Paul Apak Angilirq

In 1994 one of Canada’s most respected Inuit elders -95 year old Noah Piugatuk – announced that he wanted to taste the bowhead whale one more time before he died. Honouring the elders wish, Piugatuk’s son-in-law caught an illegal whale near Igloolikin September 1994. A few months later, the whale hunters were charged and ordered to stand trial. In June 1996, the government finally dropped all charges against the Igloolik hunters. In august 1996, Inuit hunters from across the arctic gathered in Repulse Bay to catch the first legal bowhead in more than forty years. Arviq! traces the history of the bowhead in the Arctic up to the first legal hunt in 1996.

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Based on a local legend and set in an unknown era, it deals with universal themes of love, possessiveness, family, jealousy and power. Beautifully shot, and acted by Inuit people, it portrays a time when people fought duels by taking turns to punch each other until one was unconscious, made love on the way to the caribou hunt, ate walrus meat and lit their igloos with seal-oil lamps.

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In 1994 one of Canada’s most respected Inuit elders -95 year old Noah Piugatuk – announced that he wanted to taste the bowhead whale one more time before he died. Honouring the elders wish, Piugatuk’s son-in-law caught an illegal whale near Igloolikin September 1994. A few months later, the whale hunters were charged and ordered to stand trial. In June 1996, the government finally dropped all charges against the Igloolik hunters. In august 1996, Inuit hunters from across the arctic gathered in Repulse Bay to catch the first legal bowhead in more than forty years. Arviq! traces the history of the bowhead in the Arctic up to the first legal hunt in 1996.

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