One Day in the Life of Noah Piugattuk (2019) - full transcript

Kapuivik, north Baffin Island, 1961. Noah Piugattuk's nomadic Inuit band live and hunt by dogteam, just as his ancestors did when he was born in 1900. When the white man known as Boss arrives in camp, what appears as a chance meeting soon opens up the prospect of momentous change.

If you have heard him

and have been taught by him

as the truth is in Jesus

turn away from
your old way of life

and be born again

We're out of sugar

Tea for Nattuq
there's no sugar in it

Daughter time to wake up

Here's your tea

Soon someone should go trade
for more Whiteman supplies

Can I come along too



Walrus head

Beautiful day

Our hand-wiper is old,
feathers are coming off

Daughter move back so
people can sit on the bed

This tea tastes good
even without sugar

Tea tastes a lot better
when we have iceberg water

Let's get going
we're going that way

Here are your extra mitts

I love you thank you

When you get to the iceberg
bring some ice back

Akpaliapik and I
want to come along

We'll make tea and help the boys

My goodness
you always get your way

We're too heavy



I used to do this
when I was younger

Let's stop here for tea

Japuti

Go chop some ice

Get the tea ready. Untie the box

Take off the box
we might stop here a while

Help your brother

Did you bring any food
– Yes we have fish

The iceberg is fresh water
let's have some tea

Some of my dogs are coming loose

While we have
this beautiful weather

let's have tea

Dogs are hungry

You're getting too much

Are we going to try
to finish all that

You can see anything from up top

Go take a look

Let me go up – Yes

I thought I swallowed a bone

Frozen fish and fish bones
feel the same

Don't let the dogs escape

The land looks close,
weather is so clear

It won't last forever

I wish it was always like this

Not much luck with seals lately

Yes not a lot

Not many seal holes around here

I'm really hungry – Me too

I see something but
I don't know what it is

I can't identify it
but it's over there

Coming from Sioraq

See anything

He did with the scope

What is it
– He couldn't recognize it

It's coming from Sioraq

We'll scope it again

What's up

They saw a dogteam
coming from Sioraq

It's hard to see with bare eyes

It must be far because
the weather is clear

Eat up we'll be
traveling again soon

Where's my tea

I told him to turn
down the stove

with a dogteam coming

Let's drink our tea with them

It will taste better
if they have sugar

Tea is good even without sugar

They say tea is food

It's not soup

but some people
still call it food

I need to fill my pipe
it's almost empty

My dear pipe

You can even speak
a little English now

They say some day we'll
all be speaking English

You bet

At least it's a
beautiful day now

Who do you think is coming

Maybe Qatturainuq's dogteam

Do you like Qatturainuq

Do you think about him

I don't know

When did you last see him

When I went to the settlement

maybe at Christmas time

You think he has a cute bum

I never thought about that

Maybe they missed their trail

Someone is running

Maybe Qatturainuk

It's my Grandmother

Of course

It's our Grandmother

I recognize him now

It's going to be great

Finally I'll get to
fill up my pipe

I'm excited now

It's a happy day

A Whiteman is with them

A Whiteman

I wonder what he wants

I'll have some sugar in my tea

My dear Grandmother

My dear Grandchild

Good afternoon

What a surprise

He's going to shake your hand

Oh no

I knew it

My goodness what a grip

Traveling from Sioraq

coming this way you're
the first people we met

Really nobody hunting

I'm following with him

so people can understand
what he says

What's he doing here

I just follow with him

Qatturainuk drives his dogteam

This guy is visiting around

your Identity Numbers

he's asking about
your Identity Numbers

Really

Do you have tobacco
I want to smoke

My pipe is empty

That's wonderful

Yes we camped at Sioraq

You didn't meet anybody

Yes you're the first
hunters we saw today

The wind shifted
coming from south now

You can untie our box

and bring out all the goodies

He welcomes us to eat
get some food

Go untie our box
and bring out all the food

Oh you brought caribou
that's wonderful

I'm craving for caribou

Drink some tea have a biscuit

Tell them to eat
whatever they want

Boss wants you to eat
as much as you want

Thank you

The wind calmed down
when we met you

Maybe a blizzard coming

This is great

Daughter

Get over here

What are you thinking

We Anglicans are different
from the Catholics

Son did you eat some biscuits

Kids will have treats

My tea cooled off
weather is getting colder

Maybe the wind is
coming towards us

This one, is he not able
to speak Inuktitut?

He's learning
from the Catholic Priest

He still can't speak Inuktitut

Maybe he's a slow learner

I work with him every day

He has no clue how to speak

Maybe he's not
trying hard enough

He's learning from the Priest

From the Priest

That's not good

There she goes again

What's happening with them

Stay here with your own people

Let's get over to the sled
and we can have a meeting

What does he want
What's this meeting about

It's about your children

He's going to camps
telling people

everybody has to move
into the settlement

What does he want from us

What's he doing around here

I'm just a translator

I follow him wherever he goes

What are you talking about?

