ANSWER References
APA with in-text citations (Not foot notes) and references at the end of each question
Reference material ONLY from the readings and/or lecture for your answers (uploaded Files)
Question: What geographic imaginaries does the film “Nanook of the North” perpetuate? How do these geographic imaginaries connect to the project of the white settler society?
** Watch the following clips from and about the documentary “Nanook of the North” and read the additional information provided below.
A complete answer will
(1) define geographic imaginaries in your own words and
(2) draw upon course materials to answer the questions.
Estimated answer length: 2 paragraphs of 5-6 sentences each)
CLIP 1: “1922: How Robert Flaherty invented the modern documentary” [00:40 – 03:45]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEajMPZy_0Q
CLIP 2: “Nanook of the North (Flaherty, 1922) – High Quality 1080p” [10:14 – 15:14]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkW14Lu1IBo
Nanook of the North (1922) is a documentary about Inuit life in Northern Canada by Robert Flaherty (1884 – 1951). Flaherty is considered one of the founding fathers of documentary film, with Nanook of the North as his magnum opus. Before becoming a filmmaker, Flaherty was a railroad prospector, hired to map and survey the East Hudson Bay. Over the course of his many expeditions, Flaherty began documenting the lives of Inuit communities on film. Nanook of the North focuses on the traditional family, hunting, and trading activities of a man named Nanook.
While widely celebrated at the time of its release for its authentic depiction of Inuit life, Flaherty’s life and career has become the subject of major controversy and criticism. More recent scholarship reveals that the entire film was a fabrication.
All scenes were carefully written and directed by Flaherty to depict Inuit people as geographically isolated and culturally removed from European settlers (e.g., sleeping in igloos, hunting with spears, and not knowing about Western technology). By the time of filming, these Inuit communities had been hunting with rifles, wearing more modern clothes, and speaking English with traders for generations.
All subjects were fictional characters rather than real people. The man’s name was not Nanook, but Allakariallak. While Flaherty claims that Nanook died of starvation, Allakariallak actually died from tuberculosis. Nanook’s two wives in the film were actually Flaherty’s common law wives in East Hudson Bay. Note, Flaherty legally married Frances Flaherty (nee Hubbard) in 1914; they remained married until his death. None of the actors, who were real members of Inuit communities in East Hudson Bay, received any additional compensation following the success of the film.