Bernadette Adams remembers pitching fits as a young girl out on the sea ice wanting desperately to go out whaling with her father. With no brothers, her hunting career started at a young age. And last week, she made local history as the first woman in the community to harpoon a bowhead. Usually women don’t go out in boats with the whaling crews. And while community members in Barrow are touting her as the first woman to kill a whale, she’s actually not sure if that’s the case. But it doesn’t matter to her either way.

 

“Everyone keeps asking me but I just say ‘I don’t know, I don’t keep up with that, all I do is go whaling,’” said Adams, 31, last week.

 

Adams went out with captain George Ahmaogak Sr.’s crew Monday, Sept. 22, on a calm morning.

 

The boat was about 20 miles offshore from Point Barrow when something in the water caught Adams’ eye.

 

Read the full story at Alaska Dispatch News>>

Want to read more about Alaska whaling? Click here

Have you listened to this article via the audio player?

If so, send us your feedback around what we can do to improve this feature or further develop it. If not, check it out and let us know what you think via email or on social media.

A collection of stories from guest authors.

Join the Conversation