Location: Ulukhaktok – Northwest Territories
N70° 44.259’ W117°46.208’
Date: May 15, 2006
Time: 6:36am
Temp: 1°C
State: Tired from hiking/filming all night.

SEARCHING FOR DRAGONS - OFFICIAL COMMENCEMENT OF PRINCIPLE PHOTOGRAPHY!

Arrival in Ulukhaktok
Getting off the plane in Ulukhaktok (known as Holman until Apr 1, 2006), we had no idea regarding our road ahead. No place to stay, no contact to touch base with, nor any idea of how to proceed or where we actually were.

All this quickly changed.

The residents of Ulukhaktok are among the warmest people I have ever met. Within a few hours of our arrival, Joe Perry the local coop manager, had introduced us to Jene and Pat Ekpakohak who set us up with an amazing cabin, 25minutes outside Ulukhaktok by snow machine, in the hunting and fishing area known as Mashuyak.
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Mashuyak
After being in Mashuyak for two days, all I can say is, I truly hope the 8mm, 16mm and medium format film I’m shooting will capture the overall impact of this incredible landscape.
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Solitude
I’ve mentioned before that my original intention was to do this entire journey solo. The original project concept had much to do with solitude and the filmmaker as a lonely pilgrim looking at the world from the outside. The decision, in early March, to invite Forbes Campbell into the SFD film process was followed by an extreme amount of doubt. Accustomed to spending large amounts of time alone, I wondered if I had made the right decision. My thoughts were: I have been with this project for five years, making it my life and personal process - No one can fully understand where this project comes from or what I am really looking for. An assistant will only cramp my style, break my focus and negatively affect the film process while infringing on my personal comfort zone.

Now, after being out on the road for two months, I have a different perspective.

I am thankful I am not alone.

Out all night hiking and filming up in the hills of Mashuyak, I have finally let go of all doubt concerning Forbes and his role in the SFD process. Although there have been moments of tension where our personalities collide, we have begun to work as a strange symbiotic organism or military unit. Now, out here in the middle of nowhere, we find ourselves dependent on each other for our personal wellbeing and potentially, even survival.

Tonight, as we hiked, we discussed and prepared for the possibility of encountering a bear. Although the chances are slim this time of year, I was slightly on edge, with an increased awareness of my own mortality. Up in the hills of Mashuyak, with wind howling and the low light of the midnight sun, it's easy to understand how animal prey can be caught unaware of stalking predators. I was not so afraid of being stalked, but more of walking over a hillside straight into the sightline of the world's largest land carnivor. This morning, now back at camp, as Forbes reads a camera manual and I label footage, I’m thinking the following,

If I were ever to come across an angry hungry bear, there’s no other person I can think of, that I’d rather make a stand with... Or, be eaten with ;-)

peace,
d
Pics
1) Arctic ocean flying into Ulukhaktok
2) Arrival in Ulukhaktok
3) Sunset in Mashuyak
4) View of camp from hills. Our camp last cabin at point
5) Logging footage after hiking all night