Not just one, but two bowhead whales were harvested in the same afternoon near St. Lawrence Island. The catch came as whaling leaders from western Alaska and the North Slope attended a meeting in Anchorage.
From a conference room at the Crowne Plaza in Anchorage, Savoonga's John Waghiyi, Jr. asked to take the floor. Jenny Evans, the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission’s communications director, recounted the moment.
“He said, ‘I have to read you this text,’ and he was so excited,” Evans recalled.
The group at once belted a traditional chant to celebrate the occasion.
“When you get a whale they say, ‘yay, hey, hey!'" Evans said.
Waghiyi Jr had just broken the news that Savoonga-based whaling captain, Charles Edwards, caught a bowhead whale.
“We said a prayer, and thanked the Lord for providing for the community, and then everyone was hugging him. It was awesome," Evans shared.
Shortly after, news rang out that Savoonga’s neighbor, Gambell, also caught a bowhead just one mile offshore. The Gambell crew was captained by Glen Tungiyan with his younger brother Reuben Tungiyan serving as striker.
As the news spread, boats rallied to help tow the massive whales ashore, a process that took several hours late in the day Thursday.
While pulling the bowhead ashore in Gambell, a curious polar bear was spotted following the distinct smell. Men with rifles stood by as the community worked into the late evening to harvest the whale.
The catch prompted the Gambell School to cancel open gym hours Thursday night and called for a whale/ inservice day Friday to give students an opportunity to take part in the special occasion.
On Facebook, hundreds of users shared their congratulations in comments, likes, and shares on posts celebrating the catches.
A long weekend of cutting, gutting, and storing the bowhead awaits for the two communities.
