On top of the world...
...nearer to the North Pole
than to any civilised area...
...there live numbers of
a singular race of nomads.
They are so proud...
...that they call
themselves simply...
...the Men.
We, in turn, call them Eskimos...
...meaning 'eaters of raw flesh'.
In the age of the atom bomb...
...they still hunt
with bow and arrow.
They share whatever they own.
They are so crude...
...they don't know how to lie.
In this region of eternal ice...
...it is not yet
decided whether man or bear...
...is crown of creation.
But, as plentiful
as are the bear...
...so the women are scarce.
This man, Inuk...
...does not have
a woman of his own.
For a long time he has
known the importance...
...of having a wife
to give orders to.
One who would sew his garments...
...make his mittens,
mend his boots...
...and laugh with him...
...which means the same
as making love.
An important factor
when a third of the year...
...is night.
Anarvik, Lulik.
Inuk...
...the sound of your voice is good.
It is the end of last winter...
...and you are still in bed.
The winter seems short for us.
How was it for you?
No woman to laugh with.
Too bad.
There is hot tea.
Have some and talk.
Gossip!
When are you going to make
up your mind to take a wife?
Anarvik, this man has come to ask...
...about the daughters...
...of your brother.
We have expected them for two years.
They will come.
Maybe.
Maybe.
By now others may
have taken his daughters.
Inuk, you're leaving us?
Why don't you cheer him up?
Make yourself beautiful.
So little stay after a long journey?
The dogs are hungry.
It is necessary to go hunting.
Alone?
Maybe.
You may laugh with
my wife for a while.
You have permission.
A little change does her good.
Makes her eyes shine.
You are a great friend, Anarvik.
But Anarvik...
...this man is tired
of asking for favours.
He wishes to laugh...
...with a woman of his own.
Till then, Anarvik...
...he prefers to go hunting.
You are rude and ungrateful.
No rude, proud.
Rude, ungrateful...
...to refuse a
man's offer is insulting.
Anarvik...
...it was not meant
to insult a friend.
Anarvik.
Inuk.
Inuk.
Quiet.
Inuk.
Quiet.
A man has something to say to you.
One thing at a time.
Here, give someone a hand.
Anarvik...
...I thank you for permission
to laugh with your wife.
This man was rude and ungrateful.
It is forgotten, so is the bump.
If you wish to bump me...
...you may.
And lose a seal?
It is better to tell
you we have visitors.
Who?
My brother is dead...
...but his widow, Powtee,
and his two daughters...
...have arrived.
So?
What are they like?
- Women.
When a seal is captured...
...there are certain
rituals and practical things...
...to be taken care of.
The first is this:
...since seals live
in salt water...
...they are always thirsty...
...and the hunter must
do as these hunters are doing.
The soul of this animal will tell...
...the souls of the other seals...
...that it has received
a drink of sweet water.
Then they, too, will come
up and try to get caught...
...in the hope of getting a drink.
Are you satisfied?
What are their names?
Imina, Asiak...
...and their mother.
Inuk.
Imina.
- Asiak.
The distance was
great for three women...
...to travel alone.
Kidok travelled with us.
Kidok is here?
He thought three women
could not protect themselves.
The seal is not small.
Nobody wanted to kill it.
It insisted upon being caught.
Where is Kidok?
Kidok happened to
hear the sound of a walrus.
He went to hunt.
It's a good hide.
It is only...
...a baby seal.
They are careful
not to touch any meat...
...when they eat
fish or, if they do...
...they will arouse the
anger of the protective spirits.
The girls are not too young
to accept the heart of a man...
...but the heart of a seal is taboo.
Asiak's mother has worn her teeth
to their gums softening hides...
...so her daughters do
for her as she did for them...
...when they were babies.
Come on, eat.
Welcome, Kidok.
Kidok.
It has been more than a season.
Come.
The walrus disappeared,
but I came across a small bear.
Killing it could not be avoided.
It is so small a
single girl could eat it.
Kidok.
Inuk.
For someone who is so impatient...
...the man seems
very slow in waking up.
This hunter will leave now...
...and come back with the...
...biggest seal...
...two stupid girls have ever seen.
Another hunter has already gone...
