A very big blizzard

Last week, Western Nunavut just experienced a huge blizzard. It started on Tuesday and lasted until Friday.  Not only were the government offices and schools shut down, but even the grocery stores closed, which means people went without water delivery or access to groceries for days. The snow drifts on the roads built up to incredible heights, and coated the houses with an impressive fortress of snow.

Instead of being in Cambridge Bay during the blizzard, we were "stranded" in Yellowknife, unable to fly home to Cambridge Bay while the blizzard still raged. From Monday to Friday, we had to wait at the hotel in Yellowknife for the weather to clear. But it wouldn't be entirely accurate to say that we suffered while we waited. We'd wake up in the morning, go for breakfast in the hotel restaurant downstairs, and then lounged in our room watching TV. In the evening, we'd come down to the lobby bar in time for happy hour (read: free food and cheap drinks). By the time we finally checked out, the bartender knew us by name, by face, and our favourite drinks. After a while, I wondered if this was what life would be like, living in the retirement home we used to work in. So...yeah, it wasn't terrible.

Meanwhile, back in Cambridge Bay, many people were without running water and therefore could not take a shower for days...but oddly enough, generally had power so the were able to post about their experiences on the Internet while they were snowbound.  These photos were posted on Facebook and Instagram by people in the community:

carving out a path home

You can see more incredible photos from CBC here, as it apparently made front page news in the country.

Somebody on Facebook commented about how people must sometimes wish they had a regular water system, "that way when it blizzards you can use that extra time to catch up on the laundry, take a long hot bath, wash the floors and dishes, etc., instead of measuring every drop hoping it will last you through the blizzard." When you constantly have to worry about whether you'll run out of water, it changes everything.

Eventually Environment Canada declared that the blizzard alert was over, and the water delivery trucks began running again. The trucks hit the road to start clearing the snow, and the offices and schools opened again. And the weather let up, a little, just long enough for us to be able to land our plane.  After several days of cancelled flights, there were many reunions at the airport. Families together again, folks trying to leave on vacation finally able to leave, folks trying to get back from vacation (like me) finally able to return. And mail! And eventually, groceries!

Just in time too. The shelves at the grocery stores were looking pretty bare.

Going home wasn't easy though. We had to practically break into our house - digging through the snow that had piled up and packed against our front door.

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Of course, the blizzard conditions didn't stop some folks from having adventures.

 Kite boarding with the dog

The Hamlet of Cambridge Bay put out this message about snow clearing and water/sewage service after the blizzard:

Of course, one question is whether this weather ever really ends. Saturday went by with perfectly fine weather, but then on Sunday, we were confronted with yet another blizzard warning:

Here we go again. Time to stock up on food, candles, water, and board games.

Read the Nunatsiaq News' account of the blizzard here

the songs that formed 2014: a deeply personal list

Happy New Year!

Someone once asked me to list my top fourteen albums and top five songs of the year, but I’ll be honest. I live in a faraway land where there are no record shops or concert halls or really even a group of peers that listen to music that is not on the one radio station that we get here. My internet bandwidth is capped at 20 gigabytes and for that I have to pay $130 a month, so I’m not eager to go over that limit. I couldn’t list fourteen albums that were released this year, because I’m still catching up on what came out last year.

What I can give you though, are my top five songs that I discovered this year. How about two sets? The top five songs that saved my life, and the top five songs that devastated me, in the sense that they created something that is so raw and powerful that it shook me to the core.

The top five songs that shook me to the core this year

Erieau – Knot of Snakes (hibernaculum remix)

Shit, where did this song come from? I mean, I know where it literally came from – it’s a remix of the original Predator/Prey tune, which is already bizarre and fantastic on its own. You should check out the Predator/Prey double album that was release last year, by the way. Part of the band is from a land (Inuvik) that is just as faraway and surreal as where I am, and the guys are scientists that write concept albums about animals.  That in itself is pretty neat.

