The silent enemy

A fictional "documentary " which presents a study of the Ojibwa Indians' struggle for food before the coming of the Europeans. Tells of the rivalry between Baluk, the hunter, and Dagwan, the medicine man, for the chief's daughter and the leadership of the tribe in the coming winter. The silent enemy of the title is hunger.

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"Epic of the American Indian"@en
"W. Douglas Burden's the silent enemy"@en
"W. Douglas Burden's the silent enemy"

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"Reconstructs the life of the Objiway Indians before the coming of the white man through the story of a tribe's struggle against hunger amidst an internal battle for power."
"A fictional "documentary " which presents a study of the Ojibwa Indians' struggle for food before the coming of the Europeans. Tells of the rivalry between Baluk, the hunter, and Dagwan, the medicine man, for the chief's daughter and the leadership of the tribe in the coming winter. The silent enemy of the title is hunger."@en
"An exciting reconstruction of the Ojibway Indian tribe in the time before Europeans had settled in the Hudson Bay area. The "enemy" is the hunger that threatens the tribe."
"An exciting reconstruction of the Ojibway Indian tribe in the time before Europeans had settled in the Hudson Bay area. The "enemy" is the hunger that threatens the tribe."@en
"Reconstructs the life of the Ojibwa Indians before the coming of the white man through the story of a tribe's struggle against hunger amidst an internal battle for power."
"A reconstruction of Ojibway life before Europeans arrived, the film deals with the struggle of a tribe against the threat of the "silent enemy" of hunger."@en
"A silent picture with musical accompaniment, filmed in northern Ontario in 1928-1929, and originally issued as a motion picture, this film is a reconstruction in story form of Ojibway Indian life as it was lived before the coming of the white man. The story line is based on documents which record the travels of Jesuit missionaries in New France from 1610 to 1791."@en
"A fictional documentary which presents a study of the Ojibway Indians' struggle for food before the coming of the Europeans. Tells of the rivalry between Baluk, the hunter, and Dagwan, the medicine man, for the chief's daughter and the leadership of the tribe in the coming winter. Filmed in Northern Ontario with an all-Indian cast."@en
"A fictional documentary which presents a study of the Ojibway Indians' struggle for food before the coming of the Europeans. Tells of the rivalry between Baluk, the hunter, and Dagwan, the medicine man, for the chief's daughter and the leadership of the tribe in the coming winter. Filmed in Northern Ontario with an all-Indian cast."
"Reconstitution dans une forme fictive du mode de vie des Indiens Ojibway avant la venue de l'homme blanc. Exploitation du thème de la faim chez ces chasseurs nomades. Filmé en 1928-29 dans la réserve indienne de Témagami Forest dans le nord de l'Ontario."
"A fictional documentary which presents a study of the Ojibway Indians' struggle for food before the coming of the Europeans. Tells of the rivalry between Baluk, the hunter, and Dagwan, the medicine man, for the chief's daughter and the leadership of the tribe in the coming winter. Filmed in Northern Ontario with an all-Indian cast."@en
"Reconstruction in story form of Ojibway Indian life "before the coming of the white man," using Ojibway Indians as actors."@en
"A fictional documentary filmed with an all-Indian cast in northern Ontario in 1928-29. The story line is based on documents which record the travels of Jesuit missionaries in New France from 1610 to 1791. The film is a study of the Ojibway Indians' struggle for food before the coming of the Europeans. It specifically tells of the rivalry between Baluk, the hunter, and Dagwan, the medicine man, for the chief's daughter and the leadership of the tribe in the coming winter."@en
"Reconstructs Ojibway Indian life as described in records of the Jesuit missionaries. Musical score performed on a theater organ has been added."@en
"A fictional documentary meticulously reconstructing the life of the Ojibway Indians before the white man had settled in the Hudson Bay area. The "enemy" they battle is the hunger that threatens the tribe."@en
"This reconstruction of Ojibway life before the white man settled the Hudson Bay region is based on a 72-volume history of New France written by Jesuit missionaries between 1610 and 1791. The "enemy" is the starvation that threatens the tribe as it desperately tracks the caribou herds. Photographed on location, the film boasts an all-Indian cast; its moving prologue is delivered by one of its stars Chief Yellow Robe (Chetoga): "This is the story of my people ... When you look at this picture, therefore, look not upon us as actors. We are Indians, living once more our old life. Soon we will be gone. Your civilization will destroy us. But by your magic, we will live forever." Baluk, a respected hunter, returns from an unsuccessful expedition in the south to petition Chief Chetoga to direct the band northward in pursuit of caribou and so avert the dreaded famine of the "seventh year." At the tribal council, Baluk delivers his plea but is opposed by Dagwan, an evil medicine man, jealous of Baluk's love for Neewa, daughter of Chief Chetoga. Overruling Dagwan's protests, Chief Chetoga instructs his people to follow Baluk and make the trek to the "land of of the little sticks." He himself will withdraw to a windblown mount to appease the evil spirits. Dagwan's machinations almost cost Baluk his life but the medicine man's treachery is laid bare and he is sent into exile to die "the slow death." Baluk leads his people to the caribou whose thunderous stampede forms the film's exciting finale."@en
""In a spoken prologue, Chief Yellow Robe introduces the film: 'This is the story of my people. Now the White Man has come; his civilization has destroyed my people. ... But now this same civilization has preserved our traditions before it was too late; now you will know us as we really are. Everything that you will see here is real; everything as it always has been. ...' With winter approaching and food scarce, Chetoga, chief of the Ojibwa, calls a council to decide the tribe's course. Baluk, the hunter, wishes to take the hunters south; in spite of Dagwan's protests, Chetoga agrees to the plan. When winter comes and the hunters return empty-handed, Baluk decides to move the tribe northward into the path of the migrating caribou, though Dagwan, a rival for the chief's daughter, taunts him with cowardice. After days without food, camp is pitched, and Baluk goes forth to a mountain to pray to the Great Spirit. He then kills a bull moose besieged by timber wolves, but Chetoga dies, leaving Baluk chief of the tribe. After weeks of fruitless travel, Dagwan calls a ritualistic meeting. During his medicine dance, a snow-flurry is taken as a sign of Dagwan's supernatural power, and he tells them the Great Spirit requires the sacrifice of Baluk. Baluk chooses to die by fire, and a funeral pyre is built; as he mounts it, word reaches the camp of a caribou stampede. Baluk takes charge, great numbers of caribou are slain, and there is feasting. As a result of his treachery, Dagwan is condemned to go forth without food, water, or weapons, and Baluk takes Neewa for his wife"--AFI catalog, 1921-1930."