Sanaaq (17 page)

Qumaq's little brother woke up and began walking about barefoot. He asked again and again for someone to put his boots on, but everyone turned a deaf ear. Qumaq said, “
Irq!
He's going to hurt his feet, the little one! I'll put his boots on.”

“Go ahead,” said Sanaaq, “but take good care of him! Don't let him wander off anywhere. He could fall into the water again!”

“I'll take good care! I feel bad about not looking after him properly... If he had drowned, I would've deserved being scolded by you.”

“His breathing is still not back to normal. It's probably because of the water he swallowed... I dread the moment when his father comes back... I feel like running far away, for fear of having to face his anger.”

“Why?”

“Out of fear... It's true! I'll run away because I'm terrified of facing him!”

Her son began to vomit water continually… as Qalingu walked into the tent. Seized by fright, Sanaaq told him, “My son fell into the water today... I'm frightened because he's still not fully recovered... He slipped while playing with the little boat and was in the water for a long time... Qumaq and I realized too late...”

“Why are you so scared?” said Qalingu. “Is it because you let him fall into the water or is it because you're afraid of my anger? The
umiarjuaq
is about to arrive. His only chance of pulling through will probably be for him to leave... I'll go and see the
Qallunaat
at the trading post
ai!
I'll go and talk to them, for his condition will probably get worse!”

“But couldn't he get better without having to leave?” protested Sanaaq timidly.

Qalingu got ready to visit the
Qallunaat
at the trading post.

“Let me soften your boots quickly!” offered Sanaaq, starting in earnest.

She did not dare oppose Qalingu. He went straight to the employees at the trading post and to the
iksigarjuaq.
Sanaaq was unhappy. She feared seeing her child leave. She thought over and over, “If he goes, he may end up crying a lot, especially if he's among people he's never seen... If it takes time for him to recover, he'll be gone for long... I can't accept his having to leave... He'll probably get better if he just stays here... I don't want to be separated from my son because I love him very much!”

Qalingu spoke to the trading post staff. “My young boy fell into the water while playing with a little boat. I've come for his sake because his condition is getting worse. He's throwing up water all the time!”

“If he fell into the water,” answered the chief factor, “he should leave on the big boat. He'll have a chance of recovering!”

“He will go!” concluded Qalingu. And he immediately went back to his family.

“The chief thinks he should go,” he said as he arrived. “Here are some
niaquujait
for him, for the trip!”

He gave them to Sanaaq, who responded heatedly. “He won't leave! I'll run away and take him with me. He can get better quite well just by staying here! If he goes, he will suffer all kinds of troubles... No way is he going. He isn't even old enough to think for himself! I don't want to be separated from him!”

Sanaaq tried to have the last word. She fought to make her view prevail. Qalingu, for his part, refused to waver, concerned as he was to see his son get better.

“Accept it,” he said, “or else his condition will get worse!”

“He certainly won't leave! I absolutely cannot accept it! I insist! I'm going to run away with him... I'll get up very early and, while you're all asleep, I'll leave and take him with me!”

“He's going to go! Accept it!”

“He won't go. He's my son and I love him! If anything, you're the one who'll leave... He will not go!”

Both of them stuck to their guns, so much so that Sanaaq had used up almost all of her strength and resistance... Everyone now went to bed... and to sleep.

Sanaaq woke up very early the next morning. She rubbed her eyes and began to prepare to escape with her son. She dressed carefully in order not to wake the others. She did everything very slowly, so as not to interrupt their slumber. She dressed without making a noise, and they all remained sound asleep... She took hold of her sleeping son and placed him in the back pouch of her coat. He certainly was able to walk, but, out of affection for him, she was unwilling to make him walk so soon after awaking.

No sooner had Sanaaq placed the child in her back pouch than he began to cry. Qalingu stirred. But he was too sleepy and dozed off again right away. Sanaaq
rushed out to keep her child from crying. Once outside, he stopped crying and she was on her way. Some dogs started following her, but she threw stones at them, thus deterring them from coming any further. But they continued to watch the direction she was going in, for they were accustomed to following their mistress. A little later her son awoke and began to cry once more, for he was hungry and not feeling well. She explained to him her intention not to take him far.

Back in the tent, meanwhile, Qalingu
and Arnatuinnaq had woken up. Qalingu
said to his sister-in-law, “Your older sister has run away. She's gone!”