...after such a seal.
Kidok?
This hunter will
come back with a walrus.
You would do better
to stay with the girls.
The sled is now ready.
Inuk, who do you like better?
Imina or Asiak?
The decision is difficult.
This man likes both women.
Why choose?
You must make up your mind...
...or you'll never get a wife.
Inuk, listen to me.
Everyone knows one
woman is as good as another.
But a woman is not a
seal, or even a walrus.
A woman is a...
Then take Asiak.
But someone likes Imina.
More important than a woman...
...is a man makes up his mind.
Anarvik.
What?
Look.
I'll show Kidok.
Somebody wants to show Imina...
...this baby walrus.
Kidok has left taking with him...
...my other daughter.
You see.
It happens...
...somebody wanted Imina.
Kidok has given me a
bowl and a new lamp...
...so the marriage is made.
So...
...here is...
...a baby walrus.
Here is...
Here is bearskin...
...here is snow knife.
Now Imina is married to me.
Why don't you take little Asiak?
This man has made decision.
She is just as worthless.
But there is nothing Imina can do...
...that Asiak cannot.
But someone wants Imina and not Asiak.
Imina was yours for the asking.
It will be easy to catch Kidok.
But your dogs are tired.
They are still much faster than his.
When he is caught...
...someone will shove
a knife in his throat...
...cut out his tongue and
put it on top of his head.
Cut off his ears and
stuff them in his mouth.
Then someone will open his chest...
...and fill it with ice.
If you kill him...
...no one will ever
admit you in his igloo again.
Not even you?
- No.
Even a seal would do
the same to another seal...
...if he took his woman.
A seal could kill...
...and still have the
company of other seals.
But a few things make a
man different from a seal.
Somebody will give him...
...a good clubbing.
Good.
But if he puts up
resistance in the least way...
...he shall be killed.
If you cannot help killing
him, eat a bit of his liver...
...to conciliate his ghost.
An angry ghost is very dangerous.
Why don't you take Asiak along?
Then it will be easy to
make an agreement with Kidok.
He has paid for Imina...
...and we cannot let
him go empty-handed.
This old and useless
woman will live with...
...whichever husband takes Asiak.
Maybe you are not so stupid.
Kidok!
Kidok!
Asiak, come. We have caught Kidok.
Kidok, I catch you.
Why are you chasing Kidok?
To catch Imina.
You must be stupid.
Asiak.
Asiak.
Please get off, help make igloo.
Come.
Women stay here.
You stay and freeze.
Why don't you sleep?
Someone's feet are too cold.
Inuk, parka.
Look.
Inuk...
...we saw you follow us.
I've come to take Imina.
If you put up resistance...
...someone will kill you like a seal.
Why not stay with Asiak?
Someone doesn't want Asiak.
She can scrape hides
and sew boots...
...and do all the
other things women can do.
This one wants Imina...
...because...
Because...
Nobody can force a woman.
Imina is free to go
with you if she wishes.
So.
In that case...
...will Asiak join
a worthless hunter...
...that doesn't want to travel alone?
Yes.
You hurry.
My mother goes with us.
We will take her.
Someone has changed his mind...
...and will take Asiak after all.
But you said one
woman is as good as another.
Take whichever
woman you want...
...as long as you reload my sled.
You come on.
You come. Go.
Kidok.
Asiak.
Asiak.
It is possible that this
silly woman is not so easy...
...to put down like a bear.
Asiak.
Asiak, you are my wife.
We must not fight. We must laugh.
Yes.
This one is your wife.
But you have chased Imina
for four turns of the sun.
So you will have to chase this one...
...at least ten times as long.
This hunter will
attempt to kill a bear.
Set the dogs on him.
We might lose some.
We have none to spare.
But dogs are faster.
This stupid man will use...
...a slower but better way.
Soften this.
Here.
When this whalebone springs open...
...the bear will get stomach ache.
Nanuk.
Nanuk.
The dogs would have been faster.
You are a great hunter.
The blade has just sprung open.
Soon you will rest
for a long time, Nanuk.
You are as easy to find as Kidok.
The hunter can rest
as well as the hunted.
You'd rest better, so.
A stupid man is
happy he made up his mind.
