Recorded in: Washington (D.C.), United States, October 9, 1980.
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. Some duplication is allowed. Use of materials needs permission of the Smithsonian Institution.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Folklife Festival records: 1980 Festival of American Folklife, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, Smithsonian Institution.
Edited film shot by William Van Valin as leader of the John Wanamaker Expedition to Point Barrow, Alaska for the University of Pennsylvania Museum. The film, that later toured in a film-lecture series by Van Valin, is known under the main title TIP TOP OF THE EARTH: Alaskan Eskimo Educational Series. Series includes the titles: SCENES AT NOME, ALASKA; ESKIMO SPORTS; SCENES AT POINT BARROW, ALASKA; ESKIMO REINDEER INDUSTRY; ESKIMO SEAL HUNTING; ESKIMO WHALING [Parts I and II]; and MIDNIGHT SUN SCENES. Sequences include: the steamship Victoria landing passengers at Nome, Alaska; hydraulic mining along the Bering Sea beach near Nome; a umiak with Eskimos aboard being towed; old Eskimo man cleaning salmon and preparing his pipe; salmon drying on elevated racks; summer camp activities among the Eskimos; natives dancing, drumming, racing umiaks, and participating in foot races as part of Fourth of July festivities in Nome; Eskimo barber demonstrating technique of hair cutting with stone knife; scenes of winter life including igloos covered with blocks of snow; Eskimos with dog teams and sleds; Eskimo games and forms of recreation including a form of whaling sport known as nela-ka-tuk, tossing a person on a stretched walrus hide. Also depicted are various activities relating to the Eskimo food quest: activities associated with whaling which include sledding umiaks overland through snow, hauling a whale through hole cut in polar ice, and butchering whales; activities relating to Eskimo reindeer herding, culling out males and butchering animals; and scenes relating to seal hunting, butchering seals, and the use of their hides. Included are shots of archaeological excavations conducted at early Arctic habitations showing exposed skeletal and cranial remains. (Also as part of this collection is miscellaneous footage of a rabbit drive, a mule team pulling wagons and unidentified locations). Collection also contains a book.
Legacy Keywords: Language and culture ; Ships steamships Nome Alaska ; Mining hydralic Nome Alaska ; Dogs as transportation Alaska ; Sleds as transportation Alaska ; Fishing salmon Alaska ; Boats use in hunting Alaska ; Hunting guns Alaska ; Food quest hunting fishing whaling Alaska ; Food preparation butchering drying Alaska ; Food preservation techniques of Alaska ; Cooking utensils ; Ecology seasonal movements Alaska ; Ecology seasonal movements ; Dancing drums Alaska ; Drumming dancing ceremony ; Food communal distribution Alaska ; Animal husbandry reindeer Alaska ; Herding reindeer Alaska ; Hides seals preparation of ; Boats umiaks used as shelter Alaska ; Archaeology excavations Alaska ; Recreation community Nelakatuk ; Whaling butchering Alaska
Please note that the contents of the collection and the language and terminology used reflect the context and culture of the time of its creation. As an historical document, its contents may be at odds with contemporary views and terminology and considered offensive today. The information within this collection does not reflect the views of the Smithsonian Institution or Anthropology Archives, but is available in its original form to facilitate research.
Provenance:
Received from Jewely Van Valin in 1986.
Restrictions:
The collection is open for research. Please contact the archives for information on availability of access copies of audiovisual recordings. Original audiovisual material in the Human Studies Film Archives may not be played.
Rights:
Contact the repository for terms of use.
Genre/Form:
silent films
Citation:
Tip top of the Earth: Arctic Alaskan Eskimo Educational Series, Human Studies Film Archives, Smithsonian Institution
Sponsor:
Cataloging supported by Smithsonian Institution Women's Committee.
Footage shot by William Van Valin as leader of the John Wanamaker Expedition to Pt. Barrow, Alaska for the University of Pennsylvania Museum. Footage known under the main title TIP TOP OF THE EARTH: ARCTIC ALASKAN ESKIMO EDUCATIONAL SERIES; includes subtitles and intertitles to explain shots. Materials depicted include: activities pertaining to reindeer herding (roping, counting, marking, and butchering animals); seal hunting including the solitary trek of a hunter over rough ice; the difficulties of returning over ice with prey in tow; using a dog team to pull bearded seal from the water; women butchering seal with ulu; sewing hides for umiak covers; dried seal skins being prepared as trade goods; scenes associated with whaling; butchering whale at water's edge; removing whale jaw to extract baleen; cutting out and cleaning baleen; community recreation of "nela-ka-tuk"--tossing individuals on stretched walrus hide. Views of archaeological excavations at Pt. Barrow showing sketal and cranial remains; scenes of Pt. Barrow during the midnight sun. community recreation--walrus hide toss. View of archaeological excavations and scenes of the midnight sun.
