Cinema and Representation
This theme focuses on the ways in which Aboriginal peoples have been represented in NFB documentaries. Film excerpts illustrate how the representation of Aboriginal peoples has evolved over the last fifty years.
Excerpts
Caribou Hunters
1
César's Bark Canoe/César et son Canot d'écorce
1
Circle of the Sun
2
The Other Side of the Ledger: An Indian View of the Hudson's Bay Company
2
Totem: The Return of the G'psgolox Pole
1
Caribou Hunters
1951, Director: Greenlees, Stephen
excerpt 1 1 min 43 s
This folkloric portrayal of Manitoban Crees and Chipewans filmed in 1951 shows the Indians happily doing business with the Hudson’s Bay Company.
1. Identify the stereotypical roles being portrayed in the segment at the trading post. How could the portrayal of the Dene hunters have been more authentic?
2. How does the film depict the importance of stewardship to the Cree and Dene of the North, and why is stewardship as important today to our Aboriginal people as it was when the film was made?
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Synopsis
The Cree and Chippewa Indians of northern Manitoba lead a nomadic life as they
roam the northern stretches of forest and tundra in search of the caribou that
is their main source of food. The camera follows a group of Indian hunters
with their dog teams as they move with the herds and at the same time trap the
smaller animals of the forest and streams. Their focal point is the Hudson's
Bay Company trading post, where they bring their furs to exchange for the few
essentials of their hardy existence. We also see their camp life, and examples
of their colourful handicrafts.
Director: Stephen Greenlees
Producer: Tom Daly
Photography: Julien St-Georges
Editing: Victor Jobin
Voice and Narration: John Drainie
Music: Maurice Blackburn