“You tuppaq me.” = Local for, “Hey man, you really just
scared me a little right there.”
“I go Kotz.” = Tomorrow, yesterday, last week, maybe today?
I’m going to fly to Kotzebue and be back maybe in a few days. So don’t wait on
me.
“Addii” = Pronounced “Ahhh DEEEEEEeeeeeeee” = “Shucks, I’m
really not happy with how things are going and rather than swear at you right
now, I’m going to hide behind this culturally adapted catch all phrase that
shows frustration and disapproval.”
And my favorite - "Umiaqpaksisuktuq" = which means, "He would like to buy a big boat!"
The locals have adapted their language to become an
efficient use of their precious time.
In Bush Alaska the VHF reigns supreme. These small two-way
radios are the center of all communication, both necessary and unnecessary. Some
are hand held. Some are wall mounted. Antennas reached toward the sky from
every building on the Rock. Whether an inbound plane is late or right on time,
you can be assured that the information will be passed on the VHF. People
selling doughnuts or looking for their children to return home just jump on the
radio and announce their intentions to the whole village.
Sometimes the crackle of the VHF is just someone trying to
brighten your morning with a casual greeting. Other times the VHF can be a
source of entertainment when lovers squabble or drinkers drink – sometimes the
two go hand in hand. Personally, I’m glad my roommate and I decided to live
without a VHF because frankly, it’s filled with a lot of nonsense.
Nonsense.
The VHF code for that is “Go Six Nine.”
See, Channel 68 is the channel that every village in the
Northwest Arctic but one uses. A few years back, the elders in Selawik decided
that the constant vulgar language was embarrassing and so the village switched
to a frequency in the 70’s. But for everyone else, day-to-day business is run
on Channel 68. That is unless you’ve got something juicy to say. Then you “Go
Six Nine.”
“Go Six Nine” means that if you and I are going to continue
to communicate on the open radio waves you’ll have to join me on Channel 69
where we might complete a drug transaction, have private pillow talk, or complain
about someone or something. Six Nine is where all the good stuff goes to keep
Channel 68 clean.
This morning just before school officially started I was in
the office picking something up off of the printer. Our office is a tight
little space and when you throw a couple of big bodies in there it’s best to
get in and get out. I was trying my best to do just that and then the office VHF
started to crack.
“Complain about school – Go Six Nine.”
Two adults out of reach told me to go six nine. I froze like
a deer in the headlights. I had forgotten the code. “Kirby, Go Six Nine!” They
told me again, yet this time were pointing and smiling with excitement.
Apparently somebody had some laundry to be aired about our school and they
wanted to do it discretely on a very public two-way radio channel.
Lyle bailed me out and reached over for the dial. He went
Six Nine.
And on Six Nine some lady let on how her kids are bullied –
how the teachers of the school are all lazy – how everyone should be fired –
how no body ever pays attention to her complaints… I felt like I was
eavesdropping and was a bit embarrassed that my first time “going Six Nine” was
happening right there in front of my co-workers. I’ve lost my Six Nine
virginity and it wasn’t even worth it.
There’s a lot of animosity surrounding public education in
these villages. The schools are still feeling the affects of failed
assimilation programs of generations ago. There are people that support the school and teachers. They think that
their children deserve a free and appropriate education and then there are
those that are burdened by the western world’s educational mandates. They distrust everything that's associated with school.
Facebook is no place for dirty laundry.
Neither is Channel Six Nine.
But it happens.
Back to work tomorrow.
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