But then Predator/Prey’s Adam (who I guess goes by Erieau) went and remixed the song and produced this masterpiece that actually gave me the chills – and this was not because there was an Arctic blizzard raging outside. Adam has more or less skinned the song of every element that might have kept it familiar and comforting and what is left is this – this eerie, slow, electrified piece of ominous swells and echoes that takes patience to listen to. The Youtube-surfing short attention spans might skip this song after ten seconds, but it is worth it to sit still and listen to it the whole way through. I just wish I could write songs like this. Just don’t listen to it while falling asleep, because I kind of feel like it might give you a few nightmares?

S – Brunch

I’m happily married, so I have no idea why this broken-hearted song resonates with me so strongly. It probably has something to do with the unsettling jarring guitar riffs hovering mostly in minor chords, dueling guitar parts which more or less seem designed to induce panic and anxiety. The song is like the musical form of a late night phone drunk message left on an answering machine to an ex-boyfriend after you’ve been awake for hours with insomnia, and all of these thoughts that you know you should not think just keep crashing around inside your head and piling up until you feel like you are drowning. Okay, maybe that’s why this song destroys me so quickly.  I may not spend time any more hosting imaginary arguments with ex-lovers in my head, but I am an occasional insomniac, and that’s what this song feels like: insomnia-induced panic.

And then it just ends. Not on the tonic chord. The notes just fade out, feeling unfinished. Why would you do that to me?

Haley Bonar – Last War

 Maybe it has something to do with the opening bass line, so subtle and minimalist and yet hinting of something dangerous, followed the entrance of Bonar’s soft soprano vocals, sounding wistful but growing more and more intense as the song progresses. This track is a beautiful example of how to build up a song until it hits a terrifying climax.  There are ambient guitar noises blaring in the background that you don’t notice until the second or third time listen to the song, but it gets buried in your subconscious right away.  There is so much going on in this song, like an overwhelming panic attack, and this song does it so well. This song destroyed me, and yet I listened to it over and over and over again.

Ejecta – Afraid of the Dark

I really am a sucker for songs that gradually build up. This song has a misleading “introduction” that lasts for almost half the song – the true character of the song doesn’t really reveal itself until the tempo picks up around the two minute mark. But it works, because it keeps you waiting, holding your breath until you think you’re going to pass out. The melody is repetitive but haunting. The vocals are somehow both sad yet hopeful – despite the imagery of the lyrics about one’s heart being afraid of the dark, and about one’s fears, the supporting synth-dominant music has a certain driving sense of resolve, of somehow surviving despite the tragedies, which I feel like really captures the simultaneous senses of feminine sadness and feminine strength.  And maybe that’s why I really love listening to this song.

Tanya Tagaq - Fracking

Listen to the song here

I was so, so, so shocked when Animism won the Polaris Prize this year.  Happy, of course, but surprised.

I live in the same town that Tanya Tagaq grew up in, a tiny remote isolated community deep within the Arctic circle. It is a beautiful place full of majestic things but also incredible pain and tragedy.  In the sky above we have northern lights that dance all night, and at the same time children go hungry because their families have nothing to eat.  The Inuit have survived harsh environments, colonialism, and even now pervasive social issues of poverty and mental health issues.  Can you hear this suffering in this song Fracking, where Tanya Tagaq sounds like she is gasping with sobs, and then choking for air, and then crying out like a woman being attacked, and then snarling defensively? Because that is what I hear in her music. When you listen to this song, can you also picture the beautiful land and water that is threatened by the carelessness of human progress? That’s why this album is so brilliant. 

The songs that saved my life this year

Fitness Club Fiasco – Goldmine

Do you worry that you’ve become too cynical and bitter lately? Are you afraid your pessimism has grown so strong that nothing will make you smile in a sincere not-sarcastic manner? Not even a bunny rabbit. Give this song a listen.  This song is so sweet. It’s so damn cute.  You’re going to sing along, even though you never let anyone hear you sing.  You’re going to dance, even though you know you look ridiculous.