Legacy Keywords: Dogs as transportation Alaska ; Sleds as transportation Alaska ; Fishing salmon Alaska ; Boats use in hunting Alaska ; Hunting guns Alaska ; Food quest hunting fishing whaling Alaska ; Food preparation butchering drying Alaska ; Food preservation techniques of Alaska ; Cooking utensils ; Ecology seasonal movements Alaska ; Ecology seasonal movements ; Dancing drums Alaska ; Drumming dancing ceremony ; Food communal distribution Alaska ; Animal husbandry reindeer Alaska ; Herding reindeer Alaska ; Hides seals preparation of ; Boats umiaks used as shelter Alaska ; Archaeology excavations Alaska ; Recreation community Nelakatuk ; Whaling butchering Alaska ; Dogs as transportation Alaska ; Houses igloos construction of ; Blood as food Alaska ; Language and culture
Local Number:
HSFA 1986.5.1 - 2
Collection Restrictions:
The collection is open for research. Please contact the archives for information on availability of access copies of audiovisual recordings. Original audiovisual material in the Human Studies Film Archives may not be played.
Collection Rights:
Contact the repository for terms of use.
Collection Citation:
Tip top of the Earth: Arctic Alaskan Eskimo Educational Series, Human Studies Film Archives, Smithsonian Institution
Sponsor:
Cataloging supported by Smithsonian Institution Women's Committee.
Footage shot by William Van Valin as leader of the John Wanamaker Expedition to Pt. Barrow, Alaska for the University of Pennsylvania Museum. Footage known under the title TIP TOP OF THE EARTH: ARCTIC ALASKAN ESKIMO EDUCATIONAL SERIES. Includes subtitles and intertitles explaining shots. Cassette includes sections of films entitled "Eskimo Reindeer Industry", "Eskimo Seal Hunting", "Eskimo Whaling, part II", and "Scenes of the Midnight Sun". Depicted are activities associated with reindeer herding such as building an "ice pen" (coral) in which to rope, count, and tag animals; butchering reindeer; scenes pertaining to seal hunting by solitary hunters; seal retreived with a line after being shot with rifle; difficulties of returning over ice ridges with prey; dog team pulling beardedter being shot with rifle; difficulties of returning over ice ridges with prey; dog team pulling bearded seal from water's edge; women skinning seal with ulu; removing blood and intestines from seal; sledding whale meat to ice cellars; drying measevere weather; scenes around a whaling encampment; butchering a whale at water's edge; removing the jaw of whale to extract baleen; removing and cleaning baleen strips to be used as trade goods; whaling spot--nela-ka-tuk--tossing people on stretched walrus hide. Views of archeological excavations at Pt. Barrow showing sketal and cranial remains. which illustrate differences in communal life; Eskimo with dog team and sleds; the Pt. Barrow community gathered around their church; dances performed by men to dramatize everyday events; man paddling a kayak and demonstrating technique of the "eskimo roll"; children's games and walrus hide toss; Various activities associated with whaling.
Legacy Keywords: Dogs as means of transportation Alaska ; Sleds as transportation Alaska ; Guns used in seal hunting Alaska ; Boats use in hunting Alaska ; Hunting guns Alaska ; Food quest hunting fishing whaling Alaska ; Food preparation butchering drying Alaska ; Food preservation techniques of Alaska ; Dancing drumming ; Ecology seasonal movements Alaska ; Dancing drums Alaska ; Food communal distribution Alaska ; Animal husbandry reindeer Alaska ; Herding reindeer Alaska ; Whaling butchering Alaska ; Hides preparation of use of Alaska ; Sewing of hides Alaska ; Corrals reindeer herding ; Division of labor by sex ; Work groups butchering of whales ; Games children ; Language and culture
Local Number:
HSFA 1986.5.1 - 2
Collection Restrictions:
The collection is open for research. Please contact the archives for information on availability of access copies of audiovisual recordings. Original audiovisual material in the Human Studies Film Archives may not be played.
Collection Rights:
Contact the repository for terms of use.
Collection Citation:
Tip top of the Earth: Arctic Alaskan Eskimo Educational Series, Human Studies Film Archives, Smithsonian Institution
Sponsor:
Cataloging supported by Smithsonian Institution Women's Committee.