A girl is grateful a great
hunter accepted her mother.
For a man another
mouth to hunt for...
...is not too much.
Now he has two useless women.
Now he has a wife.
He is proud to have...
...a woman of his own.
Next time we see Anarvik
and we have a cup of tea...
...he says, 'Anarvik...
...my friend, this man
asks no more favours...
...no more permission.
From now on you ask
permission to laugh...
...with my most
desirable wife, Asiak'.
He could not even giggle.
Good manners require
you ask permission...
...before you touch someone's bear.
But you did not kill it.
We have been chasing
this bear for three days.
But you didn't kill it.
Of course, not.
It was already dying
from our spring bait.
No.
- No?
Perhaps it died of fright from big...
...thunder you may have heard.
But this man killed it.
How?
How about this?
It has no sharp
point, no cutting edge.
You did not club bear.
How could you kill?
This one will show you.
Asiak...
...look.
You may touch it.
To use it well...
...it is placed here.
Press it here.
My igloo is not far off.
A worthless wife
will make you some tea.
But first a hunter must skin his bear.
Hiko.
Asiak.
Inuk.
Very good bear hunters.
You killed this bear?
We did.
So many useless skins.
Are they good for mops?
You know of the white man?
It is not impossible.
The white man has no liking
for frozen fish and old meat.
He likes fox skins too much.
But he has many guns.
And you like the ermine tail...
...and the red grease
as much as the white woman.
Very pretty?
He lives in great house of wood.
- Wood.
It is sticky with the heat and...
...he suffers from cold all the time.
He is truly stupid.
But for enough of the fox skins...
...he will give you
a gun such as this...
...with which you
would kill your own bear.
So?
This is what the
white man calls trade.
How many skins are necessary...
...to have such a gun?
Five times a man counted to the end.
Someone could bring
musk ox and caribou hides.
Much better.
White man wants fox skins only.
His brain isn't very sharp...
...and his liking are queer.
But that is what he wants.
Somebody only wants
to show how it works.
The bullet jumped back.
That shows the power of the gun.
It slays any animal from a distance.
That is, if you do
not hit the wall first.
This hunter must have such a gun.
When you have piled up
a hundred fox skins...
...present yourself
at the trading post...
...which is four rivers South...
...and say 'Ittimangnerk sends me'.
Ittimangnerk.
And the white man
will give you such a gun.
Then you'll be
able to buy your wife...
...such beautiful things as mine.
Such a gun.
Asiak...
...from now on we follow the fox.
That year, the animals
of the North around Inuk...
...had the happiest
and most carefree summer...
...of their lives.
The dogs still pursued
bears and held them at bay...
...hoping Inuk would
join them for the kill.
But he never came.
The great hunter had almost
forgotten to feed his family...
...and make provision
for the coming winter.
Only one thought occupied his mind.
The fox.
With the hundred skins
he needed for his gun...
...Inuk, Asiak and Powtee
set off for the trading post.
A journey that
took one full summer...
...and one full winter.
Asiak, look.
We are here.
- So?
So, get off.
You too, help.
Look at that.
My father should see this.
He is always saying that the bear...
...has disappeared from the bay.
The Reverend who
was here before you...
...had it pretty hard.
Young fellows like
that were hardly civilized.
Bear?
Bear, no. Wolf.
Whole family?
Nice game.
Now someone must go and make trade.
We play later.
Up to ten years ago
nearly all the Eskimos...
...were like those three, magnificent.
Asiak...
...look at white man.
Undik, find out what they want.
This stupid woman
expected him to be...
...as white as snow,
but he is a red man.
Can one help you?
One wished to talk to white man.
What about?
It came to pass one met Ittimangnerk.
So one has brought
these skins of no value.
So?
One hears white man likes fox skin.
Maybe.
And what do you
want to trade them for?
Is too much to hope for...
...to have gun?
You want to try it?
There is a bullet in the barrel.
Look out. Watch out for that guy.
Go outside if you want to shoot it.
This makes more noise than other.
If you want bullets to go with it...
...you will have to
bring back more skins.
Of course.
One would kill all
the foxes in the North.
You tell white man...
...he has made someone very happy.
If he wishes, he has my permission...
