Kiviuq Iqaluit film shoot an exercise in storytelling

JOHN THOMPSON

Until he started acting in John Houston’s newest film project, Jason Akoluk had never heard of the sprawling epic tale known as Kiviuq. In fact, he thought “kiviuq” meant muskox fur.

The 23-year-old from Cambridge Bay isn’t alone.

Across Nunavut, many Inuit from Akoluk’s generation grew up without hearing the story by this name. After being passed down through millennia, the telling of Kiviuq came to an abrupt stop in many communities after the arrival of Christian missionaries.

Dressed in a parka and kamiks, Akoluk stands inside the darkened gym of Nunavut Arctic College’s old residence building in Iqaluit and explains that, until now, his acting experience was limited to Christmas pageants. But he knows how to dance in the Inuvaluit style of the Western Arctic, which is why he and others from Cambridge Bay were recruited.

The story of Kiviuq spans across Nunavut, says producer John Houston, and so should the film’s influences.

Akoluk plays the part of a bully who teases an orphan boy whose father was part seal. Eventually the orphan boy seeks revenge, and after learning how to raise storms from his grandmother, he drowns the entire village – except for Kiviuq, who alone showed kindness towards him.

It’s those values – generosity, and perseverance to overcome all sorts of obstacles – that makes Kiviuq worth learning today, according to the film’s actors. They say it’s a more than a story, but a way to live by.

“It’s inspiring how we could apply that in real life,” said fellow bully Quentin Crockatt, 21. “We should have had all those stories as a kid.”

“We’re filming a part of our history.”

Lamech Kadloo does remember hearing the story of Kiviuq, when he was about eight. Now 41, the Pond Inlet resident plays the part of the hero, and he’s taking it seriously. In fact, he spent the past few years growing his hair long for the part.

He’s worked with Houston on five films since 1987, and most recently played the part of the shaman in Diet of Souls, which was nominated for two Gemini awards.

To play Kiviuq, Kadloo had to learn old words no longer in use today – a testament to the story’s age. He’s also had to live up to higher expectations, like he really is the hero himself, even outside of the movie set.

“It seems like I need to be more helpful, be the people person,” he said.

He feels Kiviuq’s ethic is part of what helped Inuit survive in the Arctic’s harsh environment, and something that will help them pull through today’s challenges also.

“If it wasn’t for him, we wouldn’t be happy today.”

The full story, as told by some elders, has stretched to seven hours, and has enough explicit sex and gruesome violence to warrant a restricted warning.

This documentary will squeeze that down to 90 minutes and leave out the maggots, snot licking and dismembered body parts. But it does include the essentials, including Kiviuq’s two true loves, the fox woman and the goose woman.

The film could be a first to have Inuit elders on stage, not just as storytellers, but as actors. They are Annie Peterloosie, 68, from Pond Inlet, Samson Quinangnaq, 81, from Baker Lake, and Henry Evaloakjuk, 89, from Iqaluit.

Shooting began last week on Nov. 28 and was to continue until Dec. 7, inside the old residence building in Iqaluit.

The $990,000 film is a joint Triad Film and Drumsong production, and will eventually be broadcast on APTN. Sponsors include Telefilm, APTN, Nunavut Film, Canadian North, Kakivak Association and the Kitikmeot Inuit Association.