Cree Hunters of Mistassini

CinemaSerf

There is something slightly incongruous about one of the opening lines of narration here as we learn that some of those people we are about to watch spend six months in the wilderness of the James and Ungava Bays of Canada actually fly up! Once they are there, though, they rely on a bare minimum of mod cons as they build the lodge in which their families - that is sixteen people - are going to live cheek by jowl. Sam Blacksmith and his family have also invited Abraham Voyageur and his family to share their considerable workload as they build and hunt their way through the fairly unforgiving but beautiful seasons. Initially, they had planned to feed from moose and elk, but with winter having come a little unannounced they must survive on a diet of partridge, rabbit and beaver meat augmented by berries and their imaginations. It is a way of life that hasn't changed for centuries, but with a proposed hydro-electric project on James Bay looming, these Cree might be the last to enjoy (and endure) this pristine wilderness and so we learn that as they trek through the snow, there are legal proceedings pending to stop the development. The families, indeed this entire community, work together to make sure that everyone has a role - even the children, and that when everyone pulls their weight their's is an happy, safe and snug place to live - in concert with nature, and respectful of the mighty bear. Unfortunately for me, the camera crew left them to combat the worst of winter on their own, so we don't really see just how hostile conditions could be for these folks, but what we do see offers a glimpse at a way of life that gives as it takes, and that thrives on being complementary with the environment that sustains it.