...to laugh with my beautiful wife.
But the white man does not laugh
with the women of other men.
He does not permit
anyone to laugh in his house.
So?
- It is old fashioned.
Asiak.
The white man does not permit...
...laughing in this house.
He must be a sad man...
...this white, red man.
Try some of this. It is very good.
Music, only music.
Sit down.
Dance?
Dance.
Try some of this.
It doesn't taste good...
...but it will make
you warm and lively.
My wife doesn't complain.
You like it?
- No.
Dance.
It is hot here.
No.
Proprietor does not approve...
...of naked people.
Who is proprietor?
The white man, my boss.
Undik, that'll be all for tonight.
White man, why is it you can say...
...when it should be
dark and it should be light?
You behave yourselves, like the rest.
It is best that you go to sleep.
Inuk...
...are you awake?
There is something wrong.
Something is wrong with the white man.
If his gun were any good...
...why does he eat
those evil smelling things...
...out of a tin can?
Why does he never smile?
Why doesn't he laugh
with the women of the men?
Why doesn't he know
that the small igloo...
...is quicker to build...
...and easier to keep
warm than a house like this?
What's all this talking?
Why is the crazy woman making noise?
Excuse a silly woman for...
...talking before
so many wonderful men.
But...
...she thinks that the
white man is stupid or crazy.
If he is crazy...
...we should go away
from here...
...as fast as possible...
...because the craziness is catching.
It seems advisable
to leave this place...
...and never come back.
We must come back.
We must bring back
more skins for bullets.
Then you can get your bullets.
A woman will take a new husband.
There are more men than women.
This worthless woman
is looking for a new man.
One who can get along
without the white man...
...and is a good provider.
A woman is stupid and ugly...
...but sometimes lucky
at doing little things...
...to make her man feel comfortable.
Somebody can do with a woman.
You look skinny.
Are you a hunter?
Such a good hunter that
I not only have a gun...
...but enough
bullets to last a lifetime.
Have you all your teeth?
I have all my teeth, except two.
Somebody will go
with you, if you hurry.
You stay.
You heard the woman,
she is coming with me.
The woman already has a man.
Hurry, man.
It is necessary to build a new igloo.
This is not the other man.
This is your husband, Inuk.
He wants to come with you.
One is as bad as the other.
You will get your sled ready.
This one will get your parka.
You'd better take it.
Give it away to somebody else.
Give it to him.
Come along.
This old woman has not
slept a wink all summer.
Good morning.
I am Father Angeli.
Are the young ones here?
Inside.
The Lord be with you.
No, just Asiak, Powtee and me.
We do not know Lord.
A very short sleep ago...
...you both offended him.
We did not know.
One must apologize.
If you will listen to my
words and believe in me...
...the Lord will
come and stay with you...
...and will follow
you in your travels.
So.
We do not want another with us.
Maybe he is good hunter.
We will be pleased if
your friend come with us.
He must bring his own sled.
Thank you.
Will this Lord
bring everything he needs?
He'll bring you faith.
Faith?
Faith, that wonderful light...
...that drives
back the shadows of sin.
Light!
It is good, Inuk.
If it is the kind
in the trading post...
...we could save it for the winter...
...and our eyes would
not get tired anymore.
Here is something you will like.
I come to give, not receive.
It is all marrow.
It is not much...
...but it is old and full of worms.
You see?
Another time, not right now.
But is best we have.
Has this white man come to insult us?
Maybe he is used to different food.
Men do not live by bread alone.
Maybe he wants to laugh with a woman.
He has the face of a
man who likes to laugh.
Make yourself beautiful.
I am here for one purpose only.
Listen to me.
You believe in the powers
of the wind and the snow...
...and you are
careful not to offend them.
I want you now to learn about our God.
Last night I realized you
had no awareness of sin...
...and I would like
to make you understand...
...the beauty of
the Christian ideas...
...that forbid you to
desire another man's woman...
...that considers marriage sacred...
...and a wife the most beautiful
possession a man can have.
Man...
...this hunter's worthless wife...
...has never laughed with another man.
She will now laugh with you.
No.
No, please. Do not be ashamed.
- No.
This one will leave.
No.
