Qungutur (Robert Kolerok):

Qungutur: Awaken qanruyun kwaten qanruyucetangqertur kwangkuta ggur nunam qaangani cangullemteni can'guaraat imkut napauralriit usarunqegcaarluuki canguciqukut. Maaten imna can'guar napauralria tekitarput ukalirnerem tungii cikutangqerturallinilria.

Maaten murilkumaarput nunamta tungii kwaten ayuqurluni pillinilria. Kua i man'a cikutangqerrluni nunamta ll' tungii man'a kwaten aapaagni ll' maawet, aapaagni ll' nunamta caumaluni. Tamaa i ggur tamakut qanruyutnguluteng kwaten ayagalrianun, nalluqaqata tamakut ussarumaaresqelluki, natmun tayima pia. Maaten tauna caneggluar tawaten cikuurallinikan ukatii tawa i ll' nunani elitaqluki nallunrirluki.

Kangpaassaqluki. Ayaggaarluni, ayaggaarluni arulairluni can'get pimaarai anagiluki imna ciunerkani ayallinilria. Nutaan ciukirrluni ________. Tawaten tawa i qanrumayalriit. Nutaan tamta llu. Tawa i ggur ellani nalluqaquniu cuum, cun'erram taum ayrungqerrluni kwaten, ayarungqerkuni aritvani kuut kangranun qilqaulluku kuut caniminun napa'arciiqaa kurnaggaam ll' uqranun aqumqerrluni irugni qap'?ivqur?terlukeg tua uitaurluunil'. Quunengutengraaku llu nekuusqevkenaku, kiarastengqerciqniluku. Ak'a tamaani kiaratullrullinikait am. Tawaten tawa pisqelluki.

Cali kwaten malruuluteng piaqameng nunam ggur qaangani nalluqeraqamegteggu nuna nutaan elagluku aniguyiqerluteng, qanikcameg eneliqerluteng tua uitauraaqut. Calliqsuitut ggur tamakut.

Tauna ggur kiimi irugni qap'illukeg pilria mecituur unui tamarmeng, nekevyugnaunani nengelmi, qumqautarkauluku nekevkenani. Nutaan ll' kiaraluku un'uneg ang'aqluteng piut, napauralria ugna awa i ullagluku tekitaat tawa i uitauralliniluni tawani. Unui ll' yuuvkarluki tamakuneg ac'elluku utrulluku. Tawaten qanruyutetangqertur. Tamaakut tamiintarwaaruut caneggluaraat. Nalluqailnguum murilketalriim anautektullii tamakut. Qanruyutnguluni awani. Maa i tan'gurramta nalluat tamana, tamakut.

A rule from those old days. There's a rule like this: When we are traveling on land, we have to observe the grass on the land very carefully and travel. When we get to a grass that's standing and when we observe it, we notice this side of it has ice on it.

When we observe it, it's toward our home like this, this side of the grass has ice on it and towards our home, or this way, or our home is facing it, those were the rules for the travelers. If they forget where they are at, to observe those which way are they, then they will notice that grass has ice on this side, then he'll realize where the village is at. [They] used them as a compass, go and go, and stop and check the grass and notice he is missing his destination, then he'll straighten his course. That's how they are told.

Then there is another one. When a person forgets where he is at, that young man, he has a walking stick like this. If he has a walking stick, he'll tie his mitten at the tip of it and post it beside him. Then he'll sit down, using a knoll for a wind break and dig a space for his legs, and stay there. And he's told not to stand up even if the weather gets calm because they will be looking for him. In those days they looked for them, I see. That's what they are supposed to do.

And another thing, if there's two of them, if they are on the land, they dig the ground and make a temporary shelter by making a snow house and stay there. Those are usually okay. But that one that dug a place for his legs, all of his clothing are soaking wet and he can't stand in the cold. If he stands up he freezes right away. The search party will be looking for him with some dry clothes, they will notice the post over there on the ground and go to it, and find him staying there. They would then make him change his clothes and take him home. That's one of the rules. Those grass are all over the place. If a person forgets, if the person is observant he'll save himself by those. It was a saying in those days. Our children don't know about that today.>

[Robert Kolerok, 1989 April 3rd, Tape 89NUN005 Interview with Robert and Edna Kolerok in Mekoryuk, AK, Ken Pratt interviewing, Howard Amos interpreting. Tape copy and transcript on file at NPT.]