The seals or any animal they catch, shares its body with them, its spirit returning to be reborn again, next year. Some of its body must be returned to the place where it was caught, so that next year it will return again to share itself. If they neglect to do this, the catch will be poor in the future. By the same token, out of respect for the animal's generosity, nothing must be wasted. The girls in the class were quiet, putting their heads on their desks or smiling softly if asked a question, but not answering.
Girls can do it if they have to.
The girls look uncomfortable. The older students' classes are dominated by the boys, except for the seniors. Here the class has two clear leaders, a boy and a girl, both articulate, bright and curious. Both of the excelling students hope to attend college, the others hope to graduate, or simply reach sixteen and drop out maybe to return later. Most of the teenagers view me with some suspicion, unsure what I have to say to them that they would want to hear.