Inuit Woman Saves Downed Pilot

"The Snow Walker" Touched my heart and brought everything to bare concerning Native Spirituality, survival, giving, and tracking all in one ball of wax. This Movie is based on a true story.

A Young Alaskan Bush pilot "Charlie" on a routine run delivering fuel oil and food to a small Inuit fishing camp in the remote wilderness of Alaska, concedes to fly a young Inuit women "Kanella" in need of medical attention to a hospital in "Yellow knife." On their way back the float plane loses oil pressure and goes down in the middle of nowhere.

The ex-world war two pilot who thought he had seen and done it all was now at the mercy of the elements and wilderness. As he goes through his tantrums, cussing and anger, the native women looks at his antics calmly and with compassion. His reputation as a macho swaggering two fisted drinking pilot doesn't go far when confronted with survival.

In a vain attempt to venture off on his own, he soon finds himself unconscious due to the lack of knowledge concerning the land, the elements, dehydration, and an attack by a swarm of Mosquitoes. He looses his shoes, gun and half his clothing.

When he wakes up he finds the Native Women who had followed him without his knowledge by his side . His feet and wounds are already wrapped in herbs from the surrounding wilderness and he is given something warm to drink from an old can.

As the story progresses, the Young women employs all of her skills such as fishing with a simple nature made block and tackle, catching rodents with snares made from natural vines etc. She also happens to have in her pouch a knife for skinning, and other useful items like bone needles.

Not only does she nurse him back to health, and sew clothes for him to survive but provides him with hope, companionship and a sense of spirituality and morality which is sorely needed. He finds himself looking at life and his past war experiences as a fighter pilot in a whole new light. He is literally transformed by a twenty year old woman, who is ailing in the first place. She provides him with views on everything from mortality and living in oneness with nature, to self healing, tracking, hunting and survival.

On a scale of five I give this a ten. I recommend this movie highly or the book for that matter. This is work of art. It could have just as easily been a documentary. I have just scratched the surface regarding the content and feelings conveyed.

As a footnote: I found a resonance in my own life, having been a Bush Pilot and Flight instructor, (see photo below) in the wilds of Mexico and the south pacific and at one time was even declared missing. Fortunately for me all turned out ok. My story could very well have been this one in many ways.
-Wakiya (Thunder)