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Themes in Waterwalker - Online Term Paper

Themes in Waterwalker

The 1984 National Film Board of Canada documentary Waterwalker, produced and directed by Bill Mason, takes the viewer on a stunning visual journey through Western Canada's rivers and lakes. The film's message is as poignant as the photography: wilderness is to be appreciated in its most raw state. In fact, the low budget filmmaking parallels the simplicity of the canoe that Mason uses, a simple wood-and-canvas apparatus that takes him even through rough waters. Mason narrates the film, and occasionally a voice over by a Native American man speaks about natural spirituality. Mason muses about his love for both painting and canoeing; he brings his paints and brushes in the boat. "I don't ...

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that he otherwise would never be able to see. The artist finds some out-of-the-way spots to paint and film, contemplate and meditate. His appreciation for the wilderness is overwhelming and contagious. The title of the film, "waterwalker," refers to the art of canoeing. One who paddles is like one who walks on water, who can harness the water's own power with a very simple object. Moreover, the title has an innately spiritual connotation that synthesizes European and Native American spiritualities. Mason pays tribute to the Native Americans who first invented the canoe and who first paddled through those very waterways by honoring their traditions, lifestyle, and worldview. Furthermore, the Native American male voice-over calls our attention to the Great Spirit that permeates nature and all life. Mason also shows the viewer Native rock paintings and other signs of their ancient culture. He notes that their people have lived in these lands for thousands of years and yet it remains ...

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Themes in Waterwalker. (2016, March 10). Retrieved January 9, 2026, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Themes-in-Waterwalker/105467

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PAPER DETAILS

Added: 3/10/2016 03:19:31 AM
Category: Film & Theater
Type: Premium Paper
Words: 614
Pages: 3

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