Bowjia – Hold me close

The problem with winters here is that the perpetual darkness can make you tired, all the time. .  I was at our local gym, trying to coax my spirits up with some healthy exercise, and then this song came on my iPod.  All of a sudden, the weight room became a night club, my elliptical became a dance floor, and even though I was alone, I had a burst of energy and enthusiasm I hadn’t felt in a while.  I swore to myself, “This is awesome! I’m going to run ten kilometres every day!”  I didn’t, by the way, but still this song pumped me up and made me feel great.

Alvvays – Adult Diversion

I know you feel it too sometimes. Your alarm clock goes off and your bed feels like a womb that you are being forced out of, and you involuntarily think the thought I hate everything because you do not want to get out of bed. But you tell yourself sternly that you can’t think thoughts like this first thing in the morning, because otherwise how are you going to get through the rest of your day? But how do you motivate yourself to get going? Play this song while you brush your teeth and pack your lunch. It’ll do the trick.

WHOOP-szo – Has It Been So Long?

Unlike my other songs on this list, this song is not fast-paced, designed to pump you up. Instead, its relaxed rhythm has a comforting effect, like a friendly pat on the back or a warm hug. It really stands out against the rest of the experimental art album, written and recorded in Nunavik. Overall the album is quite good, but this song is the sweetest.  Maybe it’s coloured by the wonderful conversation I had with Adam when I interviewed him. He just really comes across as a thoughtful man full of insights.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Until The Sun Explodes

This song, with its catchy synth-guitar riffs and boy-girl harmonies that are so typical of the band, is a ridiculously awesome cheerful picker-upper. Also, the music video is great for those who like nostalgia.

I have also been giving to my friends mix CDs of my favourite songs that I discovered in 2014. Here's the track listing:

Fitness Club Fiasco - Goldmine

Diamond Bones - Something Like Summer

Alvvays - Adult Diversion

The Pains of Being Pure At Heart - Until The Sun Explodes

Le Blonde - Let it Burn

WHOOP-Szo - Has it Been So Long

The Hours - Steady Glazed Eyes

Mathematique - Summer, but i don't know

Vogue Dots - Turns and Turns

Haley Bonar - Last War

Para Palabras - Bodies

Police Des Moeurs - Dernière Chance

Ejecta - Afraid of the Dark

Bleu - Tidal Wave

Bowjia - Hold Me Close feat. Mallory

S - Brunch

Emmy The Great - Swimming Pool

Alma Elste - Heart Melter

Erieau - Knot of Snakes - hibernaculum remix

I discovered a lot of these songs through the fantastic CHUO FM radio show Ladies First, which you should all listen to. Lina has great musical tastes that seem to be very closely aligned to mine.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Hope everyone is spending the holidays with their loved ones and minimal stress!

Here's a heart-warming Christmas story recently published by the Nunatsiaq News, about one of the early Christmases spent by the Inuit who were relocated to the high Arctic from their native home in Northern Quebec, and forced to learn to live in a harsh unfamiliar land: http://www.nunatsiaqonline.ca/stories/article/65674my_little_corner_of_canada_dec._12/

The Nunatsiaq News also published my Arctic char kimchi recipe as part of their holiday meal special: http://www.nunatsiaqonline.ca/stories/article/65674cook_up_something_good_this_christmas/

about me

The interesting arts project What if? asked a series of questions which I promised to answer on my blog.

1. Who are you?
I am a young-ish Korean-Canadian woman currently living in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, which is in the Arctic. I work as a human rights lawyer. I am also a musician in an indie band. I am an occasional freelance journalist. I sometimes sell sushi and kimchi at the local community market. When it isn't winter for the two months of the year here, I like to spend my time hiking, kayaking, and fishing. I also have this blog, which started off as a travel blog.

2. What are your main topics when you blog/facebook/tweet/youtube/pinterest?
These days, I blog about life in the Arctic. My tweets seem to often be about music, Nunavut, human rights, and insomnia. My Facebook is mostly photos of food I eat.

