Raigelee Alorut has a whale of a story to tell about her brother who just happens to hold a special place in Inuit lore.

Mosha Michael, the oldest of nine siblings, was born in an outpost camp near Apex in 1948. He's recognized as the one of the first Inuk filmmakers and is described by his sister as a sensitive, artistic soul, reflected in his short films which SA国际影视传媒渁re imbued with a rare precision and poetic intimacy, underlining the artistSA国际影视传媒檚 close relationship with his subjects.SA国际影视传媒�

In time for National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21, the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) has re-released MichaelSA国际影视传媒檚 1977 film Whale Hunting (Qilaluganiatut), a short documentary of a beluga whale hunt in Frobisher Bay set to MichaelSA国际影视传媒檚 own music.

SA国际影视传媒淥h yes, I remember him singing,SA国际影视传媒� says the now 60-year-old Alorut in an interview with Nunavut News. SA国际影视传媒淚 remember him playing guitars back then. I remember he was really into music. It was hard when I first heard MoshaSA国际影视传媒檚 voice after he passed away, when he was singing. Sometimes ISA国际影视传媒檓 still worried about turning the page.SA国际影视传媒�

Turning the page on difficult history

Alorut herself was born in 1964, and her early memories are mostly of the coming and going of family members like Mosha from North to south, shuttled between Hamilton, Ont., and Churchill, Man., for long periods of tuberculosis treatment and residential school.

SA国际影视传媒淭his was never talked about in the family,SA国际影视传媒� she says of their experiences and absences. SA国际影视传媒淭hey were gone one day, and they came back one day. We tried to stay close together as a family."

Alorut ended up in her auntSA国际影视传媒檚 care in Iqaluit in her formative years after the death of her mother around age nine.

SA国际影视传媒淎fter that, our family broke apart," she said.

After graduating from Churchill Residential School in Manitoba at age 16, Michael returned to Iqaluit for a short period before his permanent move south. It was before this, in 1974, that Michael took part in a Super-8 workshop led by the NFB. Within a year, he released Natsik Hunting along with a soundtrack co-composed and performed by artist Etulu Etidloie.

With no extant catalogue of his work, it's difficult to estimate the full range of MichaelSA国际影视传媒檚 artistic output. However, three films;  (1975),  (1977) and  (1977) can be streamed free of charge on the NFBSA国际影视传媒檚 platform, . Afterward, Michael worked for the Inuit Broadcasting Corporation. 

SA国际影视传媒淲ith his short films that he had, I remember [at] the Inuit Tapiriit [Kanatami] building it was announced that my brother Mosha was going to introduce his films, and we were all excited to go see them,SA国际影视传媒� recalled Alorut.

In 1985, Michael relocated to Toronto to further pursue his film career. It was around that time Alorut lost contact with her eldest sibling, apart from reuniting briefly as a family for their fatherSA国际影视传媒檚 funeral, until she, her husband, and her son moved to Toronto in 2003.

SA国际影视传媒淚t was good to see him and everyone, it was good to get connected,SA国际影视传媒� said Alorut, who relocated to Toronto to pursue higher education.

By this time, most of the Michael siblings were living in Toronto, although Alorut said her brother socialized more with their other brothers.

SA国际影视传媒淲e would see each other then and now, not often," she said. "Mosha got sick and it was harder to interact.SA国际影视传媒�

Alorut recalls that Michael spent a lot of his time and energy SA国际影视传媒渃arving soap stone, and he used to do some little gatherings with the schools. Maybe doing some programs about his carvings. When he got sick, he couldnSA国际影视传媒檛 do it anymore.SA国际影视传媒�

By this time, Michaels was supporting himself by selling his carvings.

Alorut said that despite securing funding from the NFB and what was then called the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs to make his three archived short films from the 1970s, Michael was never able to get the money together to continue his filmmaking down south, so he turned to carving to survive.

SA国际影视传媒淵ou need money to be what you want to be (and) carving was in our blood,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

Hunting is a predominant theme in many of MichaelSA国际影视传媒檚 films, as the family was, according to Alorut, taught SA国际影视传媒渋nformally by my father. Mosha enjoyed hunting, surviving out on the land. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 what he loved.SA国际影视传媒�

Asivaqtiin/The Hunters documents Inuit inmates from IqaluitSA国际影视传媒檚 penitentiary being rehabilitated by spending time learning traditional practices out on the land.

'Something people can look at'

When asked why Michael never came back to Nunavut, Alorut didn't know.

SA国际影视传媒淚 donSA国际影视传媒檛 know if he got stuck down there. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 hard to know," she said. "Maybe it was cheaper [to live], and his daughter was there.SA国际影视传媒�

By this point, Michael had dropped out of photography studies at Ryerson University (now called Toronto Metropolitan University) and had two children. He was also struggling with addiction.

SA国际影视传媒淗e went downhill after residential school,SA国际影视传媒� recalls Alorut. SA国际影视传媒淚 donSA国际影视传媒檛 know how he survived. He survived when other kids did not. He made it home. Other kids did not make it home. They were killed by residential school. All these survivors, they have addiction problems, but he was kind. I remember he was very kind. He was very sensitive.SA国际影视传媒�

All the siblings living in Toronto were present for MichaelSA国际影视传媒檚 passing in 2009, gathering together by his bed at St. MichaelSA国际影视传媒檚 Hospital. Lacking the necessary funds, and having to go against Inuit tradition, they had his body cremated and shipped back to Iqaluit after a ceremony at the Native Canadian Centre, where Michael was SA国际影视传媒渨ell-known to those people.SA国际影视传媒�

A family friend arranged for the remains to make their way North via their sister Annie, where they were scattered in the Apex River.

SA国际影视传媒淭hatSA国际影视传媒檚 so sad,SA国际影视传媒� says Alorut, but who is also happy that her brother was eventually brought back to Nunavut, where a ceremony and prayers that included his friends and family were performed.

SA国际影视传媒淗eSA国际影视传媒檚 home. HeSA国际影视传媒檚 home now.SA国际影视传媒�

Alorut makes it clear that she does not want her brotherSA国际影视传媒檚 struggles with addiction to be the focus. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 his work as an Inuk filmmaker, a title his sister wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 even aware of until recently, that will be remembered.

As it should be.