A trip to the Arctic - kind of

So, we managed one cultural outing during half term a couple of weeks ago when we went to see that Arctic: Culture and Climate exhibition at the British Museum. It was fascinating to learn about how the four million people who live there live and have lived for thousands of years. It’s also depressing to see how their surroundings are changing beyond recognition due to climate change. Their and all of our lives will look very different in the coming decades, but I guess ultimately everything is constantly changing on our planet, and always has done, but the difference now is that we’re to blame. Sigh. Stupid humans! It’s crazy how we can be so clever but also so incredibly ignorant. Anyway… it was quite dark and busy in exhibition (no social distancing but lots of face masks) so I didn’t manage to take many pictures. This map made out of seal skin was amazing. The indigenous people of the Arctic Circle made/make use of every part of animals that they hunted for food, so a seal skin could end up being a map or waterproofs among other things.

It was one of those exhibitions where there was quite a bit to read about every piece, which of course was very good and informative, but I find that if I read too much I then don’t end up looking properly. I should always remember to look first and then read. I have no memory of what this little dude was, but all I know is that he’s very cool.

The bead work on this apron made up of some sort of skin (reindeer? caribou?) was mind-blowing. I wonder how many months it would’ve taken to make.

This jacket made out of caribou fur was also pretty amazing. Love the design. All hand sewn.

There were prints made by artists scattered through the exhibition.

And sculptures out of soap stone.

As well as engravings done on walrus tusks.

I went through the exhibition slower than Oomoo and Mr Famapa, so they were finishing up as I was half-way through. They asked me to guess what Oomoo’s choice was if he could take one thing home with him, and as soon as I saw these masks I knew straight away that these were it.

My take-home would’ve been this soapstone printing block, such a beautiful object, don’t you think? Even with the cracks.

And this is how the print looked from the above block. So cool! If you want find out a bit more you can read more about the Artic here on the British Museum blog. Once a year the World Eskimo-Indian Olympics takes place, where people from the circumpolar areas in the world compete in sporting categories that are designed to preserve cultural practices and traditional survival skills. I found a little clip on youTube from one of them here. Some categories look really painful, others really fun, and some seriously impressive. It was such an interesting exhibition and I’m so grateful we got the chance to go before everything closed up again.

A little bit of the last few weeks

October 26th, 4.12pm
I‘ve been outdoors every day for the past few weeks, either swimming, running or going for walks, and this and the following two pictures are from a walk on Hampstead Heath. We met up with my father-in-law and my step mother-in-law and it was nice to check in on each other, as it was only the second time we’ve seen them since the beginning of the year. England has since gone into a four week lockdown, but it’s not quite as strict as the last one (it definitely has a very different feel). You are now allowed to meet one other person from another household outdoors “to exercise”, but sadly the Ladies Pond (although now Covid secure) closed on Thursday, even though outdoor swimming is regarded as low risk. It is what it is, and hopefully the lockdown won’t go on for much longer past the 2nd of December. I’ll make sure I go out daily though, regardless of the weather, and have longer cold showers so the cold water in the Pond won’t be too much of a shock with such a long break from it.

4.14pm
Anywaaaaaaay, back to the Heath walk. This fallen tree looked like a sculpture lying on its side like that. It was HUGE and reminded me of the shadow monster in Stranger Things.

4.31pm
Loved how neatly the leaves had fallen off the trees near Kenwood House.

October 28th, 10.42am
As it was half term that week we ventured into town to see the Arctic exhibition at the British Museum en famille (pics from there coming up in another post), and while we were there I spotted this guy on the roof of the Great Court. He’s not scared.

12.18pm

Outside the museum I found the pots of plants on the house on the left quite sweet. It looked like someone had tentatively just started gardening.

October 31st, 1.28pm

Halloween… without the trick or treating, because, yeah, you know. Still got a pumpkin that Mr Famapa carved to perfection though. He called him… Charlie Frown.

5.28-5.33pm
So what to do when you can’t go out trick or treating?! Hide sweets and let Oomoo loose with a head torch with all the lights off, that’s what.

“Warm, warmer… HOT!”

One room was reeeeeeeally scary!

Mr Famapa had hidden sweets on top of picture frames, door handles and in plant pots.

It was impossible to focus the camera in the dark. Maybe this is what a flash is for?! Don’t have one innit :D

November 6th, 8.23am
And finally, the sky yesterday morning. The clouds stayed that way for nearly the whole day. I love it when Mother Nature shows off, she da boss! That’s it for today. Have as great a weekend as you can have, while we wait for good news from across the Atlantic.