Inupiaq food: A Barrow family describes how whale is prepared

For seventeen-year-old Michelle Kaleak, spring whaling season is her favorite time of year in Barrow. Sometimes she joins her family’s crew out on the sea ice, where she says it’s peaceful to wait for the bowhead to come. Other times she helps inside the kitchen of Lillian Nageak, her grandmother. It was in that room, wielding a tiny ulu as a young girl, that she learned to prepare whale to eat. Back then, as now, several generations work to cut the skin and blubber, freezing some to make maktak and boiling some to make uunalik, and dividing it all into shares to distribute to the community.
This week, the Nageak crew is whaling, participating in the deeply important Inupiaq subsistence activity. Nageak says her sons are becoming captains, carrying on the legacy Marchie Nageak who died eight years ago. It’s a a part of the year both women look forward to, hoping for an announcement of a successful hunt on the VHF radio in the living room. “The whole town is always yelling when the whale is caught,” Nageak said. Kaleak said she often hears a whaling crew offer a prayer of thanks over the airwaves, and a lot of hooting and hollering too. “You can just hear all the happiness,” she said. In this video, visit the Nageak home and hear both generations describe the various ways they prepare bowhead whale to eat.

[@leofluffstar]

The grandma is so cute. Lovely family !

[@WorshipInTruth]

Yeah, I like this family.

[@ramencurry6672]

Good family

[@utkdimebag]

Yeah they hv eaten so much whales they look like whales themselves

[@LatinaCreamQueen]

@@utkdimebag mean :( Their bodies are naturally suited for the cold.

[@vegaskidd555]

I wouldn’t call her cute

[@CharlesPanigeo]

This video makes me miss my Aaka. Her name was Mable Pamiilaq Nusunginya Panigeo. She was the matriarch of my family the Paniguitkuayaat. She was a revered elder in Utqiagvik and she will be missed.

[@farizkeren5730]

Wait you live there?

[@CharlesPanigeo]

@@farizkeren5730 I was born there and most of my family still lives in Utqiagvik (formerly called Barrow). I visit every couple years, but I've been living in Anchorage for most of my life.

[@big_ute]

Pretty sure I met her at the AC store when I was up there a few yrs ago, she had some killer stories. We talked outside for the better part of an hr or so, sorry to hear shes gone buddy.

[@RealGalaxyGamers]

@@farizkeren5730 They also whale in Point Hope

[@hizzo3534]

Who?

[@corridos6984]

Awww that grandma just puts so much love in my heart.

[@robhill3378]

I love this culture of people, they are a proud and honest group.

[@mariojeromechavez6663]

I want to go to that part of the world to try their delicacies!

[@mzcarolk]

@@mariojeromechavez6663 it's barrow Alaska come try some like that 🤣👍

[@Nesqwikz]

I respect their culture but don’t agree with killing whales for meat. Especially since they are endangered I’m pretty sure. It’s illegal in many countries for a reason.

[@WillyLeclaire]

@@Nesqwikz So European people destroyed 90% of the whales colonies for cosmetics and oil and you want these people to discard their culture and unique source of food ?? who do you think you are ? why don't you clean your closet first ?

[@ka-boom2083]

The are corrupt and evil.

[@MartinRiosIII]

Aww lovely family - All grandmas are the same, no matter what part of the world they’re from , I love it.

[@user-mm1vn1xs4q]

@HANG TIGHT True! But hopefully our generation can learn from our mistakes and not pass them along.

[@tpsin713]

THAT G-MA IS A CUTIE PIE!!!

[@piledriverwaltzstansonly6000]

the grandma looks similar to my who never got to meet :( she is so precious teared up actually.

[@Dujuan_Thomas]

We need an update on Grandma ASAP

[@davidsoolook7308]

Awesome I miss Barrow and the real nice people we met there and I especially loved the comfort food , especially during EWC meeting feast , I am so glad our Creator blessed us with so great resources to live from , craving aged beluga now , thanks for sharing .

[@FearlessPassport]

I love the grandma :) Hope she is healthy and long lived.

[@nahhnee]

God I wanna try this so badly. I love the sustainability of indigenous culture. Much love.

[@yaruspushtuni2113]

@SHIIEEET aaaah

[@rmh6119]

@SHIIEEET no they dont thats propaganda. the reason why animals are going extinct are big companies. people love blaming indiginous people even tho they have a sustainable hunting system.

