NORTH OF THE HIMALAYAS

Year Published: 1930s

Format: 16mm

Description: Produced in the 1930s by FILMSETS, a division of the DeVry Corporation, this black and white silent film depicts the people of three regions in North-eastern Asia: the tundra, the taiga, and the Mongolian steppes. This film allows its audience to study the homes, clothing, and occupations of these people and to compare and contrast these peoples’ way of life. Black screen with NORTH OF THE HIMALAYAS written (0:12). Map of Russia, Northeast Siberia, Japan, China, and India (0:35). People entering Raised wooden shacks on tundra or winter plain, Siberian huskies in the foreground (0:57). Man sitting on roof of raised hut (1:05). Shot of annual fur sale in front of log cabins, perhaps Yakut people of Siberia (1:24). Man wearing sorting through fur coats, maybe of stoat or sable (1:32). Shot of coastal town that would host fur sale and also home to ports for fishing and sealing ships (1:51). Arrival of Japanese workers heading to fish canneries wearing ushanka hats (2:04). Japanese seasonal working standing on wooden row boat with industrial ship in the background (2:17). Map highlighting Taiga which encompasses present day Russia, Northeastern China, and Mongolia (2:37). Two people riding on Amur River Valley canoe in Taiga or wooded region (2:47). Hunters, trappers, women and small children wearing shawl or hijab-like hair coverings bringing boxes and rifles into straw hut (2:49). Young woman sitting in hut holding child while fire is going (3:00). Baby playing with teething toy hunting rifles - perhaps Siamese Mauser rifles - in the background (3:05). Close up of woman’s face (3:11). Woman sitting on pelt trying to make it soft and pliable (3:14). Two men working near river bank (3:31). Fisherman around a net trying to catch salmon during the salmon run (3:43). Men and women at water shores drying fish (3:56). Close up of woman gathering smoked fish (4:02). Map highlighting land of the Mongols, herdsman known for raising sturdy small horses of Eastern Asia (4:26). Mongolian herdsmen wearing the traditional robe called deel wrangling sheep perhaps in Gobi Desert (4:32). Close up of sheep and herdsmen sifting through wool (4:39). Mongols sitting making camel’s felt for blankets with Bactrian camel in background (5:00). Mongols rolling camel’s felt on large wooden stick (5:11). Man riding camel while rolled camel’s felt being dragged in the background (5:21). Mongols covering their homes or yurts with camel's felt blankets to protect from the cold, covering the khana or wood lattice walls (5:37). Two women tighten blankets around the yurt while wearing headdresses traditional of Khalka Mongols (5:56). Interior shot of the yurt featuring livestock, an elderly man, and young child (6:09). Young boys pouring Chinese Tea from traditional copper Mongolian teapot or Dombo (6:25). Map highlighting Tibet (6:41). People sitting on covered wagons being pulled by a yak (6:48). Zoomed out shot of river and covered wagons (6:55). Roof of Tibetan temple example of Buddhist architecture (6:59). Tibetan monastery on a mountain (7:14). The End

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