Qarmaq
About
The film shows the construction of the basis of a Qarmaq, a semi-subterranean winter home with walls made of peat sods, which were cut after the first frost. The top of the block is well frozen, whereas the bottom is still wet, so the block will stick to the floor or the block it is put on.
QARMALIURNIQ (1974)
Building an Inuit semi-subterranean house from peat moss.
16 mm colour movie, silent
Excerpt presented : 2 minutes 30
Director : B. Saladin d’Anglure.
Camera and sound : M. Maillard and Terry Pierce. [a long version in Inuktitut exists, 60 minutes with synchronous sound)
Shot in Igloolik, NU in 1974, with the collaboration of Inummariit Association.
Offline editing by Terry Pierce and the Association Inuksiutiit de l’Université Laval in Québec City (1974-75).
Editing: B. Saladin d’Anglure.
Full transcript
Men are working around the foundations of a peat house and a man is placing peat with the back of an axe.
A man is placing peat with the back of an axe while another man is adding peat to the foundations.
A man is getting peat on a sled.
A man is placing peat with the back of an axe.
Close shot of two men's faces.
Wide shots of the peat house foundations.
A man is placing pieces of peat on the foundations.
A man is hitting the pieces of peat with an axe.
A man is jumping on the pieces of peat.
A man is staring at a piece of peat.
A man walks and jumps on a piece of peat.
Close shot of a peat wall.