“
Ii autualuk!
”
said Arnatuinnaq. “I wonder where she could have gone! Let's both go looking for her, Qalingu!
Aikuluk!
”

“I have trouble believing she did that just to keep her son from leaving... It's as if she didn't want him to get better... Let's go, Arnatuinnaq! Let's look for her with Maatiusi's help!”

Qalingu
went to his camp mates and said, “My wife took our son and ran away without my knowing... Maatiusi!
Join Arnatuinnaq
and me in searching for them. Qumaq
will be minded by my sister Aqiarulaaq.”

“I will!” said Maatiusi.

All three went looking for the runaway. The dogs sensed they were looking for someone and bounded ahead, in the direction taken by Sanaaq.

“The dogs seem to be on Sanaaq's trail!” remarked Qalingu
.
“All we need do is to follow them and start searching!”

They searched all day without spotting Sanaaq.

Meanwhile, Sanaaq was beginning to think of going home, for her son was crying from hunger.

“I love my dear son so much,” she thought, “and I'm making him suffer... At home, there's lots to eat while here there's nothing... If I love my son, how can I make him suffer from hunger and prevent him from going away and getting proper care? I must go home. I've acted with no regard for common sense. If they want to take him away, I should accept it, even though it makes me unhappy... I know it's for his own good... I must accept it, if I truly love him!”

And Sanaaq
headed home. Her folks were still looking for her.

“I really feel like going home. I'm very tired!” said Arnatuinnaq.

“No!” replied Qalingu.
“I won't go home until I've found them! My wife and my son must be weak and hungry... I'm afraid they'll be attacked by a polar bear... I'll continue to look for them until I find them... The two of you can go home if you so wish!”

“I will,” said Arnatuinnaq. “I'll go home because I'm tired and hungry. Let's both go home.”

“I agree,” answered Maatiusi.

They both went home while Qalingu
kept searching.

Sanaaq, however, was already back home with her child and both were eating to their hearts' content. Aqiarulaaq came and, on seeing her, said, “
Qatannguuk!
What's been going on with you? We thought you were lost!”

“Where are my kinfolk?” said Sanaaq.

“Qalingu
and his young sister-in-law have gone searching for you, with Maatiusi, while I minded Qumaq!”

“He's searching for us? But he's the one who was responsible for my running away by wanting to send my son to a far-off place! If my son leaves, so will I!”

Now Arnatuinnaq
and Maatiusi arrived on the scene.

“
Angajuk!
” exclaimed Arnatuinnaq.
“I was looking for you! Have you been back for a while? I wanted to go home because I was tired and hungry... Qalingu decided to keep searching until he found you, even though he has no food... He had no idea you might have gone home... He's worried sick about the two of you!”

“I was weak,” answered Sanaaq, “and very hungry. So was my son. I had to go home. I felt sorry for my child... Now, his condition's improving. Arnatuinnaq!
Take care of him while I go looking for Qalingu!”

Sanaaq
left to go looking for Qalingu. Both were now in search of each other. As he looked, Qalingu began to think, “My wife may be dead… Maybe a wild animal has killed her... Anyway, she must be dying of hunger...”

Meanwhile Sanaaq was telling herself, “My husband must be tired... Had I not run away, he wouldn't be in such a condition... I'll go home only when I've found him!”

Qalingu
was accompanied by his dogs, whereas Sanaaq
was alone. Qalingu's dogs had smelled something and had located Sanaaq, but without her son. Qalingu too spotted her and was now thinking, “My son is surely dead! I'll make Sanaaq pay for causing my son's death!”

When he caught up to Sanaaq,
he questioned her. “Where's my son? Is he dead?”

Sanaaq
kept silent. Because she said nothing, he asked again, “Where is he? Is he dead?”

He began to hit Sanaaq. He beat her with his fists while heaping insults on her. “
Ivvilualuk!
You're completely out of your mind! You've been furious ever since you found out that my son had to go away!”

“My son's at home!” shot back Sanaaq. “I left to go looking for you because I love you, and now that you've found me you accuse me of all kinds of evil things! My son is fine. Arnatuinnaq
is taking care of him. If I wasn't fit for you, why did you marry me? I love you and that's why I went looking for you, and here you are beating and hurting me!”

