Games of the North: Playing for Survival

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An acrobatic documentary that ties ancient Alaskan traditions to modern athletes . . .
February 2011
http://www.gamesofthenorth.com/


For thousands of years, traditional Inuit sports have been vital for survival within the unforgiving Arctic. Acrobatic and explosive, these ancestral games evolved to strengthen mind, body and spirit within the community. Following four modern Inuit athletes reveals their unique relationship to the games as they compete across the North. As unprecedented change sweeps across their traditional lands, their stories illuminate the importance of the games today.
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Native American Public Telecommunications, Inc. (NAPT) proudly announces the release of a new documentary that examines four modern Inuit athletes' ties to the Arctic Winter Games--an event drawing hundreds of athletes from northern territories of the Arctic circle. Held biennially for a week in March, participants compete in strengths of endurance, agility, mind, body and spirit in front of large crowds comprised of family, friends, supporters and media alike.


Produced by Starseed Media, Inc. in association with the Alaska Native Heritage Center and presented by NAPT and KCTS Television/Seattle, Games of the North is a very personal journey for many athletes past and present. The Arctic Winter Games connect athletes living in distinct worlds--bonding urban and rural Alaska Natives in a spirit of support and camaraderie with each character featured in the film revealing a unique relationship to the games.

"When a friend first showed me the Native Games, I was blown away by the level of athleticism and the grueling strength of these athletes. I became immediately drawn-in as both an athlete and filmmaker," stated Games of the North producer Jonathon Stanton. "I'm an avid ski mountaineer and originally came to Alaska seeking the raw beauty of the vast mountain ranges, but in the end, the games and the people that it brought together, kept me coming back for more."

Following four, competitive Inuit athletes as they trek across Alaska to live, compete, hunt, train and pursue their goals is where you'll revel in the complex, interconnectedness of Inuit culture. The very core of their village life is centered around the idea of community and the values that must be honored to sustain it.

"The relevance of the games to today's northern territories--such as Alaska, Quebec, and Greenland just to name a few--is so crucial to the survival of the culture. The harsh and unforgiving Arctic is not child's play. It takes knowledge from the past and one's personal strength to endure what mother nature gives you," stated Steven Wounded Deer Alvarez (Mescalero Apache/Yaqui/Upper Tanana Athabascan), the film's executive producer who is also a director at the Alaska Native Heritage Center.

Games of the North is a follow-up to the documentary film To Play the Games, which documents the unique lives of Alaska athletes as they prepare to compete in a single sporting event. Due to demand for more in-depth coverage of the games as a whole, Games of the North was made. http://www.nativetelecom.org/games_nort ... g_survival

Contact: Jessica Kinser, NAPT Marketing Director at jkinser2@unl.edu