High in the Arctic !! Eskimo....

Majik Imaje · Feb 15, 2007

yes ! I live 200 miles above the Arctic circle in a very small whaling village of 750 Inupaq Eskimo's. Believe it or not. I was faced with the ultimate challenge.. ! how do you develop 60 rolls of color film when you have NO WATER! ? True story.! I had to melt snow, for 6 months! to obtain the necessary precious water to mix chemicals, develop the film & process 11 x 14 images! how do you wash film without RUNNING water? ha ha ha ha
these negatives (6x7) are still.. in pristine condition.. here are some of the results.!!

BTW: Point Hope is the OLDEST CONTINUALLY INHABITED SETTLEMENT OR VILLAGE.. .. ... IN ALL OF NORTH AMERICA ! LIFE CAN ACCURATELY be traced back some 3,000 years!

-=EASTER SUNDAY, (explanation below)

That's how the "children go whaling" Notice the "sled" under the "boat" ?

ha ha ha ha ha.. NOW HERE IS THE REAL THING!!

See the sled ? the children Know what they are doing! This is their life!

-=Home Sweet Frozen Home!=- This is home.. .. for two months!

This is where we sleep, for two months. No tents! temp 40 below zero (F)

:lmao: ..how do we stay warm? .. .. .. .. come and learn.. .. .. The Eskimo Way! HOW DO YOU GET fresh water.. 3 miles out.. .. on the ocean ice?

betcha can't figure that out!!

Hello everyone. ! My name is David, Pakak or Tamak are my Eskiimo names! Pakak (to rummage through, looking) Tamak (to become LOST)

I am originally from Boston Ma. ha ha ha ha. I was working in Anchorage alaska as a forman on a huge airport. I was sent up to Point Hope, for just THREE WEEKS to wire some construction camps.

when the job was finished. I quit the company, and STAYED !

iI have been here now.. .. .. 25 years!!

I truely have.. .. .. some incredible images.. .. and fantastik stories that will just amaze yew!

I am very gratefull to find this site! I hope this is my new I-net home!

at least it is warm.. (shiver) !

Aapka & Aapa (Grandmother 89) Granfather (90)

Mitica100 · Feb 15, 2007

Hello David, welcome aboard. Beautiful shots, I loved the first one! Glad to have you here.

Majik Imaje · Feb 15, 2007

Life is very harsh up here.. but wonderful.! I wouldn't trade this for anything, anywhere in the entire world.. Our back yard.. is larger than most states and some countries.. and nothing out there! talk about absolute FREEDOM!! WHEW! I got lots of incredible images.. impossible stories.. and some of the wierdest things to share! THAT JUST DON'T MAKE SENSE!

how is it possible?? for a person (Eskimo) to smell a whale? under 20 feet of ice ?? imagine a person walking around.. on an ice pack the size of ha ha ha.. 100 miles long.. 5 miles wide.. walking, riding snowmobiles.. sniffing! ha ha ha ha.!! at 50 below.. and then.. after two days of this.. he says.. DIG HERE.!!! DOWN DOWN DONW.. 20 FEET THICK
... "there is the dead whale"!! talk about finding a needle in a ice field? I want to know..how he did that. he claims he could smell the whale? That just doesn't make sense.

Kathy Rock Age 10 We are 3 miles out on the Bering Straight on the Chukchi Sea. She is sitting on a snow-machine (mobile).

the temp is about 30 below (F). 250 F-16 As I approached Kathy, I raised my camera, and she started to smile. I said NO!

I am not here, dont look at ME! and I raised the camera again. and her face "changed again" I said no! Kathy? I am not here. look "past " me

look right through me, I am not here. -=click=-.. that's how I got.. 'that look'!

LongDucDong · Feb 15, 2007

Excellent series! I think eskimos are so intriguing. Thanks for sharing!

LaFoto · Feb 15, 2007

Hiya David, or Pakak or Tamak, welcome to ThePhotoForum.
Good to have you here. I see that you have A LOT to share! Wow. I am already all impressed!!!
I moved your thread from the Introductions to the General Gallery, since you are introducing yourself with so many photos right from the start, so they should be seen by everyone (and many more go to the galleries than go "downstairs" to the Introductions).