Footage shot by William Van Valin as leader of the John Wanamaker Expedition to Pt. Barrow, Alaska for the University of Pennsylvania Museum. Footage known under the main title TIP TOP OF THE EARTH: ARCTIC ALASKAN ESKIMO EDUCATIONAL SERIES; includes subtitles and intertitles to explain shots. Materials depicted include: activities pertaining to reindeer herding (roping, counting, marking, and butchering animals); seal hunting including the solitary trek of a hunter over rough ice; the difficulties of returning over ice with prey in tow; using a dog team to pull bearded seal fromt he water; women butchering seal with ulu; sewing hides for umiak covers; dried seal skins being prepared as trade goods; scenes associated with whaling; butchering whale at water's edge; removing whale jaw to extract baleen; cutting out and cleaning baleen; community recreation of "nela-ka-tuk"--tossing individuals on stretched walrus hide. Views of archaeological excavations at Pt. Barrow showing sketal and cranial remains; scenes of Pt. Barrow during the midnight sun. community recreation--walrus hide toss. View of archaeological excavations and scenes of the midnight sun.
Legacy Keywords: Dogs as transportation Alaska ; Sleds as transportation Alaska ; Fishing salmon Alaska ; Boats use in hunting Alaska ; Hunting guns Alaska ; Food quest hunting fishing whaling Alaska ; Food preparation butchering drying Alaska ; Food preservation techniques of Alaska ; Cooking utensils ; Ecology seasonal movements Alaska ; Ecology seasonal movements ; Dancing drums Alaska ; Food communal distribution Alaska ; Animal husbandry reindeer Alaska ; Herding reindeer Alaska ; Hides seals preparation of ; Boats umiaks used as shelter Alaska ; Archaeology excavations Alaska ; Recreation community Nelakatuk ; Whaling butchering Alaska ; Dogs as transportation Alaska ; Houses igloos construction of ; Blood as food Alaska
Local Number:
HSFA 1986.5.1 - 2
Collection Restrictions:
The collection is open for research. Please contact the archives for information on availability of access copies of audiovisual recordings. Original audiovisual material in the Human Studies Film Archives may not be played.
Collection Rights:
Contact the repository for terms of use.
Collection Citation:
Tip top of the Earth: Arctic Alaskan Eskimo Educational Series, Human Studies Film Archives, Smithsonian Institution
Sponsor:
Cataloging supported by Smithsonian Institution Women's Committee.
Footage shot by William Van Valin as leader of the John Wanamaker Expedition to Pt. Barrow, Alaska for the University of Pennsylvania Museum. Footage known under the main title TIP TOP OF THE EARTH: ARCTIC ALASKAN ESKIMO EDUCATIONAL SERIES; includes subtitles and intertitles to explain shots. Materials depicted include: activities pertaining to reindeer herding (roping, counting, marking, and butchering animals); seal hunting including the solitary trek of a hunter over rough ice; the difficulties of returning over ice with prey in tow; using a dog team to pull bearded seal fromt he water; women butchering seal with ulu; sewing hides for umiak covers; dried seal skins being prepared as trade goods; scenes associated with whaling; butchering whale at water's edge; removing whale jaw to extract baleen; cutting out and cleaning baleen; community recreation of "nela-ka-tuk"--tossing individuals on stretched walrus hide. Views of archaeological excavations at Pt. Barrow showing sketal and cranial remains; scenes of Pt. Barrow during the midnight sun. community recreation--walrus hide toss. View of archaeological excavations and scenes of the midnight sun.
Legacy Keywords: Dogs as transportation Alaska ; Sleds as transportation Alaska ; Fishing salmon Alaska ; Boats use in hunting Alaska ; Hunting guns Alaska ; Food quest hunting fishing whaling Alaska ; Food preparation butchering drying Alaska ; Food preservation techniques of Alaska ; Cooking utensils ; Ecology seasonal movements Alaska ; Ecology seasonal movements ; Dancing drums Alaska ; Food communal distribution Alaska ; Animal husbandry reindeer Alaska ; Herding reindeer Alaska ; Hides seals preparation of ; Boats umiaks used as shelter Alaska ; Archaeology excavations Alaska ; Recreation community Nelakatuk ; Whaling butchering Alaska ; Dogs as transportation Alaska ; Houses igloos construction of ; Blood as food Alaska
Local Number:
HSFA 1986.5.1 - 2
Collection Restrictions:
The collection is open for research. Please contact the archives for information on availability of access copies of audiovisual recordings. Original audiovisual material in the Human Studies Film Archives may not be played.
Collection Rights:
Contact the repository for terms of use.
Collection Citation:
Tip top of the Earth: Arctic Alaskan Eskimo Educational Series, Human Studies Film Archives, Smithsonian Institution
Sponsor:
Cataloging supported by Smithsonian Institution Women's Committee.
