director of Public Libraries for the North West Territories.  Just a few weeks later, I was on a plane to Rankin Inlet to interview for the position of Regional Librarian for the Keewatin region.  Even though it was a large plane there were only seats for twenty, as a partition had been put in place and the rest of the plane was for cargo.

When we landed in the North I was holding my breath in anticipation.   The first thing I realized was the cold.  It might have been June but the weather said December. That is why the Inuit were still wearing their parkas. I had not packed warm clothing.   Luckily I had several blazer style jackets and I soon acquired the layered look.   As for the Inuit parks, they serve many purposes.  Mother carries their babies in their hoods until they are two or three. As infant s the babies are snuggled in the hood wearing little more than a diaper, or the traditional moss, and when it is time for lunch Mummy somehow moves the baby from her hood to the feeding station without going onto the cold!

 The first night in the hotel was an experience.  I went off to my room around eleven pm and it was still bright and sunny.  The travel and latitude change had left me hyped to the max.  At three am the sun was still streaming in through my window.  That was when I discovered the blackout blinds.  The days flew by, I had a tour of the village, walked out to see the sled dogs (scary) and set for interviews.  I was treated as if I had accepted the position and one day was spending in receiving instructions regarding employment with the government of the North West Territories.

village of Rankin Inlet June still ice floes!

One evening while I was cat napping in the bar two of my companions asked if I was free for the next day.  Sure. Come with us they invited. They were going to make a medical in-and-out to Iqaluit and thought the nurse would enjoy another white face.  I inquired about transporting medical patients and they said there was lots of room. What an experience!  That little old plane was like flying inside a tin can.  The only plus was the noise made it impossible to talk; their medical stories were truly terrific. I was happy to get back to Rankin in one piece, and my ears rang for days.

A high light of my stay was the reception in our honor.  I neglected to tell you that I had a counterpart in this process.  The government of the North West Territories invites the two top candidates from a competition to the position location.  There the candidates can meet the hiring board and together come to a collaborative decision re who to hire.   My counter was Marc from Quebec   and we developed an easy friendship.  The reception was at the home of Michael Martchenko, for those in the know he is the illustrator of Murmel, Murmel  a picture book by Robert Munch.  Marc and I were thrilled by the attendance and the food was specular.   Our favorites came from the barbeque, garlicky caribou marinated in soya sauce and arctic char in a secret marinate.  And I think the first time I had Quinoa was in a salad served that night.  I found the food as sophisticated as we would have in the south.

Out on the land

Our week was action packed yet seemed so relaxed.  One day some of the elders invited us to go out on the land.  What a motley crew we were, Marc and I in what we could borrow and throw together, the elders (male and female) in their parkas riding ATV s  and the young men dressed in camo  wear,  $200 sneakers and trotting along beside.  From the air I had observed thousands of little mud puddle like lakes, how different they looked from the ground. We were above the tree line and all the vegetation rose no more than a few centimeters.  Yet the land was diverse and beautiful.  We passed a number of inukshuks and the elders often stopped to check that they were intact.  They explained that these food caches, marked with their distinctive stone shapes have often saved a life. 

But no more talking, it was time for action.  Our entourage stopped, all gathered round and the fishing roads and rifles were unloaded.   Soon an elderly woman was pulling char out of this little hole at an alarming rate.   Several others grasped the flapping fish, drug them to another hole and dressed them out. The fish heads were tossed in a pile.  Several of the fish were so wiggly that they escaped back into the water and were long gone.  There is a scientific explanation why this is so, but I will not get into it at this time.  The rifle – to shoot the sea gulls who tried to poach our fish! 

At the end of the week, our decision was made. Marc would take the position. (He stayed eight months then ended up taking a library position in Campbellton, NB!) There were many factors, I was not disappointed. I was not sure that living in isolation was for me. And Marc did not have a current position, I did.  They were hoping to get someone who could learn the Inuit language.  That would not be me.

The Coop Store - everything was available just 300% more !

Sunday morning was bright and sunny, as had been every day of my stay. I packed and went to check out of the hotel.  “I wouldn’t do that if I were you”’ said the desk clerk, owner, bartender and morning cook.   “But we fly out today!”  I replied.  “Maybe”, was her answer. We went to the airstrip for our ten o’clock flight,  at two they sent us back into town.  They suggested we come back at 7:00pm.  Did. Waited.  10:00pm they send us back to town.  I was getting very irritated and inquired why they could not just call and see when the plane was going to come.  I was told “That is not our way”. 

Wednesday the plane came, I was playing cards in the bar with the desk clerk, owner bartender and mornings cook.  I jumped up to pack and dash to the air field.  “Set right down there and finish this game and then have something to eat”, she said “they need to unload that cargo and then load what is going from here, you have lots of time”.  And she was right. 

Rankin to Winnipeg, I was only three days late. I waved the paperwork they gave in Rankin and I had a hotel and flights for Thursday.  I had missed three days of work thus far and needed another day to travel.  The people in Rankin had, in advance, cleared that with my library manager.  A week or so after I arrived back in Saint John I received a letter from the government of the NWT.  There was a letter formally stating Ihad been unsucessful in the competition;  and a cheque to compensate me for my time and trouble.