Plot: Nanook, an Eskimo (what is now known as an Inuit), his family, and his followers of "Itivimuits" are among the approximately three hundred nomadic people who live in an area roughly the size of England on the eastern shores of Hudson's Bay in a region called Ungava of Canada's north. Their travel is largely through kayak and other water vessels in the summer and dog sled during the winter. They have some contact with white people of "western" civilization, with whom they barter for goods at set trading posts. However, their life is primarily one of subsistence, with Nanook and the men hunting for food to keep them alive, which is not always easy. Their food sources are primarily sea related - salmon, seal and walrus - meaning that they spend most of their time along the Hudson's Bay shore, although animals such as white foxes, polar bears and deer are also prized for food and/or hide and fur. Ice buildup during the winter makes it that much more difficult to access the water, and the food underneath the water. But the harsh winter also provide certain opportunities, such as the plentiful raw material of ice and snow to construct temporary shelters, namely igloos, to protect them from the elements, and easier ways to spot water-dwelling seals.
Alternative Plot: This pioneering documentary film depicts the lives of the indigenous Inuit people of Canada's northern Quebec region. Although the production contains some fictional elements, it vividly shows how its resourceful subjects survive in such a harsh climate, revealing how they construct their igloo homes and find food by hunting and fishing. The film also captures the beautiful, if unforgiving, frozen landscape of the Great White North, far removed from conventional civilization.
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