No.
It's a sin!
It's evil, bad!
You refuse our food.
Who are you to insult my wife?
You coward. You are bad.
You are rude.
You have no manners.
Maybe you bumped too hard.
His head is too soft.
One did not intend to kill.
Let us leave at once.
The ghost of the
white man can bring...
...too much trouble.
You must cut off a toe and a finger...
...and put them into his mouth...
...to conciliate his ghost.
Do you think one does
not know how to behave?
Hurry.
Hurry.
Asiak, someone forgot gun.
No, Inuk, your
clumsy woman gave it away.
You gave it?
If we must eat fox meat
again for whole summer...
...then go and get
your gun back right now.
But someone got rid of skins,
now does not have gun.
It's a bad trade.
It's a bargain.
Two long polar days,
two long polar nights...
...from one season to another...
...Inuk and his
family make their way back...
...into the wilderness.
They have forgotten about
the killing of the white man...
...but other white men have not.
Asiak!
Get up, old woman.
Just a useless old woman.
Mother.
Let an old woman die in peace.
You and Inuk must go North to hunt.
No, mother. Stay with us.
You need much food...
...for the baby inside you.
The long winter night has come.
They stop and build an
igloo to let Asiak's mother rest.
They treat her with
kindness and affection.
But Powtee is now
a useless, old woman.
Her teeth are too
worn to soften hides.
Her hands too stiff to sew garments.
Since the child Asiak has
been bearing is now about...
...to enter the world, the
time has come when Powtee...
...must be left to die.
For her, the final
journey is about to begin.
You have given me extra days...
...but the time has
come for this one to die.
She should not worry.
Inuk, say that to her.
Say that a great
hunter will always provide.
We will say when the time should be.
Old woman, have you decided?
She has decided.
Asiak knows her last
attempt to stop her mother...
...from going will fail.
She cannot change the
hard laws of the people.
Laws dictated by the
harshness of the land.
There is no place for
too many useless mouths.
Come close, little one.
An old woman has been
thinking too much of herself...
...instead of her daughter.
What do you want to say?
Soon you're going to have a child.
For you that is an unknown experience.
An ignorant girl has
seen many puppies born.
With people it is a little different.
Try to remember what an
old mother tells you now.
First of all...
...at the last moment, the
child is afraid to come out.
After it has stepped into the
world, it still clings to you...
...unlike the puppies
you've seen that are born free.
You must cut it from you
with whatever you have at hand...
...or with your teeth.
Cut it free immediately.
Otherwise it will die and you with it.
How wise you are.
Now listen carefully.
As soon as the child is born...
...look to see if
it is a boy or a girl.
If it is a boy, you must
lick it clean with your tongue.
Then rub it with blubber.
But if it is a girl...
...you must put
her out onto the ice...
...and fill her
mouth with snow at once.
Why?
To raise a useless
girl you may delay...
...the arrival of a boy.
It is indispensable
that you raise a male...
...at once in the family.
He will bring in the food when you...
...and your husband grow old...
...which happens very quickly.
Once you have a boy,
you may have a girl too.
But now, you must put
her out onto the ice...
...at once, or you
will get very fond of her.
Is that all clear to you, little one?
Almost all, mother.
Somebody's glad it is.
She waits for the shape
that soon must come for her.
She thinks of the joy of Inuk.
The day he will meet the
great bear face to face...
...on the vast white sea.
She knows the future
because she knows the past.
Her knowledge of life
allows her to understand.
She accepts without bitterness
nature's eternal tragedy.
That the flesh must perish...
...so that the flesh may live.
She must die so
that the bear may live...
...for the day Inuk will slay
it to feed Asiak and her child.
And so she will return to them.
It came to pass woman
brought forth a child.
So.
Isn't he beautiful?
Someone has seen bear cubs...
...that were better looking.
He will improve as he grows.
He has everything he needs.
So.
Even a name. His name is Papik.
Truly?
- Truly.
How do you know his name is Papik?
Because a useless
woman likes that name.
Papik.
Papik.
Papik.
Papik.
Papik.
He has hair.
Has toes.
And a nose.
Asiak.
He has no teeth.
You must have broken some taboo.
Not to my knowledge.
