Muktuk

It's skin and subcutaneous fat from a whale (I googled it) in wide pink and black stripes. And I had some on crackers for lunch. Am going to google meatloaf now because that's what we're having tonight. Oh god. My family are really nice. They think the idea of a vegetarian is hilarious and I am too thin. I'm part of Kaleak crew and an honorary bloke because I'm foreign (there won't be any other women with this crew on the ice although some go out to cook with other crews) but I got a DON"T EVEN ASK when I picked up the harpoon thing because they thought I wanted to load it. The mayor is a whaling captain, so is the head of the scientific institute. As soon as a lead appears most of the men will rush off onto the sea ice. Went and calmed down after lunch by sitting next to Perry who etches pictures of animals on whale baleen in the back room of the heritage centre. See photo. He wants to learn an English accent because he thinks it's cute. He used to be a whaler but now only one eye works so he does this. He thinks the change in the weather means the world is ending. Tonight's social event is a talk on Bowhead whales off Chukotka, Russia and why the whalers here are friends with the whalers there.