NiJq-12 Caribou Mummy Cache
NiJq-12 Caribou Mummy Cache is a traditional Inuit site.
A singl meat cache of a mummified, quartered caribou, covered by limestone flags, was found here.
Untouched caches are quite rare so great care was taken to not disturb the site and to replace everything as it was found.
Old Caribou
Hi, I’m Sandy Oleekatalik. I went to Iglutalik and Netsilik River for 9 days, during that time 7 of us were looking at archaeological sites. First we went to the Peninsula there we found human skull but it was old and beside it was a leg bone. The next day we saw over 7 tent rings and Ken found a half of snow goggle.
Then the next day we went to the ridge and found a cache which still had caribou meat in it but it was too old to eat. But there was this one day the elders came and told the story.
The one story I liked was the one about my great great great grandpa. He built the thunder house in honor of the story. He died in Gjoa Haven, but he wanted to be buried there in Netsilik River. They say his skull moves around for good hunting spots.
Caribou skins
During the fall in Qikirtaqtuuq my father had caught a caribou, during the fall when there was snow. In those days we didn’t have frames for caribou skins. My mother had cleaned the skin my father had caught. I didn’t even know when my father went out caribou hunting. He had gone caribou hunting to Qikirtaqtuuq. I didn’t know because I was only a child at that time so as my little brother Mangak.
My older brother Aqqaq was always with our grandfather. He wasn’t with us much because he had to help our grandfather. I wasn’t thinking of anything because I was just a child, my mother said “I think your father had caught a caribou, he didn’t even take his rifle with him, and he’s coming home.” I couldn’t believe it; I didn’t even know when he went caribou hunting. I was trying to do something when my mother told me about my father. I thought my mom was very smart that time. I used to think like this, my mother is very smart, she can think like that, that’s how I used to think. When my father came and said he had caught a caribou. So he harnessed two of his dogs and took the sled. When we got to Qikirtaqtuuq where he caught a caribou, he skinned the caribou and then we went home.
My mother cleaned the skin and pegged it onto the bed. The skin was nice and thick. She pegged the skin onto the bed, with the skin facing up. When we went to bed boy it was cold, and here we live in an igloo, and of course we had no coleman stove, there was nothing. It was very cold at that time. I cannot forget that moment, I think about it once in a while.
When my husband catches caribou I never like to throw the skins. I don’t like to throw them away. We had hard time getting caribou in the old days; we had very hard time that time.
My mother pegged the skin onto the bed and we went to sleep. We were naked; we dried up the caribou skin with our skin. I didn’t even know when I fell asleep, and I didn’t feel the cold anymore. The next day the skin was taken off the bed and the caribou skin was already dry. The caribou skins are very easy to dry up more than the seal skins. It was already dry so the next day we used it for mattress, and when we went to bed I was just sweating; it was as though we were in a building. It was very hot. We used to have hardships in the old days, particularly with caribou skins. The caribou skins were very hard to get, it was very hard work.
Today, there is no one to make the skins, and now they are easy to get these days. When I see caribou skins that are thrown in the garbage I would really want them.
Site Field Notes
This site was recorded by Gardner 1977 and was revisited in 2004. He reports that the site consists of 2 tent rings, but at the place indicated by the mapped coordinated, a single meat cache, covered by limestone flags, was observed.
The undisturbed cache still contains a mummified, quartered, caribou. Only the top flag stone cover was lifted to observe and photograph the contents but they were not disturbed and the cover was replaced as it was found. The knoll containing the cache, at about 25 m a.s.l., is very jumbled pile of large limestone flags and slabs, and overlooks the same inland lake as NiJq-23.
Site Description
Historic Association: unknown
Representativeness: Thule; traditional
Inuit
Type/Function: tent rings and caches
Rarity: rare because of size
Integrity: good
Preservation: no artifacts or bone observed
on surface
Artifact and feature density: very high
Human Remains and Burials: none observed