Did you eat land animals...
...together with sea animal?
- Of course not.
Did you eat white caribou
or seal out of season?
No.
You must have done something wrong.
How about you breaking some taboo?
Me?
Think hard.
Perhaps the ghost of the white man.
Maybe.
Is it possible a stupid woman
does not know all about babies?
A mother would have told her.
Something must be done.
As he grows bigger a silly mother...
...could chew his food.
And when you die?
Men will mock him...
...and women scorn him all his life.
He must be put out on the ice, now.
Shall a father do it alone?
- No.
It will be better if
an ignorant mother...
...who loves her
child asks for help...
...from the powers
of the wind and snow.
There he is.
Alone?
There should be three of them.
I can make out at least two.
Can we land on this stuff?
Soft, but it should be alright.
Are you Inuk?
I am Ittimangnerk and this
is my worthless wife, Hiko.
We are looking for
an Eskimo called Inuk.
He's travelling this way
with his woman and her mother.
You see them?
Once, more than a season ago.
Much more than a season ago.
My wife will make you some tea.
Our igloo is just nearby.
Thanks, we'd better get going.
Wrong man?
- Yeah.
We got trouble.
How long will it take you to fix?
I've radioed base.
You can forget about
Eskimos for this year.
What do you mean?
By the time this is fixed,
the polar night will be here.
Next year, don't
come and ask me to fly.
This is a job for sleds and dogs.
Those Eskimos live near here?
- Yeah.
Tea? They offered us tea.
Take it.
Papik, look.
A fawn.
Asiak, come see.
Where you look?
No, there.
Asiak, how many do you think?
- Many.
Papik.
Papik, today you become great hunter.
There are so many of them.
Do you think they will stampede?
Even so you will be safe here.
Papik, you stay.
Papik.
Inuk.
Don't let him wander.
You want to know too much too soon.
Papik, you can play here.
Eskimo.
Inuk?
White men.
You are so far North.
You are lost?
We came all the way just to see you.
Truly?
- Right.
My igloo is not far away.
We have some tea and talk.
Where is your sled?
You killed a white man, Inuk.
Of course.
Many seasons ago, yes.
We've been looking
for you many seasons.
Why?
To take you with us to be punished.
Punished?
But someone was
right and he was wrong.
Anyone who kills a
man is given a fair trial.
After which he is hung from a
tree by his neck until he dies.
Dies?
One can see you are joking.
If you were going to
kill me, you would do it now.
Why take me on a
long, tiresome journey?
That's the law.
My father's laws have not been broken.
Get up.
You got a knife here?
Of course.
But someone needs that for hunting.
Come on, get going.
Come on.
One's wife is waiting.
She will worry.
Only until another man shows up.
It is best to stop
until the storm is over.
We are on the sea.
The wind can cause the ice to open.
Get up.
Let this one drive, who knows the ice.
He got us here.
The ice is gone. Watch it.
Help.
Inuk, come and help me.
He's a dead man.
Do not be foolish.
Don't touch the water.
Help me. His clothes are frozen.
The bears will enjoy your friend.
Instead of foolishly
saving your friend...
...you should have
saved the food and the guns.
We have six dogs and a knife.
We will keep going on foot and eat...
...the dogs if we have to.
On your feet.
Come on.
We're going.
My igloo is closer
than your hanging place.
This one is going his own way.
Inuk, stop.
You're my prisoner.
You are that strong?
Your hands are frozen.
Take off your gloves.
Can't you hear? Take off your gloves.
It hurts.
Good, it means life is coming back.
Only death is painless.
You can't stand pain?
To the white man, Arctic ice
and snow are pitiless enemies...
...but to the Eskimo
they can be useful friends.
The skin of an animal dipped
in icy water and frozen hard...
...will make a satisfactory sled.
One remembers this place.
Man...
...this one thinks food is nearby.
Don't sleep.
If you sleep...
...dogs will eat sled...
...or you.
Go on.
Get out of it.
Inuk!
Inuk!
Man, don't get scared.
Now we'll never get back.
Someone has
travelled without dogs before.
We will get back.
Inuk...
...when we get back...
...I'm going to have to arrest you.
You would have me punished?