3. What or who are your passions and influences?
 I love being outside in the wilderness. I also love food, but not in a food snob kind of way, because I love everything. Nelson Mandela is a strong personal inspiration for me, in terms of being brave enough to fight for important causes. Douglas Coupland and Godspeed You Black Emperor are responsible for me having a lot of nightmares about the apocalypse.

4. Which artist do you admire most? 
 I grew up adoring Radiohead, because they seem to pursue experimentation and musical innovation regardless of what might maximize business profits. Same with Tanya Tagaq, who not only does this musically, but also takes a public stance about things she believes in.

5. And: Do those topics have anything to do with who you feel you are? 
I'm not sure who I am, exactly. I had a friend once tell me that I'm like a living breathing cartoon character, and I chose to accept that as a compliment.
I'm always interested in artistic collaborations.

The last day of the smokehouse. Also, dog sledding.

When we woke up in our hotel room in Yellowknife and while we went on with our day, a disturbed man was engaging in a hostile stand-off with the police at a motel a few blocks away from our hotel, claiming he had hostages. After several hours, the situation was resolved with nobody hurt, but we had no idea about what was going on until it was over.

To be honest, I was more concerned about the unsolved sword murder from earlier this week. That’s right, sword murder. As in, one man was found unconscious in an apartment in Yellowknife and another man was found dead, having been stabbed through the eye with a sword. I had no idea people even had swords these days. And police were being tight-lipped about what happened, possibly because they didn’t know either.

Welcome to the big city, Dorothy. We’re not in Kansas (Cambridge Bay) anymore.

oh, the ominous ravens of the Northwest Territories

It had been a harrowing flight to Yellowknife, as northern travel almost always is. We got to experience what it’s like to “try to land” in Kugluktuk – but failed to land, because of the cross winds and unfavourable runway conditions. The turbulence was violent enough to make me, a seasoned flyer, quite nauseous in my stomach. The terrified woman next to me asked me to hold her hand, and her grip was tight like a vice. I swear, leaving Cambridge Bay seems to always feel like an ordeal. Like you have to pass through some kind of glass wall, which really adds to the sensation of living in a snow globe.

But we had made it to Yellowknife, and the hardest part was over, so long as we weren’t going to get entangled in any police/hostage shoot outs or stabbings by sword.

a selfie at the Black Knight. It's not blurry. That's just how we look.

Yellowknife is beautiful in the winter

It's a little snowy outside

We decided to drive over to the Ndilo Dene First Nation Reserve to have lunch at the Smokehouse, a cosy little spot on the aboriginal reserve which serves as a training ground for cooks who then go on to work at the mining camps.

I got my fill of bison stew and something that was only described as “local smoked fish” (they didn’t specify what kind), both of which were delicious. They also had a turkey dinner available…and spring rolls, which I ate because it’s me we’re talking about. I enjoyed it thoroughly.

The next day, the restaurant shut down forever. Hmmm. I hope I do not have this effect on every place I go.

We then went dog sledding at Beck’s Kennels, which as far as I know, is still operating.

It may seem like a strange thing to do when we come down south from Nunavut, but there actually isn't any dog-sledding in the part of Nunavut where I live - although there are plenty huskies - so despite having lived up here for a little while, I've never gone dog sledding before.  The Inuit certainly did use dog sleds traditionally (and still do in other parts) but at least in Cambridge Bay, most folks use skidoos to pull their kamotiks (sleds).  Funnily enough, the huskies often now ride in the skidoo-drawn sleds, instead of pulling them.

PUPPIES!

 That's a lot of frozen dog pee

It was therefore pretty exciting for me to get the chance to go on a traditional dog sled ride in Yellowknife, although I certainly was not the only person in Yellowknife to have this idea.  I also was definitely not the only Asian person in Yellowknife to have this idea either.  The waiting room was filled with Japanese people, all geared up in their rented Canada Goose parkas, eating chips and watching Korean documentaries on the flat screen TV.  Yellowknife, by the way, is where I have seen the largest concentration of Japanese people in my whole life, having never been to Japan or the parts of Canada where Japanese people actually live.  They are almost all tourists here, excited to see the northern lights and the other great Canadian adventures. This is also probably why I actually really enjoy the sushi in Yellowknife.

