Fear

Tonnik Time is coming up soon. Sadly, for the second year in a row I'm going to miss most of it. As dumb luck would have it, my time in New York exactly coincides with Toonik Time. For those not around in Iqaluit, it's kind of the spring festival for town. Which is an odd thing to say, what with the temperatures likely still well below zero, snow on the ground and the bay frozen solid. But spring is a different concept in the Arctic than it is down south.

Spring is when things warm up enough to go outside and do things out on the land. Even most Inuit don't really relish the idea of bouncing around outside when it's -50 or so. However, when it's -10, well, that's a nice temperature to be doing things out on the land.

Anyway, that's a long winded way to talk about Toonik Time. There are plenty of events - igloo making, snowmobile races, and a really nice craft fair among many other things. The whole town gets involved.

But the really interesting one might be the Fear Factor contest. Now, down south they might find a few gross things for people to eat. You know, like bugs or something. But this is Nunavut. Most of the people who compete it tend to be Inuit. And let's be honest here, there are thing the Inuit would eat as part of their regular diet that many southerners would pass. I mean, I've been offered raw frozen char and caribou a bunch of times and passed. Just because I'm not a big fan of the idea of eating raw animal. I know some of you out there have tried it and like it, and that's cool. But it's just not my thing. Of course, Cathy tells me I'm a fussy eater.

So, when we're talking about Fear Factor Iqaluit, this is stuff that will freak out the Inuit. I've never been to one, so I'm genuinely curious as to what might freak out someone who would eat fermented whale blubber, something that's causing me to gag a little bit just tying it.

Anyway, for those of you in town, head on out and let me know what gets eaten. I'm kind of curious.

Last Five
1. Road to joy - Bright Eyes
2. A whisper - Coldplay*
3. Now I know - Cowboy Junkies
4. Long, long, long - The Beatles
5. Riot van - Arctic Monkeys