January 23 marks the end of the polar night in Barrow (now Utqiagvik). The
gussak principal’s skepticism toward the sunrise reflects his culture’s distanced relationship to nature. Julie makes claims throughout the book that allude to non-indigenous people’s dismissal of her culture as superstitious or foolish. Yet it’s the non-indigenous townspeople who instinctively follow the Inuit people’s lead and raise their hands to praise the sun. This suggests that even if some
gussak people believe that their culture is superior to Inuit culture, this belief can’t blind them to the magnificence of nature’s beauty, like the rising sun. This scene paints Inuit cultural practices, particularly their reverence for nature, in a favorable light.