The Interviews - Related Artwork from Cape Dorset Collection
Q. When did you see your first airplane?
A. It was at that time Nuvviyaq's father had a bullet wound and could not
walk. As we were slowly making our way her by boat the plane flew away.
So we did not get to see the plane up close as it left before we got in.
The priest apparently told the pilot about someone who had a bullet wound
in the leg. This had happened when they were hunting seals at the floe-edge.
He was untangling the dog traces when Nuvviyaq started to handle the gun.
It shot off, hitting his father.
So, the priest had passed a message on for Nuvviyaq's father to be taken
out on a plane. While we were at Igloolik (Point) someone saw a plane coming
here so he was taken here. We moved our whole family here. When we arrived
there it was, an airplane up close on the beach in front of the mission.
We had taken our dogs with us.
That night it was almost dark. The priest came over to tell us that the
pups had taken refuge under the mission house, he was worried that the pilot
would not be able to sleep with all the noise so he suggested that the pups
should be taken, so we went over to get them.
The following morning I could not wait for the day so I could see the pilot.
So when it was time to go to church for the mass, he was there to say the
mass as he was a priest. I served as a servant. I used to serve as a servant
with my Pattaaqati (Qulaut) at that time as often as I could.
The plane was caught in a low tide on the beach. While he waited to take
off he (the pilot) took plenty of pictures. He was going to take him (Ukumaaluk)
with him on the plane. So when the plane finally floated on the high tide,
my uncle was put on aboard the plane.
The plane was set free and floated away from the wind, but all this time
the engines had not fired up. Finally, after it had been blown away some
distance he started the engines. It started to go faster and faster as it
came in our direction. As it approached it got louder and louder until it
finally took to the air. We were amazed. Everyone watched as the plane left,
it turned before it went over the land, towards Arnaqquaksaat , and then
went straight down.
The men took out their telescopes to look. They watched and watched with
their telescopes. Those of us who did not have telescopes could no longer see
it, but they just kept looking until it completely disappeared from
view. It was something extraordinary. It was talked about for a long time,
it was constantly talked about as something that looked like a loon that
did not flap its wings.
