Walrus D*ck Baseball Wasn't On My List But Here We Are

When this show first came out, I really wanted to like it. Which I think was the issue, because by the end of the first episode, I was way past done. The pilot was lame. The jokes mediocre. For some reason incest was a thing (okay, not fully incest, but like they dipped their toes too deep for the joke). I didn't get it. I didn't like it. It was weird.

But, unlike many of my long rants against shitty shows, North of North actually did it. It broke me, guys. I had to rethink all of my choices because last weekend, out of pure boredom, I gave it another chance, and what a shocker...

I liked it.

North of North is about a young mom named, Siaja, who lives in the fictional city of Ice Cove, Nunavut. Unhappy with her life, she separates from her husband and sets out to find herself, which includes moving in with her mom, landing a job as an executive assistant at the local community center, and starting anew.

I won't lie, the jokes are lame. There's maybe one or two that land, and I'm pretty sure the writers went for quantity over quality. Which, in all fairness, I respect. It's a tactic.

I mean, the first joke, which they jammed in the last five minutes of the pilot for no good reason, is how Siaja (the main protagonist) meets her long-lost father. Long story short, Siaja loses her shit, hates her life, explodes her marriage and then, while on her rampage, makes out with a man who ends up being her dad.

Incest, everyone. Laugh.

The thing is, the show didn't even need this thread. It was actually doing better without it. I feel like it was so clearly a sense of self-doubt encroaching upon the script. I could feel its insecurity whispering through the screen, please be funny, please be funny...

If they'd just let it be, honestly. Siaja being a young mom and realizing she was in a toxic relationship was enough. The whole, I'm gonna go blow up my life impulsively bit worked for what it was. There wasn't anything too deep, and the show presented Inuit culture so seamlessly that it felt wholesome being witness to it.

But then, I don't know what overcame me; I thought, you know what, let's give this show one more shot, and I watched the second episode. I was hooked immediately.

I guess the quantity over quality tactic worked somewhat, because the jokes that were actually funny. Like, I was cracking up, guys. I'm thinking about the coffin scene and the almost but not quite sex scene with the French artist dude. Those jokes were hilariously absurd, out of pocket, and honestly so specific to the context that it worked.

Which got me rethinking my initial reaction. What was it that made me hate the show so much? Maybe it was the mood I was in... Maybe I was expecting something else from the show. Then, I had a realization, one that made me look inwards and reflect on my own prejudices. It wasn't that the jokes or tone changed, only that I started really appreciating the quirky and unique voice it embodied once I shed my internalized preconceptions of what this narrative should be. I realized, that subconsciously, I expected something more serious in tone, and that when the show didn't match it, I refused to give it a proper chance (which is a horrible revelation to have).

As a former Torontonian, my personal knowledge of the Inuit culture is at a bare minimum, and that is a stretch. The last class I took on Indigenous culture was way back in elementary school where we were required to create a mindmap of all the different Indigenous tribes, learned about the seal and beaver hunting trade, and also residential schools.

From then on, other than the land acknowledgement speech, my knowledge of Indigenous culture came through random novels from Intersectionality class like Johnny Appleseed by Joshua Whitehead, The Break by Katherena Vermette, or Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese. All of these texts are incredible pieces of literature, but until North of North, I was never exposed to a narrative that felt so intentionally lighthearted. The novels that I mentioned above are inherently serious, some of them taking place in residential schools; I realized that this was the extent to my knowledge about Indigenous culture, which is lacking. But, it is also the perspective that a lot of people in Canada also carry. To see that shift in pop culture media (CBC) is, for a lack of a better term, refreshing.

The thing that really stands out about this show, and why literally after the second episode I fell in love with it is the way in which it tackled nuanced and complex themes in such an empowering way. There is something very natural, lighthearted, and fun about the storylines without costing the integrity of the very real historical context and trauma, the influences which we see to this very day.

I don't want to go giving out spoilers, but simply the relationship between Siaja and her mom, even Siaja's understanding of herself and her identity, is intentionally complex and nuanced. We initially get small allusions to some kind of trauma with Siaja's mom. We learn that she was once an alcoholic, and that her relationship with Siaja is rocky. As the series continues, it unravels the way in which history has affected her mom's life but in a way that, again, emphasizes empowerment, healing, and strength. What on the surface felt light is actually tied down to culture, history, and identity. This, I think, is the core of North of North, and they do it beautifully.

The problem, I realized, was me. My own lack of knowledge, my bare minimum understanding of Indigenous history and culture placed me in a position where I was imposing my own expectations on what the story should look like. Taking a step back and allowing the show to remind me that there can be silliness amongst the seriousness was eye-opening.

Not to put that burden on the show, that is. Think of it like Little Mosque on the Prairie. The show is a step forward towards inclusivity, a reminder of all the places and people that exist within Canada. It is a lesson that we can both remember, respect, and have fun.

Now, obviously, I'm going to talk about the walrus dick.

It's one of the many instances where the show cleverly showcases Inuit culture in a fun and respectful manner. I was surprised, too, but it is a real thing. Inuit baseball, also known as Anauligaaq, originated as a hunting game when walrus dicks were used as clubs during hunting.

You would assume a weird reaction upon hearing walrus dick baseball, right? But the script is in good hands because it presented the game in a way that felt playful, self-aware, and respectful. I have to disrupt the article here, and compare it to the Mindy Kaling effect on Indian culture, where her jokes feel regressive somehow, very obviously tainted by internalized racism. There is an art to telling jokes, and North of North manages to stay on the right side while also curating a specifically unique voice for itself. The show is a breath of fresh air, honestly. Such a vibe.

So we get the walrus dick bone being waved around, but it is entirely wholesome and unifying. It works well with the narrative, it fits in with Siaja's story and it emphasizes the beauty of Inuit history and culture.

Similarly, when the sea goddess, Nuliajuk, emerges onto the screen, it feels like an act of defiance to disrupt the typical sitcom format. I originally found it jarring, but later in the season when she emerges again as a mirror to Siaja's journey, it felt exactly right to have her looking over the narrative. Just like the show itself, the image is intentionally rebellious, entirely unique, a visual embodiment of its voice.

Even a quick, superficial research session will show just how much intentionality went into this show. From the costumes, down to the earrings, the world in North of North aims to stay true to current Inuit culture. And, I really think it is about time we get a sitcom that is so unapologetically celebratory of its culture. From the costuming, to the integration of the sea goddess, Nuliajuk, to the mother's storyline, North of North makes sure to both humanize and educate on what life in Nunavut looks like.

So, if you haven't yet, go watch it. Tell me what you think. Unravel, unlearn, relearn and dismantle. (And, don't make out with your long-lost dad).