Rural Alaska

New documentary offers panoramic views of Point Hope’s whaling tradition

A new documentary offers a bird’s-eye view of Point Hope’s whaling crews as they head out on the ice to pursue and harvest a 55-foot bowhead whale to feed the North Slope community.

It was produced by Alaska freelance videographer Cale Green, who was invited by his friend Ryan Rock to film two hunting seasons and a whaling celebration in Point Hope starting in March 2018.

Rock is the son of whaling captain and Arctic Slope Regional Corp. President and CEO Rex Rock Sr.

“It’s who we are,” Rock Sr. says in the documentary. “It’s what I love to do and hopefully raise my boys and my grandson to where they will always want to be whalers.”

Ryan Rock narrates the film, and dedicates it to his daughter’s unborn children.

“May they continue to know the lives that have been so good to us,” Rock says in the documentary.

Green said the documentary was self-funded, and Rock Sr. reviewed the video before its release. Green is currently working on a similar video about Kaktovik, funded by ASRC.

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