I had envisioned this wonderfully romantic sleigh ride through the woods with my partner, and it was mostly romantic: me, and Rob, and the sled, and the dogs...and the driver...and the two random Japanese strangers they stuck on our sled with us, tucked awkwardly between my legs.

we can always crop out the photo, although this woman's camera was everywhere

I mean, it was awkward for me, but apparently not for the Japanese girls because they totally made themselves at home and at one point fell asleep on my chest.  The sleigh ride was that hypnotic and soothing, and I guess my parka was really soft.

The driver was made no conversation, keeping a sharp eye out on the dogs to make sure they followed the route. Occasionally he would call out at certain dogs to get back into line, yelling things like "Come on, Sadie!"  I'm kind of glad none of the dogs had the same name as me, because it would be kind of distracting and maybe less romantic if I was cuddling with my partner while the driver abruptly shouted "WATCH IT GLORIA."

The ride was really nice though, and the dogs took us over the frozen lakes and by the woods, and I really came to realize just how breathtaking Yellowknife is in the winter time. And all the extra bodies in the sled meant that we kept pretty warm throughout the ride.

Selfie!

Brunch at the Explorer

(I realized that I had forgotten to publish this blog post from a little while back while I was in Yellowknife)
 
Brunch at the Trader's Grill at the Explorer Hotel is one of the fanciest brunches that exist in the North. I like brunch, and I like fancy, so we decided to check it out. 

The brunch buffet serves crabs, mussels, pork loin, pot roast, turkey. I decided to make my meal an art. Set a theme for each plate.  

The theme for my first plate is seafood and salad.

The theme for my second is Dinner For Breakfast. Turkey, stuffing, pork loins, mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables.

The theme for my third plate is Breakfast for Breakfast. Eggs Benedict, French toast, sausage, bacon. I am visibly slowing down at this point.

My final plate is Dessert for Breakfast. I have little memory at this point because I was so full. It's all a blur now. But it was delicious.

The whole time there is bizarre music being played while we eat. I'm talking dance music which feels disturbing at a brunch. Also, I am surprised at how disappointed I am that I can't order mimosas until 11. Otherwise though, this is a special kind of heaven, and definitely worth its price. You know what would make it worth its price even more? If I could find a way to linger here for hours until I get hungry again, so I can keep eating and eating and eating...

getting ready for Christmas in Cambridge Bay

It's starting to look a lot like Christmas around here. People have been showing their holiday spirit, even in a place like this, where it's pretty hard to get a full-grown Christmas tree, this far above the treeline. In fact, one man from Kugluktuk takes his snowmobile out down 60 kilometres to the treeline every year to get a real Christmas tree! The rest of us make do with little plastic ones.

I love this house's Christmas decorations!

 This house has Christmas lights on the back of their house too!

One of my favourite Christmas decorations is the house of William and Annie. Annie sells delicious bannock to me during the week. Every year for  the last ten years, the family likes to get together and make lovely little snow sculptures around their house.  

an igloo, an inukshuk, and a jolly snowman

Even their trash can is festive!

As for us, we had a party with our friends to celebrate Christmas and raise a bit of money for local needy families.

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deejay station

 every Christmas party should have loot bags!

On another night, we had a little Christmas party in one of the hotel suites in town.

We even managed to get a roaring fireplace going, which isn't an easy accomplishment when there are no trees in the Arctic (and therefore no firewood).

The sun has stopped rising these days, but we do get these gorgeous twilight moments around noons that fills up the bay with these beautiful colours. The little bit of "daylight" is fleeting but its ephemeral quality makes me just appreciate it all the more.

the frozen Arctic ocean

the old Hudson Bay Company outpost

 the moon is already out at noon

 Baby, it's cold outside

Today I'm flying out down south to enjoy some "warm" winter weather. a couple of hours of daylight, and most importantly, some quality time with family and friends. Posts will probably somewhat infrequent over the holidays, but I hope you all enjoy yours!