Subject: baidarka Inughuit
From: Phil Ellis (pcoellis@hotmail.com)
Date: Tue Aug 15 2000 - 21:42:20 EDT
'Evening All,
The discussions of various Arctic films a couple of weeks ago reminded me
that I had taped a segment on a Greenland vilage that ran on the Discovery
Channel back in the late '80s, so I dug it out and watched it. It turned out
to be "Inughuit", by Steffan Julen, copyright 1985, and is a rather down
piece consisting mostly of interviews (with subtitles) with the people of
Qaanaaq (aka Thule), illustrating the slow degradation of their way of life
caused by contact with industrial culture. Among other things, it doesn't
seem to have helped much that smiling idiots from the U.S. and Danish
governments relocated their former village to make room for a military
installation.
Nevertheless, there's some good kayak footage, including a narwhale hunt
conducted in a narrow lead in the ice, and featuring the actual harpoon
throw. Also a short rolling sequence near the end of the film.
Qaanaaq must have been a pretty busy place in the mid-80s, as there is also
an article about it in the April,'84 issue of National Geographic,
featuring, among other things, a narwhale hunt and one photo of a nearly
completed kayak frame, showing some construction detail.
I don't have any idea where this film might be available, but someone at the
Discovery Channel might know.
Regards,
Phil
-
Baidarka Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be
reproduced outside Baidarka or Baidarka archives without author's permission
Submissions: baidarka@lists.intelenet.net
Subscriptions: baidarka-request@lists.intelenet.net
Searchable archive: http://rtpnet.org/robroy/baidarka
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b27 : Fri Sep 01 2000 - 01:00:02 EDT