It is my duty.
Not even a white man would punish...
...one who has saved his life.
You killed a man.
It was not meant to kill.
It makes no difference.
If you come back with me...
...I'll arrest you.
That is how it is.
That's our law.
Don't sleep.
Man, wake up.
You sleep, you die.
Inuk...
...you have been away for many sleeps.
Asiak.
Papik.
Papik.
Papik.
Food has been scarce.
Did you make a good catch?
Miserable catch.
Papik.
This man, and one other...
...took me away to be killed.
Why?
For what happened
to white man long ago.
Two men took you?
They had guns.
Other man...
...foolishly got himself dead.
This man's not bad.
A stupid woman
thinks it would be better...
...if he were dead too.
Good and old.
You're not like the missionary.
Perhaps the missionary
had never met an Eskimo.
We thought we would
never want to see...
...another white man.
Papik, not too close.
Dogs are ready.
So am I.
Inuk, you must not forget your charms.
So.
Papik.
Papik, put that on sled.
Inuk, I want to get this clear.
I want to be sure we
understand each other.
If you come back with
me, you'll be under arrest.
You're my prisoner.
Surely that is forgotten.
I have not forgotten.
The men who sent
me have not forgotten.
They will look for
you until they find you.
But the men who
remember this hunter...
...maybe they are dead.
They'll have written
your name in a book.
Book?
The men will die.
The book will remain.
What is a book?
A book is...
...words.
The words say Inuk is a murderer.
No, Inuk is not a murderer.
Let this man explain.
Explain. How can you explain?
What can you say?
The man was rude.
He insulted my home.
He refused our oldest meat.
But most white men...
...are not fond of old meat.
But the worms were fresh.
And when someone proposed
to him the highest courtesy...
...to laugh with Asiak...
...he refused.
Let a woman explain.
A woman combed her hair...
...greased her face with blubber...
...and cleaned herself to be polite.
A husband was ready to leave.
What does the man do?
He starts to run.
So someone grabbed
him by the shoulders to...
...to bang his head against the wall.
Not to kill.
Just to crack his head a little.
Unfortunately it cracked a lot.
When someone bumps
Inuk's head against the wall...
...the wall falls apart.
Not his head.
- It is true.
Inuk, listen.
No judge in the
world will understand...
...you offering another man your wife.
But it is our custom.
We must be polite.
White men don't
borrow other men's wives?
But...
Never mind.
You don't lend your wife...
...as if she were a sled.
Someone would rather
lend his wife than his sled.
You lend your sled...
...it comes back cracked.
You lend your knife,
it comes back dull.
You, lend your dogs.
They come back tired and crawling.
But if you love your wife...
...no matter how
often you lend her...
...she always comes back like new.
Man.
Man.
You don't understand?
I understand.
Good.
But the other men live by the book.
There you are a murderer.
We must make them understand.
Otherwise Papik, Asiak and me...
...we cannot go
into other men's igloos.
That is our law.
We change the book.
Asiak, you bring the food.
Asiak...
...they'll never understand.
When you come to a strange land...
...you should bring
your wives and not your laws.
Goodbye.
We don't go to trading post?
I go.
You don't.
Why?
Inuk, we couldn't change a thing.
You'll have to go back.
You mustn't be seen here by anyone.
But, Man...
Until we go in there,
I have full authority.
I can let you go.
All I do is fill in a form...
...sign a report and
Inuk doesn't exist any more.
Inuk is dead.
But there is only one Inuk.
Inuk is here.
He has no wish to be dead.
They will have to punish you...
...because the rules
are stronger than they are.
The rules have grown stronger
than those who made them.
Go back.
Man.
You and me...
...we make them understand.
Alright...
...I'll explain it in a different way.
I don't want you with me.
I'm sick of you.
But...
I wouldn't have Asiak's
laughter...
...if it was offered.
When we get to the trading post...
...I'll put a bullet in
your big stomach.
I'll feed Asiak and that
misfit, Papik, to the bear.
Because I hate bear.
I don't want you with me.
Inuk.
Asiak, what did we do to him?
White men.
They are truly
difficult to understand.
They are as bad as the bear.
Worse.
Much worse.
We go back?
We go back.