It's All About the Happy People

“This is a short film that Lloyd Pikok Jr. and I made for my Master's thesis research. Lloyd Jr. is a homegrown and self-taught Iñupiaq photographer and videographer, specializing in sports photography and landscape imagery. We interviewed Alex Kaleak Sr. and his wife Diedre, Joe Mello Leavitt, and the late Craig George about their experiences and relationships with sea ice and spring whaling. Lloyd Jr. filmed spring whaling events such as sea ice trail breaking and Nalukataq (blanket toss). In this film, we center local voices and highlight their experiences and livelihoods around the Arctic sea ice and whaling. Here, we emphasize the beauty of subsistence whaling and community by uplifting joy and knowledge exchange.”

- Kimberly Pikok

Quyanaqpak (thank you very much) to all interviewees, their families, and crews. Support was provided by the Alaska Arctic Observatory & Knowledge Hub (AAOKH), Tamamta, University of Alaska Fairbanks, and UIC Science LLC. We are grateful for the collaboration and support from the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission, Barrow Whaling Captain’s Association, North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management, and North Slope Borough Department of Iñupiat Heritage and Learning Center. Interviews in the film were shared with permission, and under UAF IRB Protocol # 1689629-7.

Learn more about Kim’s thesis research, “Centering community and joy through co-production: Tracking the seasonal changes of Utqiagvik’s spring whaling.”