Atanarjuat, The Fast Runner

The website contains details about The Fast Runner movie: these details are such as the production diary, art direction, the media center, cast and characters, as well as about Isuma TV. The media center provides trailer information relevant to the course: These are details regarding the Iglook community that is composed of about 1200 individuals located within a small island to the north of Baffin region within the Canadian Arctic. The region possesses numerous archeological evidences of about 4000 years and which shows continuo habitation within this period. It is clear that this community lived throughout these millennia devoid of written languages; myriad numbers of the nomadic Inuit transformed their culture as well as traditional knowledge for all generation entirely by storytelling. Additional information given is that the Atanarjuat film is a component of continuous oral history stream carried out within the new millennia by combining Inuit’s storytelling techniques in addition to technology. In general the website gives the audience a clear anthropological view of the Inuit culture as well as oral tradition.

The 2001 release of Atanarjuat marked a watershed of the North American history. It was the first Inuit-produced feature; the film illustrates the integral relationship amongst Inuit media along with politics, and more widely the intricate role of culture before colonization as well as resistance within the Canadian Arctic. The social changes indicated by colonialism along with the consequent development of activism emphasized on land settlement claims. The Atanarjuat epic depicts themes of leadership and power, betrayal, abuse, responsibility, revenge justice and many others. Atanarjuat(Ungaalaq) has a deadly opponent known as Oki, the son of the mean leader of the clan. Once Atuat, who was to be married to Oki but is in love with Atanarjuatis taken by latter in a contest of head slugging, Oki vows to revenge. This shows the political hierarchy of the clan whereby the leading family is awarded privileges such as marrying the most beautiful woman in the village. Once Oki refuses to accept the outcome of the contest he invites the evil spirit. This necessitates the purging of the evil as well as the establishment of the right leader to take back the clan to harmony. This triggers the involvement of Panikpak (clan leader’s mother) but her political powers are limited since she is lady. This clearly shows the political structure that disregarded women participation. 

Numerous Inuit culture is visualized within the movie these include: the social structure, the role of hunting husbands, women insubordination, the patriarch’s power and the fine art used to construct igloos. The knives used during hunting are made from caribou horns and the metal knives are nonexistent, this indicates that the film represented a period before the white men. Atanarjuat reconstitutes the Inuit world which is unmarred by the dislocations as well as losses of colonialism, additionally the film also reflects on issues regarding the consequences of European domination. It is a narrative concerning a society which is not ravaged by external influences, clearly the film functions similar to a colonial allegory along with narrative regarding identity reconstruction during the catastrophic period. To start with the evil that comes upon the community at the initial scenes along with results in leadership change offers a stack which is parallel with the colonial policies that disrupted social relations in addition to traditional practices. Certainly, the events which have revolutionized Inuit society within the last century render the return to the way of life that preceded colonialism. Whilst film’s release illustrates a departure from the traditional Hollywood Western cinema, Atanarjuat   forms part of the developing works showing the traditions of the Inuit people. Owing to the remoteness of the Arctic the Inuit culture remains intact.

The community is engaged in hunting and gathering since it is characterized by rich fauna both at sea and land. The community has experienced young men who are regarded as the best hunters these are Amaqjuag, proclaimed as “The Strong One” along with Atanarjuat referred to as “The Fast Runner”. The communities do not just hunt for food but also for materials which is used to make tools, clothes as well as build shelters. Their lifestyle is requires them to obtain their livelihood from the delicate natural environment. The men in the film are tasked with hunting and their tools. During the winter the Inuit hunt the marine animals whilst during the summer they shift from the hunting caribou of the coast to the main lands to hunt for such animals like rabbits, snaring birds, and gathering herbs and berries. For instance Oki within the film is seen hunting and catching a rabbit. The roles of women in the society are to prepare animal pelts, dry the hunted meat, and gather fruits. Hunting marine animals such as seals require teamwork that involves, spotting the prey, following it and eventually killing it. In the winter dogs are used to assist sniff out and show the mammals breathing holes within the ice pack while the hunters wait patiently an as soon the seal comes up for air it is harpooned.

In spring the mammals would be killed whilst sunning themselves on the summer they are hunted using kayaks. The seals are the favorite animals since they have nourishing meat. The seals oil is used to for lighting. It is known that whenever the Inuit catches the a whale they use virtually all its parts for varying activities: the blubber is used for food purposes as well as for heating as well as lighting homes and the baleen are utilized to make hunting bows whilst the bones are used to build sleds. Every part of the killed caribou was used that is meat for food; the hide was utilized for making the clothes, blankets, kayak skins as well as tents. The tough kin on the animals’ forehead is used to make shoe soles whereas the softer skin from its belly is used to make leggings.

Oral tradition points to the conveyance of cultural material via vocal utterance and which is long held as a primary folklore descriptor. Oral tradition enables the passing of a community’s traditions as well as culture from generation to the next through the word of mouth. These messages are verbally transmitted through the forms of speech, songs, sayings or chants. In this way a community is able to transmit its history, oral law, oral literature as well as knowledge through generations. The primary characteristic or oral traditions are the absence of any written evidence. The Inuit   within the Atanarjuat   movie are depicted as a community who never used any written forms of material to pass their culture. The film indicates that for a period of 4000 years there was no written language all through the millennia. As a matter of fact the culture as well as traditional knowledge from generatiionto generation is transmitted through storytellying. The Atanarjuat film forms part of the constant oral history stream carried forward into the new millennia.