The two of them headed home. Qalingu
felt very bad about beating his wife. Sanaaq
had to stop and rest several times because of her severe pain. Although Qalingu regretted what had happened, he was still angry and simply continued on his way. He left his wife behind so that he could go home and see his son again. When he arrived, Aqiarulaaq
came to visit and asked him, “Did you see my
qatanngut
who went looking for you?”

“I saw her in a totally mindless state. She could no longer walk because I had hurt her by hitting her!”

“You're the one who's mindless! She went looking for you, out of love for you!”

Qalingu stood silently before his sister. Aqiarulaaq
added, “I'm going to tell everyone how my cousin got beaten up, when it was out of affection for her husband that she'd gone looking for you!”

Sanaaq
arrived just then. Qalingu
felt bad and angry and his folks were very unhappy.

Sanaaq continued to suffer and was unable to work. When the
Qallunaat
were informed of her condition, they told her she would have to go away with her son by plane. She prepared to leave. At the time of departure, she was asked about the cause of her pains. She answered, “Qalingu
beat me when I went to meet him. I had abducted my son because he was going to be taken away, but because we were starving we returned home. Meanwhile Qalingu
had gone looking for us with others. I left my son at home and went looking for Qalingu because I love him. When we caught up to each other, he accused me of causing his son's death and he beat me and swore at me... I have no desire for vengeance against him and if I must leave, I will, for it's no fun at all to suffer as I am now…”

“It will be necessary for you to go away,” she was told. “Your son seems alright now and no longer needs to leave, but you must go!”

The plane had arrived. Sanaaq
prepared to leave and made arrangements for her children, who were heartbroken to see her go. They were left in the care of Arnatuinnaq, who would look after them like a second mother, with Aqiarulaaq's assistance if need be. Thinking about his wife,
Qalingu
felt unhappy. He suffered from having behaved badly. He felt very uneasy towards his kinfolk, the
Qallunaat,
and his son. When he saw just how sad his folks were, he felt responsible.

When the police officers learned that Sanaaq had to leave because of injuries due to spousal abuse, they came to give Qalingu
a warning. He greeted them, red in the face and speechless.

“We'll let it go this time, but if it happens again, you'll go to jail for five years!”

Qalingu fell into a worsening state and became increasingly ill tempered, although he tried to lift his spirits. After the warning from the police, his sister Aqiarulaaq
felt no sympathy for him anymore.

Sanaaq was gone for a long time. An operation was needed to mend her bones. When Qalingu
learned she had to be operated on, he became even unhappier. His folks resented him for causing Sanaaq to leave. Aqiarulaaq, feeling very depressed, wrote her cousin a letter and sent it by the next plane.

As
Sanaaq's convalescence drew to an end, preparations were made to send her home. The news delighted Qumaq
and her little brother when they were told, but Qalingu was shaken. He feared a confrontation with his wife.

When Sanaaq arrived, her kinfolk, accompanied by the whole community, came out to welcome her and shake her hand. Aqiarulaaq broke into tears and said, “
Qatannguuk!
I missed you so much! I've been unhappy since you left and I haven't stopped hating my brother.”

Qalingu too spoke to Sanaaq. “After what I did to you, I'm now afraid to be your husband. I no longer feel worthy of having you as my wife and I'll make myself your servant because I fear you!”

“But you're a true Inuk,” answered Sanaaq. “You're able to do anything and you're in the prime of life! I'm the one who's been weakened and who's no longer able to do much. Now, if you want me to remain single, if you no longer want me as your wife, it's up to you.”

“I don't want you to be single. I want to help you and listen to you always, for I'm ashamed of what I did to you!”

Although he had tried to improve since the incident, Qalingu felt very unhappy and was still haunted by what he had done. For this reason, he wished all the more to listen to his wife's advice.

Sanaaq, now disabled, was again in pain. She had trouble with anything that required effort. So she let Arnatuinnaq take her place in doing the chores.

Qalingu
no longer hunted because his wife was very weak and because he tended to tire quickly, having long been inactive. His son was now in good health. The child was glad not to have gone away and to have his mother back.

Qumaq too was glad, even though her mother was still so weak. She made a top out of an old sewing spool. With an ulu, she cut out a piece of wood to make a peg for the top and a piece of cardboard to make it spin. She handed it to her brother, saying, “Here's a toy for you!”