[@ericronolo2671]

@BUST ON ME NIBBA shut up processed food eater

[@kabwem.trozzi3614]

@SHIIEEET those people?? They are very sustainable unlike people like you buying chicken from the grocery

[@gary7867]

@SHIIEEET and there are people like you living like a pig in a city excreting toxic waste and living a wastefull hedonistic life.

[@launabanauna8958]

These are “salt of the earth” people. So heartwarming!❤

[@gd7681]

i wish this was an hour long documentary

[@mikeb2546]

I see they have a lot of Ulu in the drawer. (Traditional knife, great for removing fish scales, cutting whale blubber, etc).

[@gabrielle1962]

This is so cool!!!!!! I love how happy everyone is ☺️💕

[@tuffgongrastafari6825]

The girl is gorgeous! I love her smile

[@NeutralGenericUser]

I feel bad for her because of her unhealthy weight though :( Seeing obese children always makes me feel bad, because it'll be very hard and unlikely for them to develop healthier eating habits as adults.

[@sapphixia]

@@NeutralGenericUser she’s fine, she’s being fed well and she’s healthy otherwise. your reply had nothing to do with the original comment.

[@mourne4899]

@@NeutralGenericUser what? They’re fine.

[@greatcoldemptiness]

She def looks obese.

[@JS-wp4gs]

@@sapphixia No, she's clearly obese. Thats not healthy. Nor is denying reality

[@christinedoane9650]

The grandmother is so sweet! 💜

[@jackson15williams]

Reminds me of my italian grandma, and the same way My family would get excited when someone brought home a deer

[@amandabaldounis66]

I had a friend and family from barrow... I loved going to my friends home..I would end up sleeping with my friend and with her grandma....when I was lil it was happy..ruth Staley

[@N30N_907]

Coming from an Alaskan Native Yupik city I still love the foods no matter what

[@vionnaaldan3520]

I looooove the culture!! Grandma is adorable🥰

[@excusemyawkwardness]

I love and respect indigenous elders!!!

[@jojohnson8818]

I love your Grandma! Happy happy!

[@jmpfjoy9858]

I love this grandma!

[@mama-shellsmith359]

I love this video what a delightful family and the grandmother is such a doll

[@TheBcBob]

This is Great thanks for sharing!!

[@ziggymorris8760]

That is one cool grandmother.

[@atomicfusionvideo]

Flag on house to know which house is serving dinner tells a whole story of a real community is like a family Lovely culture

[@sinredsnuggs5565]

that stew she was cookin looked hearty and delicious

[@TheMightsparrow]

The elderly are a fountain of knowledge & the bedrock of any culture. They should be treasured

[@ziggymorris8760]

I love these people

[@larryouver7812]

Love the culture love the people so happy stay positive

[@xxpurplefire22xx13]

Love the grandma’s vibe ! Hopefully wish to try it some day 🙌🏼

[@santaclause1820]

I have whale food in my freezer😳

[@TruthSeeker.John8.32]

I think their food taste really good. I hope someday I can taste all their inuit meals. I'll probably go to Alaska someday. 😍

[@one_up907]

If you do try Mangtak, Nefkuraq, neghsaq, (Whale, Whale or seal dried meat, Seal) in my opinion the best meat is Seal but I love Whale and Walrus.

[@user-zr7ew5ch6n]

Wow! Such a beautiful culture!

[@yenbro1522]

The grandma is so sweet

[@tonicastel5933]

What a lovely family! May they be very blessed in the future. 🙂

[@jacintamatthias8656]

So blessed ❤️

[@garcia1401]

She is the cutest 😍

[@i.setyawan]

She's so cheerful and cute!

[@berbnobirbyes.8583]

I’m not native, but in asian culture, we eat lots of intestines too! They’re actually really good, my favorite is the liver. If you can’t digest the look of it, pâté has the same wonderful taste, but it’s just in a paste :)

[@yaruspushtuni2113]

We eat chicken liver every single day day by day liver liver ❤️❤️😘

[@LatinaCreamQueen]

In Mexico we have a soup dish called Menudo which uses cow intestine. If prepared well, it's one of the tastiest things. Really a treat!