I'm me translating you

with Qatturainuk

I told them me translator

You know why I'm here?

What did he say?

Do you know why he's here?

You just told me

Since he noticed you

he recognized it

He really expects us
to move to the settlement?

Piugattuk

His family you want them move

to Igloolik?

Canadian law

that you have to
live in the settlement

to collect your Family Allowance

You'll get money for
your children every month

Your kids have to attend school

And your children
have to learn from them

You have a wooden house
with a hot stove

You get a wood house
with a heater

With your E-5 Number

you just go doctor

and doctor help you

Your Identity Number

with your Identity Number

you can move to the settlement

But I understand

that you love this land out here

He understands it's a
beautiful land around here

and you love your land

but the school children
have to go to school

Daughter

Get over here

Tell him

Children have to go
to school tell him

Children have to go to school
you have to move

Can you

be separated from
the kids all the time

That's our challenge

not to be isolated
from the family

You won't want to be
all alone in your camp

when your children move
into the settlement

Don't say yes

This is our hunting area
it's why we are living here

That's right don't agree
I want to keep hunting around here

Plenty of animals around here

What did they say

It's a great hunting

hunting hunting place here

You're going
to hunt seals today

Yes we're hunting seals
but we haven't seen any

No seals yet

What does he say

How do you understand
this Whiteman

They're going hunting

and we meet here they're hunting

You say children get money

we get a house

we learn your ways

What will our children do
if they move there

If they move where
there's nothing to do

If the family moves there

you said there's heat

monthly money

and school

what is the

grandkids

gonna do there

With school

they're educated

to work

study for getting work

so they can earn their own money

for their own living

so they can be free to
choose what they want to do

Over there if they move

they will learn,
get government jobs

to get money

to buy things when they grow up

When they get money
what will they use it for

What is money to us

If the kids

getting money

what are they doing for it

They're not supposed to
earn money at a certain age

its later on but you
continue what you're doing

you live in the settlement

you can earn money from
traveling around with people

or selling caribou
you are collecting money

for everybody and you

are the one

who's giving out
money for everybody

we can continue with
that that's a good plan

but you are the boss

So you can move
into the settlement

and help us help everybody
your family members

everybody to keep that control

that you still have that control

and you decide

where the money should go
still the same

What can I do
it's the government rules

we have to find a
way to deal with this heh

You can earn money when
you move to the settlement

taking people out by dogteam

You can sell meat that you hunt

and take Whitemen
around on the land

That way you can save your money

until you want to use it
to buy something

Money

Where is he going

I wonder what is money – Me too

He keeps talking about money

I wonder what he wants

We don't know

Do you want to worry your mother

That might be a gun on his belt

You can't ever marry a Catholic

Don't you love your mother

Stay with us

Are you guys
learning about money

I heard about it but
I don't understand it

Money

Maybe when you don't work
they give you a carved face

What is going on

Good

Good

Well I'm happy to hear that

Tell him I'm happy

He's happy now

Boss is happy now

Me too I'm happy now

Let's be happy

So you want to move
into the settlement yes

Don't say yes
He's trying to talk you into it

Will you move to the settlement

What would he do if I told
him to move to my land

If you lived there
would you say yes

You want him to live in Igloolik

he's asking if he asked you

would you yes

would you say yes

Right now

we have a big problem

all over the world

I cannot focus on what
I want to do any more

I have to make sure

to make safety-ness now
because of the damn war

I cannot choose any more

where I'm going to stay
with my family

We became huge
Canada became huge

big responsibility

many people around
the world are dead

killed slaughtered

I don't want to live like that

Yes out here is peaceful

Can you translate
what he's saying

He's talking for a long time

Out in the world
people are being killed

It's not about one family

The settlement

he wants to know

he's going around to the
camps telling people

to move to the settlement

We have to stick together

stick together

Now he wants people

all together in the settlement

and that's how

the government of Canada
have chosen to do it

to help each other all Eskimos

all Canadians in one

Inuit are in one place

people help each other

I miss my family

when I go around
to save others' lives

He's going to all the camps

He's homesick for his wife
and children

He checks Identity Numbers to
move people to the settlement

I have to hunt people
not animals

criminals boom I don't like that

If I could hunt animals good

Times change

What should we do

Tell him

He hunts Inuit

he doesn't hunt animals

when he's hunting Inuit

following government orders

people are killing each other
fighting everywhere

that's why government

wants people to move
all in one place

This is nonsense

