The Nalukataq Festival is held in late June, when the spring whaling hunt has been completed. Depending on how successful the whaling captains have been, the festival lasts anywhere from a few days to more than a week. It’s a rare cultural experience and one of the best reasons to visit Barrow.
One Iñupiat tradition calls for whaling crews to share their bounty with the village, and during the festival you’ll see families carrying off platters and plastic bags full of raw whale meat. Dishes served include muktuk , the pink blubbery part of the whale, which is boiled, pickled or even eaten raw with hot mustard or soy sauce.
The main event of the festival is the blanket toss , in which locals use a sealskin tarp to toss people into the air – the effect is much like bouncing on a trampoline. For the jumper, the object is to reach the highest heights (this supposedly replicates ancient efforts to spot game in the distance) and inevitably there are a number of sprains and fractures.
Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/alaska/barrow/events/local-festivals-culture/nalukataq-festival#ixzz3ksNfBlKt