Interviewer: Ok. We're ready.
Interpreter: ok?
Interviewer: yep. How capable are you with narwhals?
Mucktar: I have some knowledge because I've been hunting since I was young. I became an old man here hunting them. We hunt them all our lives. Animals were our only means of surviving, they are our food.
Interviewer: Can you translate what he said?
Interpreter: Can you deal with this instead? Maybe she can do it better.
Interviewer: Ok. Alright.
Interpreter: When they were youth-- Do you mean your older brother?
Mucktar: What's that?
Interpreter: He is the one who taught you, right?
Mucktar: Yes. By my father and older brother.
Interpreter: He's father and older brother taught him how to kill the narwhal. (speaking in Inuktitut): And how else?
Mucktar: In the winter, when it was yet winter, though there were no narwhals, I was told, "This is how you hunt narwhal" so I would know what to do. Though they are not in sight, while you're out hunting, we were told, there are two groups: here and here-- That when I go out hunting, even alone, that I will know what to do, what my father had told me though narwhal was not yet in season.
Interpreter: Winter time they used to go out hunting, narwhal hunting. His father how to taught him how to kill narwhal. And you go out by himself and try to catch a narwhal. And his older brother how to-- taught him too.
Interviewer: So, when he was very, very young, he started.
Interpreter: yeah. That was long time ago.
Interviewer: Can you just stop for one second? I just want to make sure that we're getting a good recording. Just one.
Interpreter: Do you remember narwhal-- nar-- Do you remember going out hunting narwhal?
Mucktar: I remember hunts when we only relied on harpoons because we had no firearms yet, we went out hunting narwhal there near Pond Inlet. We had no rifles to speak of, only harpoons and the rope, and that was it. It is very difficult to hunt with these because I didn't know how to kill the narwhal. Three men went out hunting by kayak. When they harpooned a whale and it was now attached to the float, they ran it down to try and kill it. This is my first memory of a hunt.
Interviewer: go ahead with the translation.
Interpreter: Back then, they didn't, they didn't have the gun. They use only-- he remember that they used a harpoon. And three people, they went to a narwhal hunting. They get a-- by kayak. And they trying to-- kill a narwhal by harpoon. Not by the gun.
Interviewer: Hold on one second, I will. Is that working ok?
Interpreter: No. It's not.
Mucktar: they have no sense of smell. Even if you approach them from up-wind, they will not smell you. And, yes. Narwhals have excellent hearing and can tell when we walk on the ice. They hear very well. When you try and walk softly and approach, they can hear you. Even in large groups, they will get frightened off by the mere sound of foot steps.
Interpreter: They don't hear-- I mean, they don't smell anything. Even if you're close to them and they won't smell, but they can hear easily. Even though, if they're very-- I mean, very-- too many narwhals, they can hear you. Even though if you're walk slowly, they can hear you. Very easily.
Mucktar: Some whales are black, and the dark ones are relatively larger. They are dark in colour and have big tusks. Their tusks are relatively longer. There are two species of whales: the one kind are pure white, and the other is mottled. Though they seem fully mature their tusks are relatively shorter. Whales come in two different types. The larger ones are somewhat rarer to see.
Interpreter: There are two different kinds of narwhals. Black one, they're big and we can hardly see it. And there's a white one, they're kind of small. We can see it-- those narwhals, they're the big ones, we hardly can see it. And they got a really big tusk. And the other ones got a tusk but not very good.
Mucktar: They have always occurred as two types. There are the timid ones, these darker ones which are larger than the other. The white ones are smaller in size. Even the males are smaller. The white ones are rarer to see; the dark ones.
Interpreter: The black narwhal tusk-- I mean, narwhal, they can-- they-- they're very big, but we can't see it. We can hardly-- I mean, they can come in-- very-- not very long. They can see it not very long.
