The arctic community relies heavily on facebook to communicate and trade. Sometimes you might find something interesting and rare too. I was fortunate enough to get a hold of a jar of whale Gilitak. Whale Gilitak is made of mipko (smoked whale meat) soaked in ooksook ( whale bubbler/fat). It is then frozen to preserve it for the whole winter.
The lady who made it told me it was made from the whale she hunt from the arctic ocean. Indigenous whale hunting has been practiced by the Inuvialuit people since time immemorial. They are still continuing this traditional way of hunting. The Canadian government recognizes their right to continue their way of living on their land. The lady also told me this way of preparing whale gilitak was passed on by her mother-in-law. Not many people know how to make them nowadays.
I have to thaw the Gilitak in room temperature for a few hours, then the whale meat can be eaten with salt or as is. The whale oil can also be used as a dip for caribou meat or fish.
The mipko (smoked whale meat) is cut and served in small pieces. It has a fishy smell just like muktuk ( whale sashimi). The texture of mipko resembles beef jerky. Once I chewed it more, it started to feel like eating a medium rare steak, and it has a hinge of sourness, which reminds me of grilled salmon. Whale meat is a great source of vitamin C and A in the traditional arctic diet. This is a very unique delicacy and I definitely enjoyed it!
From North Point To North Pole 