What kind of human being is he
how can people act like that

Someone is teaching him

Inuktitut doesn't have words for it

What are you talking about

Tell him this

He's from Canada
Canada will take care of him

I'm from Kapuivik

Go live in Canada

he has home over there

That is not your home

Your home

is in the settlement
do you understand

He says this is not your home

He says the settlement
is your home

That's the law

Kapuivik is my home

my land

yours is Canada

Kapuivik is his home

You

Canada your home

I have been disappointed
by the white man

Tell him that

He's saying

You you people

he not much like

I once took a Whiteman
by dogteam

from Kapuivik all the way
to where Netsilik people live

He went to

Pelly Bay near Pelly Bay

he brought

a Whiteman

from Kapuivik to Pelly Bay

and all the way back

He also came back

Down there on the ice
polar bears were everywhere

The ice on the way

Polar bears
huge polar bears tons

I was impressed by the
Whiteman and I believed in him

When we approached polar bears

he took out his camera
as his weapon

When he finds polar bear

his passenger his passenger

took out camera

and shooted for camera

We were happy when
we saw polar bears

They both happy
when they saw polar bear

Our land was not Canada
we had no rules to follow

we hunted anytime we wanted

The government
didn't say anything

about the law

they could hunt
any time they want

One time we approached a bear
he wanted to take a picture

They approach a big bear

and he wants to
take a shot again

I told him go closer
to get a good picture

He told him

closer closer
take camera yourself

The bear was coming towards us

that Whiteman spoke Inuktitut
a little not like this one

he starts shouting

he ran back and
handed the camera to me

He started walking to polar bear

he could speak
Inuktitut a little

the polar bear was coming

he's shouting running back

he gave the camera to him

so he can get the shot

When he gave it he told me
go closer to take a picture

As the guy gave
the camera to him

he said closer take a picture

That Whiteman
was my Anglican priest

Person the guy was a priest

I didn't say anything
but I understood

he thought his life
was more important

than my own life

He saw the guy that

he wasn't more important

than the Whiteman

When we finally arrived
where we were going

he started preaching to Inuit

when he went to Pelly Bay

priest started teaching

We traveled all the way
back by dogteam

a whole month to get back

He had to go back home

he's made it

for a full month on the way back

We saw plenty of polar bears

but after that camera time

now when he saw polar bears
he stayed on the sled

to him now
polar bears were like wolves

He's coming home the priest

when he saw polar bear

the polar bear seemed to be wolf

he stayed in the qamutik since

When we returned here

I thought my payment
would be something special

He came back

He thought
he's gonna get something

When he gave me a payment
after one whole month

it was a bible

He finally came home

he got a bible

he thought he was getting more

but he got bible

When he handed me the bible
I thought of all the things he did

when the memories came back

I realized the Priest
does not love me

He came home

and he realized

that the priest
isn't important to him

Since that time Whitemen

it's hard for me to try

to please a Whiteman

Since that happened

he's been more of his homeland

he's staying in his land more

That's my story for him
does he want to hear any more

Story you asked that story

Thank you

He says thank you

for giving him a story

He's just thankful on the outside
because he is a Whiteman

Thank you

So now you got a bible

Now you have a bible

It's from a Whiteman
so I read it

Priest give him he reads

He reads now – Hmmm

That was the choice

Does he have a bible

Bible you got

I got a bible yes

He has one – Really

We all got a bible

Everyone has a bible
in the settlement

Of course they do

Let's have some tea

Bring it over
we want to drink tea

This meeting is taking all day

I'm thirsty for tea
– I'm getting tired

Do you want tea – Yes

That's Boss's cup

I've been hungry for a biscuit

Here you go Whiteman food

I wonder how long
these biscuits will last

I wonder what will
happen to this weather

Wind is picking up
it's getting cold

This biscuit tastes really good

It's been a while

It's getting colder maybe
let's get going soon

Wind is shifting
it could be south wind

What are you thinking

Whatever happens
that's what will happen

There's more tobacco
come refill your pipes

This tastes really good

Okay let's go back
to the meeting

He wants to ask again

He still has questions to ask

More meeting
– Yes he wants more meeting

More again

I want to go hunting
but he keeps talking

I'm making a mess here

I wonder what he wants

Here

Getting colder

I'll put up my hood
he'll talk a long time again

The wind is picking up

it's getting colder

I wait

Let's go get started
what more do you have to say

Any more

Just ask him again ask him again

He wants me to ask
he wants to ask you again

What

Ask him again

I already ask him
– But I didn't get any answer

Ask him

He wants me to ask you again

This is nonsense

What does he want to know

What

what

you gonna say

him – You know

I ask him when I get an answer

when he moves to the settlement

That's what you have
to ask him about

When are he moving
to the settlement

Ask him again

Ask him

When will you move
he wants me to ask you again

What will he do
if I don't answer

If he

if he has

no