Well-- here-- I have not written this down--
Mucktar: I will follow this-- The first narwhal I caught was a female. It was slick and lean on its back. I've noticed this a lot in females. I caught my first narwhal down in Isuujaqtalik, and I thought I had caught a male when I shot it. After I had shot it I harpoon it. When we brought it out of the water I was told that it was a female. Its tusk was spindly and perfectly straight. I have hunted narwhal and have noticed this fact.
Interpreter: There's a woman narwhal tusk, he caught one-- before. The first time he tried to catch a narwhal, I thought, he thought-- I mean, he thought he catch a men-- fe-- a male. But he caught it and he pulled it and they thought it was a girl. I mean-- female. There was a tusk, a female, long here.
Interviewer: And only once this has happened with him?
Interpreter: No. There's a female tusked, or-- maybe you will see it when you go there.
Interviewer: But for him it was only one time that he had a female tusk?
Interpreter: So, your first narwhal was a female and it had a tusk?
Mucktar: How's that?
Interpreter: It was your first and only narwhal, this one--
Mucktar: No. After my first narwhal I got others as well that spring in July. My first narwhal came with the first groups. After that I caught more.
Interpreter: That was his first time-- caught a narwhal. And then he started to catch narwhal.
Interviewer: So, the first he had a female narwhal with a tusk?
Interpreter: Yeah. That was his first time. Now he can catch a male narwhal.
Mucktar: The meat was also for our dogs. When we hunted narwhal back then we couldn't say that the one narwhal would do but would try and catch as many as we could.
Interpreter: They take many as they can catch. For themselves-- meat-- and for the dogs. They can feed their dogs by narwhal.
And the males?
Mucktar: What of the males? Yes. There would be many tusks. I have seen that many times, many times. I have seen this since I was a young man growing up, since I started hunting narwhals. We see this every spring.
Interpreter: Every springtime he always-- he always saw male narwhal tusk. There's lots of, lots of male-- just-- He always saw every spring.
Mucktar: The male bulls -- they are called that -- their tusks grow quite long; the female tusks are relatively shorter. The female tusks are always shorter while the male tusks are always longer.
Interpreter: There's two different kinds of female tusk and male tusk. The male tusk got longer than female.
Interviewer: But there's two different types of female tusk? Is that what he's saying?
Interpreter: Yeah.
Interviewer: Does he-- can he describe those differences?
Interpreter: The small female got the smaller-- the small tusk. And male got longer tisk. Tusk-- he explained. associate with the tusk and some behaviour in the narwhal?
Interviewer: In other words, does he think that the narwhal does certain things in the water, and so forth, because of the tusk? He behaves a certain way because he has a tusk?
Interpreter: oh. Those-- he is asking if they get it.
Mucktar: Yes. The narwhal tusk is never used for violence. When the tips touch other whales, especially the large ones -- because the skin is soft -- they do not normal touch the other whales that way. We have observed even in a boat that even when they are crowded in a large group -- the ones below will come up for air with touching the other whales.
Interpreter: They-- What are you telling us? They breathe by-- I mean, they don't-- I mean, narwhal tusk don't touch anything-- they can be... (mumbling)
Interviewer: They don't hit each other?
Interpreter: Yeah. They don't hit each other. And they don't fight with that-- the narwhal tusk.
Interviewer: So, it's part of their body, but he doesn't see any difference because of it?
Interpreter: Yeah. That was saying-- he was saying that-- (speaking in Inuktitut): I was just explaining something to him (the interviewer)
Interviewer: Could you read the question first in English so I know where we are on the tape?
Interpreter: ok.
Interviewer: Sorry. I forgot to tell you.
Interpreter: So, have you ever seen or heard about any aggressive behaviour among narwhal?
Have you seen or heard of them being nasty to each other?
Mucktar: No. I have never heard of that.
Interpreter: He never heard.
Interviewer: Never?
Interpreter: no.
Interviewer: Ok.
Mucktar: Even when they're gathered below a hole in the ice, to breathe, they come up this way -- the narwhal act this way -- the tusks are crossed like a tent frame, these long tusks. I have seen this many times. I have never seen any violent behaviour in them.
Interpreter: He never see it before. But he can want to see, there's a big hole on the ice, they can make a tent.
