Panikpak Movie Analysis

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There were similarities between how the family dynamic operated in the film versus the text. The kinship system is similar to the U.S. system used today, which is bilateral, meaning both sides of the family of the parents are recognized. The nuclear family is the basic social unit composed of the mother, father, and children. Polygamous marriage was common among arctic people involving a second wife that was generally the sister of the first. Arranged marriages were also common between men in their late teens and women near puberty.Marriages were essential for survival due to the harsh environment.The film portrayed many interactions between family members involving husband and wife, father and son, mother and child, and between siblings. In …show more content…

The primary concern for families was making sure their children were fed and warm to keep them alive. The women were seen carrying the children in their parkas, representing the closeness between mother and child. Some of the children were named after previous band members who passed away, based on their likeness. For example, Atuat was named after Panikpak’s mother and Kumaglak (Atuat’s son) was named after the previous camp leader, Sauri’s father. The text provides further information on the survival and roles of children from the arctic. There was a high infant mortality due to pneumonia and if there were too many newborns that the family could not support, they were killed. Specifically, they were killed by their fathers, as they were designated to make decisions about death whereas the women were known as givers of life. Female infants were killed over male infants because the males would be able to hunt and support the band in the future. However, as young children they did not have responsibilities to take care of and were permitted to play. The film only had one scene where the band members were playing a form of tag where one person pretended to be a wolf chasing the

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