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As modern, globalized life threatens to homogenize Native cultures out of existence, documentary films have emerged as an effective way to record these traditions—and to share them with new audiences, explaining their nuances and idiosyncrasies along the way. The following Peabody-recognized works demonstrate these cultures’ particularly deep connection with the sea, featuring tribal efforts to preserve salmon, deep-sea dive to collect seafood, and whale-hunt for sustenance.
This vivid documentary follows a quiet Alaskan Native teen who becomes the youngest person to harpoon a whale for his village on a small Bering Sea Island, where whale-hunting is a matter of survival. When his family proudly posts about his accomplishment online, however, this longstanding practice clashes with modern internet sensibilities as indignant social media activists attack him with no sense of the dire importance of whale meat to this community. Directors Jim Wickens and Peter Chelkowski beautifully capture a fascinating tale of how the internet’s world-spanning abilities can crush smaller, unique cultures under the weight of misunderstanding.
Where to Watch: PBS
‘The Last of the Sea Women’
The documentary film The Last of the Sea Women takes viewers inside the world of the haenyeo, a group of women in Jeju, South Korea, all of them over 60, who sustain themselves by free-diving in the ocean to collect seafood. The colorful group is working to keep the tradition alive amid modern threats, most notably Japan’s plan to release water contaminated by a nuclear power plant into the sea where the women dive. But the film also shows that there is hope as a new generation of women takes up the practice 150 miles away—and documents it through their social media profiles.
Where to Watch: Apple TV+
‘Salmon Wars’
A joint project between Oregon Public Broadcasting and ProPublica, this podcast tells the story of the declining wild salmon population in the Northwest through the voices of a Yakama Nation family fighting to preserve the fish. Their connection to the salmon, which stretches back through generations, has been disrupted by the changing environment and industrial salmon farming. Through six episodes, the team delves into why the fish are disappearing, and how the situation affects us all.
Where to Listen: OPB.org
Nalu Apassingok’s Peabody Acceptance for ‘One With the Whale’
Producer Nalu Apassingok‘s emotional acceptance included a native chant written by her grandfather.
Where to Watch: PeabodyAwards.com