Interviewer: Go like this?
Interpreter: Yeah.
Interviewer: Does he see them rubbing like this? Or just touching?
Interpreter: Did you see them touching each other or...
Mucktar: They do not touch each other that way. Not at all.
Interpreter: They don't touch each other.
Interviewer: Mostly it's just up in the air? But they don't really touch?
Interpreter: Yeah.
Mucktar: Because the tusk is not used for touching normally the tips are smooth and slick -- this part here -- this part is smooth because they don't touch each other that way. We even have to scrape off the patina when a narwhal with tusk is caught. The growth is never disrupted in any deep way so we have to scrape it off - this growth that occurs on the tusk.
Interpreter: They don't touch each other because they're slippery-- (speaking in Inuktitut): What do you mean by the slippery stuff?
Other voice: They are green. When you see something in the water, like this, there long time, and there's this green stuff on them.
Interviewer: oh. The algae or moss?
Other voice: Their tusk are-- their tusk got that kind of stuff on the tusk. And they don't rub it or touch each other, so it won't come off.
Interviewer: yeah. So, the growth on the tusk doesn't get rubbed off because they're not really rubbing. They're just-- They may touch, but they don't rub?
Interpreter: Yeah.
Interviewer: ok. Good. Good.
Interpreter: Do you think the tusk could be used for aggressive or self-defence proposed?
Interviewer: No. I think-- Yeah. I think we answered that. Yeah. So. No. That's ok. He just made a big answer and it covered two questions.
Interpreter: Though I just read this, I think you just covered it.
Mucktar: What is that?
Interpreter: Yes. (speaking in English): Can you describe what some people refer to as "tusking"? "Tusking"?
Interviewer: Yeah. We were just talking about the rubbing-- yeah.
Interpreter: When two males cross their tusk in the air?
Interviewer: Yeah. Now--
Interpreter: Did we answer that?
Interviewer: Yeah. I just-- Maybe I can ask him: do they come up like this and just touch?
Interpreter: Now he's asking that when they climb, if they touch.
Mucktar: Perhaps they sometimes touch. They never touch on purpose that way. They sometimes occur where there is a hole on the ice. This would be the only reason for that because they have to breathe air, and when there's many of them (in a small area of open water), I think they would do that. This is because they have to breathe air and when there is only the hole in the ice with no lead near by they get trapped. They have only the ice to breathe through they sometimes all try and come up at the same time.
Interpreter: They sometimes they don't touch each other but if there's no crack, they go to the hole-- the big hole, and try to breathe-- So, they hardly-- touch.
Interviewer: Yeah.
Interpreter: Where was I?
Interviewer: We were just finished talking about tusking.
Interpreter: Ok. Have you ever observed or heard about the narwhal having slaves or scout to protect them? If so, please explain.
Have you known or heard of narwhals trying to scam other whales or to protect each other? If it is like that, can you elaborate?
Mucktar: well-- They do not think like us human beings. They are perpetually in search of food, and clear access to open water-- these seem to be their main concerns, so we have not known any whales to behave unbecoming towards each other. We do not know of those types of behaviours. We do not know of any whales trying to scam others, never. I have never heard of this though I am now old. I have not heard of it here or anywhere else, of this type of behaviour.
Interpreter: He never heard and slave or scout-- he never heard. Or, he never saw it. They always be friendly together.
Interviewer: When the whales come in, when the males come in first, or the females? Or, it doesn't seem to matter.
Interpreter: What was just asked is: do the females or males come in first, or if they come up first among others to breathe?
Mucktar: When the group consists of mostly smaller ones, the juveniles and mothers with babies, the mothers allow the babies to come up for air first. The mothers become secondary concerns. The smaller ones come up first, and the mothers come up after.
Interpreter: Baby male-- baby narwhal goes first and then their mother started to breathe.
Interviewer: And, then, the males come later?
Interpreter: Yeah. Baby narwhal goes first.
Interviewer: Babies and mothers, or females, and then the males?
