Discussion between Sarah Beaulne, Qalingo Tukalak and Elisapee Tukalak

Legend:
Q= question
Qa= Qalingo
E= Elisapee

Q: What characters did you played in the film?

QA: I played Patunguya and my wife played Kumak. Our grandchild played Pikku Paniapik.

Q: Patunguya, is there a scene from the film that brings to mind powerful feelings?

QA: I had acted before in the South, but it didn’t touch my heart. But this film, it really touched my heart. Inuit women did some of the directing, real Inuit women who knew about our traditional lifestyle and traditional hunting tools. I feel most strongly about the scene where we use the kayait; five of us men using kayait and wearing real Inuit traditional clothing. We were very happy, making jokes and laughing. It really reminded me of our traditional lifestyle and it really touched me.

Q: Were you acting for other people before?

QA: Yes, I was in a film called Agaguk [Note – footnote with info on director, date, etc of movie]. Lou Diamond Philips was Agaguk and I played as his best friend. It was something new to me and my first time acting. In this movie I was more experienced. I am happy that I acted in this movie.

Q: Elisapee what scenes bring to mind the most powerful feelings for you?

EL: The scene with Kuutujuk. Patunguya played her adopted son and I was her daughter-in-law. In this scene we are going to a small island and she did not want to be left behind, she wanted to go along. When they agreed for her to do so - and her son said yes to her - it touched my heart.

I also liked the scene where the children are playing with a family of wooden dolls. It reminded me of when I was a child - I used to have a family of wooden dolls. I was happy to see that in the film.

Q: What did you think of the exchange between Puvirnituq-Igloolik?

QA: I felt that we Inuit from Puvirnituq are falling behind. The filmmakers from Igloolik are searching and finding out what traditions and tools were like in the past. They are finding out by asking questions. They know more than us. We are forgetting Inuit traditions and traditional ways of hunting.

Q: What did you think of the clothing?

QA: We had comfortable clothing. It was made by professional Inuit sewers. In the first movie I acted in (Agaguk), the clothes we made by white people and they did not know about our traditional clothing. They made us wear thick winter clothing. In this film, our clothing was comfortable and was made by people who knew what they were doing. That was the difference.

E: The men's clothing was comfortable for them, but for the women from Nunavik the Igloolik-style amauti [Note – is an amauti a parka?] were not too comfortable. The hood was longer and kind of uncomfortable.

Q: Do you have other comments?

EL: I want to thank people from Igloolik. They knew what to do, they knew their scenes, and they also knew our traditional lifestyle. They were really good directors and I thank them.

QA: We became good friends with the people from Igloolik. In my heart, I will never forget them. We welcomed each other and everybody was happy. They also lifted-up our self-esteem. I’m sure the people from Igloolik felt the same. This was a big thing for me.