Answer

what you what you gonna do

I'm just trying
to understand him

He's trying to understand you

Don't say yes

Let him tell me what is

wrong with the settlement
why are he not moving in

Why don't you want to move
to the settlement

I haven't said that
I just haven't answered

Don't listen to this
you kids stay away

Mind your business over there

His home

is over there

and he

he doesn't want to move

I understand tell me

what we can do better
in the settlement

what is wrong
with the settlement

Tell me about he wants tell

let him tell me
about his experience

I want to help him
I want to understand him

He wants me to ask you again

How you live out here
is it useful or useless

It is useful
that's why we are alive

It's

It's

useful

and he lives

till now he's alive

the land

here

it's

their home

He's just trying
to talk us into it

I have no answer to his question

The story I told

about the Whiteman on the ice

I'm not impressed
with this one either

I have nothing more to say

He's

The story he told you

he

Don't like

Priest

like

you guy you

All white men is not the same

Whitemen the way they act

he says he's different

Imagine how much worse
this man would be

if we took him around

worse than the priest
who was bad enough

The priest

was

no good him no good

him he

doesn't like

you

I am here not as the priest

I am here to understand you

I need your help for that

He says he's not a priest

He's different from the rest
he's here to help you

He never helped me in my life
I won't help him either

You don't help

him

I offer you

a wooden house

with a hot stove

for only two dollars a month

for the rest of your life

You'll get a wooden house

with a stove that heats it

We have our sod house
over there all my life

If he gives us a new one
there we'll take it

Give him

a house

more good

Okay I'm happy to
hear this I'm happy

Now he's happy Boss is happy now

Finally he says he's happy
that's great

So when are he moving in

When are he coming

So when are you moving
into the settlement

How many times is he asking
the same question

What's wrong with him

I just listen and follow
whatever Boss says

What he says

I say to you

I already asked him

three times

I tell you again

you have to live

in the settlement
to get your Family Allowance

Every month they give you
money for your children

if you move to the settlement

Your kid your children
have attend school

and your children
learn from Whitemen

He says the same thing
over and over again

I already heard it enough

He

Already

us heard

he already heard us

what

what you

said earlier

So that's it that's all

Let's get going
– Are we going home

He said let's pack up

Yes let's go home

Everybody get packed up
we're going home

Work as a team hurry up

I'm trying to help you

I'm trying to understand
I'm doing my best

It makes me sad
if you don't give me an answer

We have to do our duty
for the government

and we have to
not to break the law

I don't understand you

What did he say

He's following government rules

He doesn't want to hear No

He wants to hear
if you say Yes or No

I will be cold

I will die out here

I take out my clothes
but I will still come

to get your children into school

it makes me sad
but I have to do this

He might be cold
if he takes off his clothes

He will come back
in the summertime

He'll come by boat
to pick up your children

He says he'll come back
for the children

Boss Thinks-for-Us

Really

You will think and I will
come back for an answer

I don't understand you

He wants you to think about it

Just tell me something
useful for me to do

when I come back
to the settlement

What is he saying

He wants to hear
what will be useful

when you move to the settlement

It's not going to happen

No use

But when you come in
I can make it better for you

if I understand you

When you arrive there

he will understand better
what you need

I don't need any help

I'm an Elder now without
any help from a Whiteman

I don't need help

He no need help

What is it that is good out here

What is it

What is so wonderful out here

I'm born here. It's perfect

He's born here

it's good him good for him

If this is his home

can he live home
without his children

He's saying the same
things again

There's a nurse over there

There's a little store there

When you get sick
the nurse will help you

that's what he said

only if you move

Brother don't say yes

Don't say yes

I have nothing to say to him

No

No answer

I don't think he understands

This is not a question anymore

You have to

At our place

in the settlement

if you move

he will understand you
better so he can help you

if you need help
he will know you

What do I need help for
I have everything I need here

I know I don't need help
I have lived here all my life

He

Live here he

no need help

he loves his home

Let's just leave him
He keeps saying the same thing

Let's just go home

This box is not tied up properly

Someone left a knife
on the ground

Dog harness are lying around

Tell him he can keep
all the food

the sugar jam and biscuits

You can keep the food
and the jam

Get moving. Let's go home

Tell him we're going home
We don't want to run over Boss

He's

home he's going home

he said

Are we leaving now

Yes we're going home

To a nice warm place

I am thinking

of the sea ice

I'm pulling on this leash

and I can't hang on

I am eager

to go to sea ice

I'm longing

and I can't hang on

It's impossible for me

to get to the sea ice

I've given up

and I can't hang on

I'm thinking

of sea ice