This documentary pokes fun at the ways in which Inuit people have been treated as “exotic” documentary subjects by turning the lens onto the strange behaviours of Qallunaat (the Inuit word for white people). The term refers less to skin colour than to a certain state of mind: Qallunaat greet each other with inane salutations, repress natural bodily functions, complain about being cold, and want to dominate the world. Their odd dating habits, unsuccessful attempts at Arctic exploration, overbearing bureaucrats and police, and obsession with owning property are curious indeed.
A collaboration between filmmaker Mark Sandiford and Inuit writer and satirist Zebedee Nungak, Qallunaat! brings the documentary form to an unexpected place in which oppression, history, and comedy collide.
Ages 15 to 17
Study Guide - Guide 1
Geography - Human Geography
Geography - The Arctic
Indigenous Studies - History/Politics
Discuss the adage, “turnabout is fair play.” How does this statement reflect the premise of the film? What things about the white man’s culture do the Inuit find peculiar? What are the inherent dangers of forcing one’s culture and traditions on another? Discuss the educational value of this film.