Photo credit: explorersweb.com
Kitturiaq documents a 620km canoeing journey through the rugged landscapes of the Labrador Plateau, navigating the George River in northern Quebec, Canada. The expedition was led by seasoned adventurer Frank Wolf, accompanied by partner Todd McGowan.
A map detailing the planned route from Nain to Ungava Bay, traversing the Labrador Plateau. Photo: Screenshot
Wolf’s adventurous spirit extends beyond exploration; it reflects in his filmmaking approach. The narrative of the film is humorously relayed by a fictional mosquito, narrating as an unofficial companion. This choice draws inspiration from the Inuktitut term for mosquito, which serves as the film’s title.
Additionally, the journey is intertwined with the tale of explorer Hesketh Hesketh Prichard, whose legacy is narrated by the mosquito named Malina. Through this lens, viewers learn about Prichard’s unsuccessful attempt in 1910 to traverse the same route.
Prichard’s vessel, the ‘Harmony,’ reached Nain in 1910. Tragically, a few years later in 1918, the same ship introduced the deadly Spanish flu to northern Labrador. Photo: Screenshot
The expedition kicks off in Nain, recognized as the northernmost town on the coast of Labrador and the administrative center of the Inuit region of Nunatsiavut. Here, Wolf engages with local leaders to discuss the land they will traverse on their adventure.
A 600m Climb with Canoe
The initial leg of their journey takes them northward to the imposing Fraser Canyon, which they must scale to reach the Labrador Plateau. Insects swarm, confirming the locals’ warnings about the blackfly population.
Yet it is the strenuous portage that poses the most significant challenge. Lacking a navigable waterway, they must unload their gear and drag it, along with their canoe, 600m up a rocky fissure known as Poungassé to reach the plateau. By the time they set up camp, both are drained, with McGowan succumbing to sunstroke under the intense subarctic summer sun.
McGowan collapsed from heat exhaustion, necessitating a break for recovery. Photo: Screenshot
In comparison, Prichard faced an even harsher fate, opting for a steeper path that forced him to abandon one of his canoes. Upon reaching the plateau, Prichard found only swamps and shallow pools, prompting him to abandon his last canoe and continue on foot. In contrast, Wolf and McGowan choose to drag theirs overland. After a period of intense irritation from the flies, they successfully make their way back to the water.
“People have been here, a long, long time before us,” Wolf muses, discovering a discarded piece of wood. With no trees present, it must have been brought by an Inuit hunter on a sled long ago, symbolizing a connection to the land—a subtle yet profound theme interwoven throughout the film.
The duo continues navigating through both paddling and portaging. “They’re starting to act a little strange,” Malina observes, prompting the reappearance of headnets to fend off the relentless insects.
Upon reaching Nunavik, they take a pause to fish, while Nain politician Johannes Lampe reflects on the high cost of food in such remote areas. He notes that caribou serves as a more affordable alternative to store-bought groceries, while fishing is a cost-effective method of sourcing meals. Lampe emphasizes the reciprocal relationship with nature, explaining that the land rewards those who care for it.
Johannes Lampe served as the Minister of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism during filming and is now the President of Nunatsiavut. Photo: Screenshot
The George River
When Prichard and his team reached the George River, they sought to connect with the local Innu people, only to find that they had migrated to different hunting grounds. Left without canoes to navigate the river, Prichard was compelled to turn back.
In contrast, Wolf and McGowan’s perseverance through portaging proved fruitful, allowing them to retain their canoes. On the seventeenth day of their journey, they finally reach the George River, where the kilometers begin to slip away more quickly than before. Yet, the omnipresent flies remain a constant companion. Eventually, they reach the river’s end at Ungava Bay.
Source
explorersweb.com