On Friday last, we had our first Elder’s dinner at the House. Leah and I had the idea that it would be nice to invite Arctic Bay’s elder’s over from time to time, before they are lost to us for ever. The last year or so has been very hard on the community as we have lost several elder’s.
The turn out was not as good as we would have liked it, with only five elders coming. In addition one of the elder’s has a woman assisting her and she came, and of course my Aunt Valerie was here also. Everyone seemed pretty enthusiastic about it, and the food.
I kept it fairly simple for supper. We had my beef stew, baked char and a muktaq stew. There was bannock also and for dessert we had a delicious upside down pineapple cake.
The char is a treat, for although it is plentiful here we never have any. Leah is allergic to fish and seafood so I never cook any. The cooking couldn’t be simpler. I lightly season the inside of the whole fish (very lightly this time as I had specific instructions to go easy on salt and pepper) and put sliced onion and lemon in the cavity. Wrap it in tinfoil and bake it for, oh, an hour and a quarter, at 350. I serve it with a dill sauce (couple of tablespoons of butter, a teaspoon or so each of dried dill, lemon (or lime) juice, and sugar and a cup of chicken broth, reduce on the stove and serve warm. Here is a picture of the char before going in the tinfoil and the oven.
After supper Leah had a few games prepared for the Elder’s and then prizes in hand, I drove them home. An enjoyable evening and one we’ll repeat in the not to distant future.
Comments
5 responses
That’s awesome inviting the elders to dinner. All of that valuable history and tradition should not go when they pass on.
I use the same recipe with red salmon minus the chicken broth and add white wine. It’s awesome.
It is so nice to see picture of Martha (Pee) and my great uncle Muktar and Martha too. They look so relaxed. I’m sure you touched their hearts. 🙂
Thank you for inviting them to your dinner, Warms my heart with joy and emotion.
Very cool, Clare. I worked a bit in past years with some of the Tohono O’odham elders – basketmakers and storytellers. It’s such an honour. I see from the photo that there was a “younger” being admired.
Nice one Clare, good for you. Those char look nice 🙂
Very cool, Clare.
By chance, any plans to ask them to tell stories and videotape them?