Quiet Moments

32 - Kinguniqartuq/Mamaqtuq

"Kinguniqartuq"---The soft flickering of the candlelight danced across the walls of their small quarters, throwing shadows against the rough concrete. The bunker's heavy air pressed in around them, but tonight, in this little corner of their world, it felt lighter somehow. Octavia leaned against the small wooden table, watching Jade as she rifled through a pile of papers, searching for something.

Finally, Jade straightened up, a triumphant smile on her lips. She waved a small, hand-written notebook in the air. "Found it!"

Octavia chuckled. "What's that?"

"This," Jade said, settling down beside Octavia, "is my Inuktitut practice book. I thought we could go over a few words tonight."

Octavia raised an eyebrow. "Inuktitut lessons? Isn't that a little ambitious, considering I barely managed to learn Trigedasleng?"

Jade laughed softly, her voice like a soothing balm. "Trigedasleng was survival. This... this is for us." She reached out and brushed a stray lock of hair from Octavia's forehead, her fingers lingering a moment. "Something for us to hold onto. A piece of who I am, who we are, together."

Octavia nodded, her expression softening. "Alright," she agreed, "teach me something."

Jade's smile widened, and she flipped open the notebook, scanning the page. "Okay, let's start with something simple. Try this: *kinguniqartuq*."

Octavia blinked, attempting to mimic the unfamiliar sounds. "Kingu... kingun..."

Jade chuckled, correcting gently, "*Kinguniqartuq*."

Octavia tried again, slower this time, her brow furrowing with concentration. "Kinguniqartuq."

Jade's eyes sparkled with pride. "Yes, that's it," she encouraged. "You've got it."

Octavia grinned. "Okay, so what does it mean?"

Jade hesitated, her smile softening into something more tender. "Well... it's hard to translate directly into English," she admitted.

Octavia tilted her head, curiosity piqued. "Try me."

Jade leaned back slightly, considering her words. "In English, it would mean something like 'I miss you,'" she began slowly. "But it's... deeper than that. It's like..." She paused, searching for the right way to explain. "It's more about how someone's absence feels. It's the feeling that something or someone is missing, and yet, in that absence, they are still present."

Octavia's face softened, a look of understanding crossing her features. "Like... their absence leaves a presence?"Jade nodded. "Yes," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "*Kinguniqartuq*."Octavia's eyes held Jade's, and for a moment, they were both quiet, letting the weight of the word settle between them.

Jade continued softly, almost to herself. "Kinginilik, kinguniqartuti. Tainna Inuk kinguniqartuq."

Octavia felt the emotion in Jade's voice, the way her words carried something deeper than language, something that touched her heart. "What does that mean?" she asked quietly.

Jade smiled gently, her eyes filled with something soft and fragile. "It's hard to put into English," she said again. "But it's like saying... 'Those who are here, miss those who are gone. And in their absence, we feel their presence.'"

Octavia swallowed, her throat tight with emotion. "That's... beautiful," she whispered.

Jade's smile was tinged with something bittersweet. "It is," she agreed. "It's a word we use a lot in my culture. To honor those who are no longer with us, and to remember that they are still part of us, even when they're gone."