Iqaluit film crew's Facebook post raises cultural concerns

A recent Facebook post from the makers of a feature film being shot in Iqaluit is raising concerns about how non-Inuit should engage with Inuit culture. 

Iqaluit: the Movie, a film directed by Canadian Benoit Pilon and starring Natar Ungalaaq, known for his starring role in Atanarjuat: the Fast Runner, is currently in production in Nunavut's capital. 

On Tuesday, Aug.18, Pascale Arpin, a crew member for the movie, posted to a popular community message board, seeking a local family to cut up and eat a seal in front of out-of-town crew members to ensure authenticity in the film.

"This may sound crazy but it's not a joke: looking for a family who is willing to cut up and eat a seal in front of a few out-of-towners," read Arpin's post, which went on to specify that the family would not be filmed and would get to keep the seal.

'Treated like a side show exhibition'

Leesee Papatsie, who lives in Iqaluit, said that while she's happy the crew is attempting to learn about authentic Inuit culture, there are better ways to do so than engaging in the awkward optics of watching Inuit eat.

"They want to learn, that's great. But if they want to be experts, I would say let them hire an Inuit elder, and consult with [him/her]," she said.

The post also raised concerns from Daniel Justice, who chairs the First Nations and Indigenous Studies program at the University of British Columbia. According to Justice, outsiders have long had an interest in indigenous culture, but that interest can often cross the line into exploitation. 

"Indigenous communities and indigenous lives are treated like they are a side show exhibition, or a zoo exhibit," said Justice, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation.

"It's easy for outsiders to presume a virtuous intent and often times they do, they behave in ways they see as being appropriate because it wouldn't upset or bother them... and just because it doesn't bother them doesn't mean it's not an issue."

For her part, Arpin, who's also an Iqaluit resident, says she's sad that some people misunderstood her Facebook post. She later reposted her call for a family, adding more details about what was expected and why.

"As someone who has lived here for now for five years, sometimes I feel like it's more exotifying to have to sugar coat or act like people won't understand," she said. "This is qablunaaq [non-Inuit] who want to see how natsiminiq [seal] is eaten, and that's what it is. It was intended as a learning opportunity."

Arpin also added that the crew was successful in finding a family to demonstrate how to authentically prepare seal.