Blanket tossing at Inuit whale festival

Indigenous Inuit living on the edge of the Arctic Ocean fear new oil drilling could destroy their unique way of life, but many Alaskans believe the Arctic's energy reserves could be economically and politically important.

The BBC's Rajesh Mirchandani visited the Arctic town of Barrow during the traditional spring whale-hunting festival of Naluqatak.

One spectacular feature of the festival is the "blanket toss", in which people are hurled into the air on a mat made of seal skin.