About the Film
In 1948, Robert Flaherty was working on "The Louisiana Story." He was searching for a small boat, or "pirogue" for his young hero. Flaherty soon became aware that pirogue-making was a disappearing art. Finally, when he found Ebdon Allemon, a Cajun craftsman, he persuaded him to make the pirogue. It may well have been the last piroque made in Louisiana. This is a record of that event.
The filmmaker/still photographer Arnold Eagle recalls his work:
Standard Oil Company was doing a film with Robert Flaherty, so they sent me out to photograph Flaherty and how he makes a movie. When I came there he was a little bit suspicious of me because I came from Standard Oil Company, and he wanted to keep Standard Oil Company away from his job, so he felt I was sort of a spy, maybe. But then he accepted me and I became very, very friendly with him. He helped me make my first film — The Pirogue Maker, which I did in 1949, I think.
