The Reindeer Queen

Winner of a Gold Apple at the 1992 National Educational Film & Video Festival, Maria Brooks' story of Alaska's "Sinrock Mary"--known as the "Reindeer Queen" because she introduced the first reindeer to the territory--is a well-made film that incorporates archival film footage with added sound effects, contemporary interviews with Mary's descendants, and an original soundtrack to chronicle this extraordinarily resourceful woman's life. Of Russian and Eskimo blood, Mary capitalized on government regulations near the close of the 19th-century which limited reindeer cultivation to locals; she eventually became the owner of the largest herd in the northern territory. Mary's empire would become the focus of miners and other ne'er do wells who sought access to her reindeer through marriage. It was said the "men trailed after her in Nome" (having been to Nome, I can attest that activities are somewhat limited). Sadly, Mary would spend much of her later life fending off suitors and shysters (usually the same). With the Great Depression and government deregulation, she lost her herdsmen to new businesses. Eventually, her reindeer were stolen or wandered off, leaving Mary both alone and destitute. In her final years, however, she kept solvent by making boots, and continued to make a contribution above and beyond her means by feeding the poor and caring for orphaned children. An inspiring story. Recommended for larger collections. (R. Pitman)