History of Nanook

            Western society ascribes the dark images of "civilized" man to understand the characteristics of the primitive and their art. This theme can also be applied to the film Nanook of the North in the staged portrayal of Nanook and his family. .
             This type of theme can clearly be applied to the film Nanook of the North and Nanook Revisited. In Nanook Revisited, the way in which it is applied is not entirely understood. One instance where it perhaps applies is the scene in which the school children are with the dead seal. A Western audience would clearly see this as a "primitive" and representing a "dark" aspect of the civilized man. However, this is perhaps not the intention of the scene. In part, this scene is meant to show the children learning their heritage. Also, it is meant to break down that concept of savagery that a Western audience would see. It is somewhat of a contradiction in imagery. The dealing with the blood and eating raw food conjures up images of savagery and the primitive. However, since the children are finger painting in the blood, it gives a spin of being rather innocent and very non-savage. It challenges our notions of what is the savage or primitive. .
             The filmmaker clearly wanted to present a portrayal of Nanook and his people that would fit into a Western ideal of what they should be. He wanted Nanook to fit into our idea of the "primitive". He wanted us to see the "dark" aspect of Nanook and his people, or the "night side of [civilized] man". One way in which this was done was the fact that the actors in the film were not allowed to use a single Western tool of any sort, although Nanook and others had these types of tools. This was done to enforce the idea of the "primitive" and take all sense of "civilization" away from these people. The scene in which this is most prevalent is the depiction of the cutting of the seal meat, inter-cut with the shots of the growling dogs.