Jorge Barrera
Northern News Services
Rankin Inlet (Jun 27/01) - The ice creaked and heaved as they skipped across like frogs on lily-pads, the sky smeared with purple, starting to peel like paint covering an orange wall.
Ice-hopping at 1 a.m., four Rankin Inlet youths who didn't want their names published -- they feared parental reprimand -- doing the summer solstice thing at the last point of transition between the seasons: ice to water.
"It's like jumping on lily pads but only bigger," said one of the youths, describing the event.
The whole community buzzed last Thursday night, ATVs zipping through the streets well into the dawn, celebrating the official inauguration of summer.
Margaret Brown, Louisa Kopak and Gloria Kaludjak were one of those zipping on Hondas.
"We're just hanging around, having fun with our best friends," said Kopak.
At 2 a.m. the community's lone basketball court was still packed, two balls going at the same time, and Mannapak Aklunark hanging from the rim.
"We're going to play basketball all night," he said.
Like the town, the sky never stilled and the sun bounced off the horizon, engulfing the world by 3 a.m.
Even though the winter cobwebs snapped on that night, there were some who said it's a good thing it's not like this all the time.
"I'm glad the sun isn't up all year round," said William Noolook hanging out by the hamlet office.
"I like it when it's dark because you can play hide and seek," he said.
By 9 a.m. Friday it could have been noon and a few of the hardy solstice-watchers looked a bit haggard and ready for a nap in the sun.
A tired-looking Thomas Angoshadluk, drinking coffee at the Siniktarvik Hotel, said he stayed up all night playing cards.
When asked why he stayed up all night, Angoshadluk said, "It was summer solstice, why do you think we stayed up?"