Mucktar: It is because the mother can stay longer under water and the babies have smaller lung capacity -- well, they can stay for longer periods as well -- because they cannot stay under for long periods, it is usually the mothers that follow their babies to come up to breathe, though some mother-child configurations will come up simultaneously.
Interpreter: Baby narwhal goes first because a mother female goes swim very up-- I mean, they swim very well. (mumbling) Baby narwhal goes second so the baby can breathe first...
Interviewer: You're saying that the baby narwhal goes second?
Interpreter: first.
Interviewer: First? Ok.
Interpreter: What is the most unusual behaviour you have been or heard about that-- sorry. heard about with the narwhal?
Have you seen or heard of narwhals behaving in an unusual way?
Mucktar: Yes. I have seen one, near Pond Inlet -- near the place called Tuugaaq (Tusks). I saw one that would come up for air, to breathe, but its fluke would come right out of the water. We didn't know what was going on with that whale. We were rowing our boat to try and get near it when it came up twice or three times that way. When it came up for air, its fluke would also rise out. It was smaller than most narwhals. Its head would come up along with the fluke. We wanted to know why it was doing that, and though we rowed as fast as possible, it would just come up very briefly and go back down really quickly. It would go down and come up in an unpredictable way. It was like that. It would come up wherever. We really wanted to see what was wrong. It would come up for air and its fluke would very quickly show. That was one strange narwhal I did see.
Interpreter: He's seen it before. A narwhal-- different kind of narwhal. He once seen it very-- but, the narwhal trying to breathe-- (speaking in Inuktitut): What is the fluke called? --flipper goes second, and he tried to-- the narwhal tried to breathe but the flipper comes up. They don't know why they did that.
Interviewer: So, that one-- he comes up for the air, the flipper comes up?
Interpreter: Yeah.
Interviewer: Yeah? So, the narwhal turns?
Interpreter: No. It was straight.
Interviewer: straight up?
Interpreter: straight up.
Interviewer: oh. The back flipper?
Interpreter: Yeah.
Interviewer: goes straight up? Oh. And that's unusual? He's never seen that? Only once?
Interpreter: He never seen-- he see it once.
Interviewer: Just once? And, again, the narwhal comes up for air and the flipper comes out-- the back tail-- comes out of the water?
Interpreter: Yeah.
Interviewer: And, then, it goes down?
Other voice: They tried to get close fast but they wanted to see the figure(?) It was like a narwhal but it was different. They tried-- when they tried to get close, it goes down, then comes up anywhere. And when they tried to get close, it was down.
Mucktar: Narwhals normally come up for air in a somewhat leisurely fashion where the fluke doesn't show, and its pacing is slow and smooth. And only when it wants to dive down deeper and longer will the fluke come out of the water. But the whale we saw behaved differently when it came up for air where its fluke would follow very quickly. Yes. This is what happened. That whale was very different.
Interpreter: That narwhal, it was different. They usually-- if you go out on the land, you will see it. The narwhal are trying to breathe and if they are going down for a long time, the back flipper will go up, and they go down.
Interviewer: They dive deep? But he said that this one was different and the flipper came all the way out of the water?
Interpreter: Yeah.
Interviewer: ok.
Other voice: few feet, then it goes up again. Same thing.
Interviewer: same thing? Which they don't normally do?
Other voice: yeah. They just-- they don't do that.
Interpreter: What is your diet of the narwhal?
What do narwhals eat?
Mucktar: They eat small cod. Cod and-- they eat mostly cod. Cod seems to be their preference.
Interpreter: only cod?
Mucktar: Yes.
Interpreter: Cod fish.
Interviewer: cod fish? Yeah?
Interpreter: Only cod fish.
Other voice: Mainly cod fish.
Interviewer: Mainly cod? Which are fast fish, you know. Fast-- how about squid? Squid, you know--
Other voice: (speaking in Inuktitut): They are called, krill.
Interpreter: What about krill?
