One with the Whale

Christian Chase and these boys

have quite a bit of experience at a young age, hunting.

But like any parent,

you gotta worry about your kids

being out in a boat by themselves.

You know, there'll be a time and day when that happens.

Like my dad always said it,

as a younger generation becomes an arrow

and the elders become the bow.

'Cause the arrow, you know, it goes out and catches game,

and the next generation takes over.

But times are changing, you know,

a lot of stuff fighting against us.

It's gonna be very difficult for my boys to continue.

Ooh.

- What if I become whaling captain?

I pick shooters.

Most likely I'll pick my brother right here.

But he needs to pick up his game.

He needs to become more king buck. (guffaws)

- Please stop and stand for the Pledge.

(students speaking in Native language)

- We're located on St. Lawrence Island,

which is about 37 miles from Russia

and a little over 200 miles to the mainland.

In many ways, curricularly,

we are very similar to other schools in the country.

- I pledge allegiance to the flag

of the United States of America,

and to the Republic for which it stands,

one Nation, under God, indivisible,

with liberty and justice for all.

- So we're gonna be starting on Page 943.

We're gonna talk about post-colonial Africa.

I'll get you guys started off.

We'll talk about the inside story

and the main idea of what you're gonna read about.

- There's kids that are college ready,

then there's kids that, you know, they're like,

"I'm gonna be a hunter my whole life.

Why do I need to ever pick up a book?"

So that polarization's really hard.

You know, you really need to know

about the Cold War to make sure that you succeed in life.

That argument doesn't really go well for them.

- Starting the classes long time?

- You got half more hour, get busy.

He's missed the last few days of school.

But finally, a little bit of good weather.

I guess he's been hunting.

- Our students are allowed 10 subsistence days a year.

You have to hunt, you have to gather berries

you have to gather sea vegetables.

If you don't do subsistence activities, you die.

- The dog likes to come in every day. (chuckles)

I've been working here for a few months.

26,65.

I sometimes have to help my family with their bills.

I get them food.

I buy my brothers shells and gas and stove oil.

I get myself things too, sometimes. (chuckles)

- We spend about 300 to $500 a week on food

and there's always a lack of fresh fruit and produce.

This box of rice is 11,29.

11,29. This is $13 for

the six rolls of tissue.

Everything is very, very expensive.

- I'd rather be elsewhere than here.

I can't wait to leave.

There's not that much to do here on a remote island

and I'd rather have more opportunities.

I feel trapped.

22,49.

Make it 20 rounds with you?

- No, but I got that (indistinct)

Hmm. (chuckles)

Yes!

(chuckles) Yeah!

It's tired.

It came on to land.

We're supposed to be on ice out there

but there's no ice at all.

Take this much off.

- I like to post them on Facebook almost-

- Almost every time we catch something.

Yeah, every day.

- Oh shit, - Bugs.

That's a big one.

- Very normal. It just really made me feel itchy.

- You finish it. You want me to look a little bit?

Yeah.

Let's see.

Your kids bringing home food,

it's always something to be happy about.

When they were young, started out

bringing little tweety birds home.

I had to cook 'em anyway.

Their breasts were only that big. (guffaws)

Over 80% of our diet comes from subsistence hunting.

- You know, this is a modern world

in the remote areas of middle of nowhere. (chuckles)

- Ooh, yeah, it looks, I could smell it.

Thank you Father for this food

and bless us in Jesus name.

I pray in Your name. - Amen.

This delicious food...

- Was it the small meal, ?

Hope there's a bigger flock.

Two flocks is one good meal!

You need five of them.

You need to get a whale.

(traditional singing and chanting rings)

Oh yeah, where are they?

- Really? Just now realizing that they're gone.

On me!

- Does Noah make the angel? - Right there.

That's not an angel.

It is, see? (laughing)

You see the wing?

It just needs a head.

Give it head?

Now it has a head.

- I was always the weird kid in high school.

I'm not completely gay, but I'm not really

into guys either.

- Do this! - No more hokey pokey.

Let me try?

1, 2, 3, go!

- I am still in the closet, kind of.

I don't really tell anybody about who I am, what I am.

I really don't like to define myself as anything.

Just wanna be me.

A lot of people are against gays.

It's a religion thing.

And I decided to move out of Gambell.

(distorted public announcement rings )

- When I first got here they didn't have internet.

But then LTE came out about a year ago