[@ctrl9bkspc916]

Simple yet beautiful ulus

[@amiranore1707]

She reminds me so much of my late grandmother 🥺

[@lw4464]

So much LOVEEEEE 💕❤🤙🏾BEAUTIFUL FAMILY AND CULTURE❤💕 STAY BLESSED 🙏🏽

[@mzcarolk]

God bless u to coming from an inupaq myself God bless u to stay safe

[@des_music7814]

Loved this , now I want to try it

[@thgentleman9210]

The only thing unhealthy in that house is then Western food..

[@omnacky]

Or the hoarding

[@cremadefresita]

omnacky stfu

[@omnacky]

@Hunter Payenna Lul

[@aviationwide9211]

@@omnacky stfu

[@jeffmcbobberson8228]

@@omnacky stfu

[@zombierufi0]

this video is so wholesome....

[@contemporarysoulrecordings4280]

2:55

[@allydean-ikon6086]

Grandma is so cute

[@sheilayoung6590]

I want to watch the process!!!

[@UltraKandid]

That’s the cutest grandma

[@el.c.8858]

alaska canada and hawaii are some of the places i most want to visit.

[@SamDy99]

This is greenland

[@nikkibishop616]

@@SamDy99 It says Alaska dumbass

[@one_up907]

If you're in Alaska go to one of the villages and try the food, you won't be disappointed.

[@nebulisnoobis102]

@@SamDy99 bro, Anchorage is not in Greenland.

[@ZenCloud9]

I love this family!

[@alybachmeier1116]

I wish I had such rich culture and tradition.

[@ishenichole7340]

Me too

[@ilovespicytuna]

I want to try this so bad!

[@bellaphone5719]

That look delicious cheers my native friend I'm Laos and Cambodian

[@nebulisnoobis102]

this is really cool

[@shannsimms9072]

I want to try this. It looks good

[@lavvy2585]

She is adorable

[@AlaskaVR907]

Awwww my auntie :) my Amau aataiii she was so nice 😊

[@dubblejumpchump]

So many pictures in their house

[@jgirlisme646]

Lovely family🥰I love eating raw fish and I’m more curious to eat Beluga or whale☺️♥️

[@chufue5322]

Grandma ❤️

[@marktroiani5401]

National treasures are these people

[@pittbull4000]

Yes grandma knows her ways 😊

[@robrich8294]

I’d rather eat the muktuk raw if I ever get a chance to see how warm I feel outside in the cold. They should explain how these precious foods insulate the body against the cold and postponing hypothermia from happening. It does make a dramatic difference. That is a lifesaver in and of itself. Modern foods of commerce ruin teeth like refined white flour and refined white sugar products in one generation for growing children. Weston A Price traveled in Alaska & Northern Canada warning them in the 1920’s & 30’s to avoid these modern foods. His book is the most influential one I ever read in my entire life and he observed 4 different continents primitive indigenous cultures for 10 years across the globe and ALL SHARED like one large tribe or family. This world would be a much better place if modernized people thought this way. Money is what maligns it. I did notice the grandmothers husband on other videos. Think about it to all the people living away in a city or out in another country or state. It is not normal being money hungry and selfish. That is a sick and disturbing illness. I wish they had a video on explaining the difference between traditional foods insulating the body and postponing hypothermia and ones eating that vegan diet. That diet is fruitless in a cold environment. Or comparing eating pizza and popcorn as well as drinking Pepsi and make comparisons as to what diet prevails in the cold. Traditional Primitive foods. Sea mammals and oily fish.Let’s not forget that all sea mammals have omega 3 oil in it. So this traditional diet is superior to any other. Let’s not overlook the mining and oil companies being pretentious in words of safety by not causing natural food causing catastrophes with like contamination with whales and other sea mammals. . It is a falsehood they represent. Price’s book is a classic and has a chapter about the Inuits in Alaska and Northern Canada. Nutrition and Physical Degeneration was a former Harvard Anthropology course book. Great website too: www.Westonaprice.org. One of these days I’m coming up to Alaska or Northern Canada and maybe even Greenland and not coming back to Maine. Stay healthy.. happy ...optimistic and strong!!

[@dagmarramgad5441]

Beautiful people

[@iwuzafisherman]

So happy 😊😊😊😊

[@zinozee8929]

I wish their grandma was my grandma. She looks like she gives the best hugs nice and cosy warm with lots of love.

