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For Inuit men hunting was really important, for women it was sewing. Elder women made amazing seal skin
boots and fur clothing for their hunter husbands and sons. So much time, effort and love went into this work. Its
value went way beyond providing good, warm clothing for the hunters. Respect for the animals, patience, pride
in one's work, standing for something different than the adage "time is money", all of this was made clear by the
work itself. This was what I learned. I have many funny stories about how I experienced time differently while I
was in the Arctic, but they are meant to be told not written…

There was another aspect of being in the arctic that was equally powerful for me. This
was the awesome silence. I'm sure honouring this was at least part of the reason for
the increased comfort people had for long silences and gaps in conversation. Once I
adapted to the change I found this very freeing.
I remember hanging out at my friend's place. There was an older man who didn't have
any family in Igloolik. Sometimes he would stop by, the door was always open. Maybe
there would be a few of us sitting together in the kitchen.

He would come in and sit down. Leah might be sewing. I'd be hanging out, other people were having tea and
nobody was saying anything. He stayed for a while, had some tea, said nothing and eventually got up and left.
There would be no pressure to do anything in particular and it all felt very comfortable. It really struck me how
much time I spent on small talk back home. How the silence had a way of cutting through things, as if to say,
we're here because we need each other. It's as simple as that. This was definitely sweet time...

I also felt this strongly on camping trips when hunters would return with a catch and share it with the community.
I remember writing in my journal that I was finally experiencing the real meaning of the communion ritual I
grew up with - how we continue the circle of life by honouring beings who give their lives to us.