Mucktar: I have never seen them eat krill. The white whales do hunt arctic char. So, perhaps, the narwhals also feed on char but the white ones-- when they come to places where there are char perhaps, these black ones. I know for certain that white ones do hunt char regularly.
Interpreter: White narwhal, they eat fish. But he don't know about the black. Narwhal, black. I think they eat fish too.
Interviewer: So, there the different two narwhals again?
Other voice: the white is a beluga.
Interviewer: Yeah. The beluga. Ok. And then, of course, the narwhal is the one with the tusk is the one that eats the cod?
Interpreter: Yeah.
Interviewer: Ok.
Other voice: What he thinks is some of the narwhal eat fish.
Interviewer: Other fish, besides cod?
Interpreter: Do narwhal fish in the area where water fresh stream?
Interviewer: oh yeah. In other words, do-- does the narwhal-- is never-- is always in the ocean? The salt water--
Interpreter: Yeah.
Interviewer: But sometimes do they get to where the fresh water comes into the salt water and hunt, to eat fish there? Or is it always out in the salt water?
Interpreter: The narwhal mostly stay in the water, right? For instance, the char run down at Paktattalik, just for example, when the char run down there, the narwhal would come to feed.
Mucktar: Yes. If they figured that out, they would come to feed there. I mean the narwhal. The cod they feed on are small. It is said that they ram the cod with their tusk to incapacitate them.
Interpreter: But with a narwhal tusk they caught cat fish-- (speaking in Inuktitut): What's that? how?
Interviewer: cod fish.
Other voice: sometimes they use the point to kill the cod. They become soft and they eat it.
Interviewer: Ok. I want to be sure that this isn't-- What? They take the tusk and push it into the fish? Now, how do they get the fish off the tusk?
Other voice: when they get-- when they get it off and they start eating.
Interviewer: But how do they pull it off the tusk? How do they make the...
Other voice: (speaking in Inuktitut): by shaking its tusk around, right?
Mucktar: No. It just rams the fish.
Other voice: Well, when the narwhal stabs the fish, they shake it loose, right?
Mucktar: Yes. The cod isn't stuck there. Yes. (Transcribers note: sometimes, for reasons of grammar, yes is no)
Interpreter: They--
other voice: they move around and it comes out.
Interviewer: So, they're just swimming around? They're swimming around?
Other voice: just the tip.
Interviewer: oh. So, it's not very deep? It's just the tip?
Other voice: yeah. Just the tip.
Interpreter: moving around and trying to take it off there.
Interviewer: Do they move this way-- do they move their head this way, or are they just swimming?
Interpreter: Do they just swim or do they move their heads to get it loose?
Mucktar: Well, only its tusk moves.
Interpreter: only the narwhal tusk move.
Interviewer: Only the tusk is moving? And, do they--
Mucktar: The food does not get stuck, like this.
Interviewer: Can he do that again?
Interpreter: He says for you to do that again.
Mucktar: It is said that they do this.
Interviewer: moving the tusk?
Interpreter: Yeah.
Mucktar: Like this, which requires very little movement.
Interpreter: Not very hard.
Interviewer: Not very hard?
Interpreter: just few-- just moving around like this. Interesting.
Interviewer: Yeah.
Interpreter: Which narwhal usually led in group -- male or female?
Do narwhals form groups with females and males together?
Mucktar: No. Some groups consist mainly of males. All males. And all females with babies.
Interpreter: Only female-- they go-- they make their own group. Female and male. They make their own group too.
Interviewer: separate?
Interpreter: Yeah.
Interviewer: So, they never-- they don't usually come in together?
Interpreter: But they do not get together eventually, though?
Mucktar: No. Even groups that consist mainly of males will have females in the group. A group like this will have adolescent females, and new mothers -- they usually have two babies, the one older and the other just slightly smaller. They will travel in threes, the mother with the older and younger siblings. They have two young.
Interpreter: They got two kids. I mean--
Interviewer: Do you mean, babies?
Interpreter: Yeah. They-- sometimes they get as a group. That when they are youth.
[No further translation available for this interview]