[@crabcakes4194]

I miss my grandmother who I never met.

[@the_brick_bali9956]

I want to try

[@nativoplantas2003]

God bless

[@matthewmann8969]

Well splited

[@JOlivier2011]

As a South African that whale meat makes me think of biltong. Would be interesting to try.

[@nebulisnoobis102]

it's always interesting seeing similarities between cultures and their foods, it makes me think of how so many cultures and people are so distant from eachother yet so connected. edit: i'd 100% biltong if given the chance.

[@bobteflar4879]

It’s crazy cause they all look like lil cute whales lmao cute family.

[@raniaamelia8758]

💜

[@Davdngo]

I SEEN THE GIRL WITH GLASSES ON TIKTOK

[@gratefullydeadful]

cool peeps

[@klanimakwon]

Now I want to eat some whale 🐳 ! Lols the old lady gives me hope I wanna try it

[@sistersquad6861]

Is there anyway we can get whale here in America?

[@FC-LYNX]

Alaska is a part of America

[@mzcarolk]

mm tuttu soup i like quaq and maktaq 😁👍😋

[@kali4421]

My great grandpa told us stories during his time, long ago in Japan, that his family/tribe had to travel from their mountain homes all the way down to the seaside to go whaling. They had to catch and eat whale in order keep themselves warm due to harsh cold weather and use the blubber to make lamp oil and cooking oil. My great-grandfather and his family are Indigenous mountain people of East Hokkaido called the Ainu People. I don't consider myself Ainu because I was shamefully raised with western culture here in Guam and I feel like I could never experience what my ancestors went through so it would be disrespectful. The Ainu people are considered uncivilized and savages in Japan and that broke my great-grandfather's heart. My grandpa(his son) decided to move to the states away from all that and start a life of his own which resulted in my dad and then me. My great-grandfather moved in with us when I was about 8 year's old because the people in the mountains were slowly dying out including my grandma, and so there were not many people there anymore. He passed away when I was 11 and now I am 19 years old. He passed away peacefully in his sleep. He lived a long life of 104 long years and that man was so healthy, he out-lived his son, my grandpa. Maybe due to all the whale, bears, and wild food he ate. My grandpa died from a stroke, ironically. Not many people know about the Ainu people and that's because of people like me. So sorry Ojisan😭 Although I inherited and was more adhered to my Pacific Islander mom's culture I also very much loved sitting and listening to my great-grandfather aka "Ojisan" tell beautiful stories of him and his family, my elders(his parents), which are now my ancestors. The Inuit have so many similarities with the Ainu people even their facial and physical features..these girls might even be my distant cousin👀🤍

[@Liam-iv7wk]

That's fascinating. I've always known of the Ainu people of Hokkaido and Shakalin but have never known of someone specific descending from or part of the Ainu community, so that's cool. And good on your grandfather for carving out a life and legacy for himself even with the past being what it is.

[@marcelocrespo5882]

That lady looks just muy granny😘

[@micaelaiampietro1837]

Do the other people pay for the meat or hunters hunt for everyone for free? How does this work?

[@ElidaeDanh]

How dare you not let me eat this

[@mzcarolk]

dude u gotta come here lol but u gotta come here lol but ok gi

[@Cldscntrmndm]

Like Lembata Whale

[@Sakura-zu4rz]

I am so hungry, I could eat a Whale??...🐳

[@basilicaangela4638]

She looks like an Okinawan grandma.

[@ryctohernadez9135]

California has spam and pineapples

[@nativoplantas2003]

Hi

[@eugeniasyro7315]

Yummy!

[@mothermovementa]

Cute

[@janemann3045]

It's their right and way to hunt whales.It feeds the whole town

[@jimgray4085]

Looks like black pudding.

[@shannnz9148]

Because they eat the whale it doesn't seem to bother me, I'm intrigued lol

[@schatzfarms4471]

And we wonder why they are almost extinct

[@Hyperion-5744]

I'll like to try whale one day.

[@mayamachine]

Wawasalmegwadich, kichi wliwni

[@ThatFrozenGuy]

Jesus, all our homes look the same don’t they? The only difference I can see is what we put in the rooms.

[@canesvenatici9588]

The tongue eh? Yeah I bet it's delicous even orcas sometimes only eat the tongue and leave everything else behind.