Thank you so much for joining and sharing these photos.
Don't stop as yet. Out of 60 rolls of film there MUST be more for us to see! They are so good.

his4ever · Feb 15, 2007

I am excited to read and see what you have experenced. Thank you for sharing what you have discovered. This is great .

Majik Imaje · Feb 15, 2007

I have been on 5 whale hunts!

82 1 camera 60 rolls of film

83 5 cameras 300 rolls of film

88 1 camea 100 rolls of film

89 1 camea - 100 rolls of 120 film

90 1 camera - 2 rolls!

I have a "few" images to show you ! Lets have some phun eh ?

Majik = the initials of my four sons.. Imaje = Xact same w/ last name!

Oh.. I forgot.. you want to see more images ?? Kewl.. java intense web site.. (harmless) honest.. only works with MSIE.I got a lot to learn.. about web design!!!

http://majikimaje.com ! have phun and enjoy!!!

Big Mike · Feb 15, 2007

Welcome to the forum.

I am always amazed when I see how these people as so in tune with nature...it's really amazing.

I saw a show on CBC last year. It was about a very old man who lived in a a very remote arctic type village (somewhere on the east coast of Canada I think). He had been taking photos for 50 or 60 years...it was an amazing story of how he recored the history of that place.

Majik Imaje · Feb 15, 2007

Cities, civilization.. do not interest me one bit! Gas is over 5,00 per gallon up here with 80-% un-employment!

It used to cost me. 1,000 per week...just to feed my four baby sons!

5, 3,2,1 years young! I am a single parent..that has successfuly raised four boys.. all my by self! I pulled them all out of high school 3 years ago!

I am the very proud father of four high school Dropouts.. !!

Have you ever seen Ivory ? have you ever seen/ felt FOSSILIZED IVORY that is over 10,000 years old ? Or how about going for a walk.. along the beach..in the summer time.. and a friend of mine.. saw something sticking up perhaps 6" out of the mud.. and he "kicked" it.. ha ha ha ha.. he almost broke his "toe" ha ha ha.. you can't get a "toe" truck upu here in the Arctic.. but he grabbed it.. and the ground moved.. 10 feet away.. he ran home.. got a shovel.. and whoa!!! W0w0W ! $15,000! Fossilized MASTADON IVORY 25,000 YEARS OLD!
.....................................................what's in your wallet ?"

wanna see some ??? ha ha ha ha..!!! My sons make these!

http://majikimaje.com/shophere/agora.cgi

Antarctican · Feb 15, 2007

Welcome to the forum. What a FASCINATING thread and it's an understatement to say I look forward to your future posts!!!

I've visited the High Arctic twice (Resolute, Pond Inlet and Svalbard) but have never lived there. I can imagine what amazing stories/sights you have experienced. It's a hard life indeed.

Majik Imaje · Feb 15, 2007

Eskimo..you have heard that word before.. ! Now learn how / what they do... to survive.. in perhaps the harshest climate on earth!!

Currently.. temp is 35 below.. nice wonderul day! wmd is about 30 mph!

Here is Point Hope.. (use google earth to zoom in)

Surrounded by water on three sides..We are only ONE wave away from total destruction.. and becoming.. phish phood!

THERE IS NOTHING.. .. nothing else. out there..OH BUT YES there is!!

but you WILL never ever in a million years.. "BELIEVE THIS"!!

STAY TUNED.. for some incredible photos and true TRUE stories!!

The man ..who lost his nose!! ha ha ha.. TRUE TRUE TRUE

http://majikimaje.com/stories.html

I have a very "warped" sense of humor.. I hope to get some of you people laughing / screaming ! enjoy!! what's for DINNER tonight ???

TIGLUK (tig luke) is about to go hunting.. then...he notices..he was not. where he thought he was !!!

http://majikimaje.com/Hunting.zip