Alethea Arnaquq-Baril

Inuit filmmaker and animator Alethea Arnaquq-Baril presents a picture-book adaptation of her award-winning film short, Lumaajuuq, in this gorgeous title. A traditional Inuit pourquoi story explaining how the narwhal came to be, it concerns a mother and her blind son. A great hunter when he still had his vision, the young man was now made to feel worthless by his cruel parent. Seeking out a red-throated loon, he regained his sight, while also learning that his blindness was the result of a deliberate act on his mother's part. Seeking revenge, he tricked his mother during a whale hunt, and she was dragged deep under the water, where her twisted braids transformed into a horn, and her body into that of the first narwhal...

Pairing a tragic tale with striking artwork, The Blind Boy & the Loon is not a book that I will soon forget. This is not a "happily ever after" type tale, as is made plain by the book's conclusion, which reads: "Just like his mother, the boy acted out of revenge and solved nothing, leading him to a life of cruelty and suffering. Today, the narwhal will forever be a reminder that every act of revenge is a link in a chain that can only be broken by forgiveness." Clearly, this is not just a simple story about the origins of the narwhal, but also a teaching tale meant to caution against the dangers of vengeance and cruelty. Despite getting back at his mother for mistreating him, the story makes it clear that the young man does not lead a happy life. Arnaquq-Baril mentions in her preface that this is a shortened version of a much longer story, and I would certainly like to read a longer version one day! The tale also appears in Ramona Maher's 1969 collection, The Blind Boy and the Loon and Other Eskimo Myths, which I have not perused, but might seek out.

The artwork here is gorgeous, with the characters created by Arnaquq-Baril, and the backgrounds by Daniel Gies, who also assisted Arnaquq-Baril on the film. I was fascinated by the white, mask-like face of the protagonist, which contrasted with the browner, more natural faces of the mother and sister. I'm not sure what that indicates, but it certainly grabbed my attention. After reading this, I went in search of the film upon which it is based, and greatly enjoyed that as well. It can be viewed on youtube and on the National Film Board of Canada site. I will have to watch more from the Nunavut Animation Lab!

All in all, an excellent book, one I would recommend to young folklore lovers, and to picture-book readers interested in Inuit stories - with the proviso of course, that more sensitive young listeners may find the themes somewhat distressing.… (mais)