The Persistence of Aboriginal Land Use: Fish and Wildlife Harvest Areas in the Hudson and James Bay Lowland, Ontario

• Published in: ARCTIC
• Main Authors: Berkes, F., Hughes, A., George, P.J., Preston, R.J., Cummins, B.D., Turner, J.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: The Arctic Institute of North America 1995
• Subjects: Cree Indians; Fishing; Hunting; Indian reserves; Land use; Regional planning; Social surveys; Subsistence; Hudson Bay region; Ontario; Moose Factory; Moosonee; Attawapiskat; Kashechewan; Fort Albany; Fort Severn; Peawanuck; James Bay region; Hudson; Hudson Bay; Indian; Arctic; Cree indians; First Nations; Subarctic; James Bay
• Online Access: https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/arctic/article/view/64282

The question of the extent and importance of contemporary aboriginal land use in the Canadian North remains controversial, despite more than 20 studies undertaken since the mid-1970s to document Native land claims and to assess impacts of development projects. In planning a community and regional development strategy that takes into account traditional land use and economy, methodologies were developed for a computer-based, integrated land use and wildlife harvest study that could be applied over large geographic areas. Wildlife harvesting areas used in 1990 by the aboriginal people of the Mushkegowuk region, Hudson and James Bay Lowland, were documented by interviewing 925 hunters from eight communities (Moose Factory, Moosonee, New Post, Fort Albany, Kashechewan, Attawapiskat, Peawanuck and Fort Severn). Results show that geographically extensive land use for hunting and fishing persists in the Mushkegowuk region, some 250 000 sq km. However, the activity pattern of Omushkego (West Main) Cree harvesters has changed much over the decades; contemporary harvesting involves numerous short trips of a few days' duration instead of the traditional long trips. Although the First Nations control only 900 sq km (0.36% of the region) as Indian reserve land, they continue to use large parts of their traditional territory.Key words: land use, aboriginal territories, Hudson Bay and James Bay Lowland, Canadian subarctic, Cree, subsistence, wildlife, fisheries La question du niveau et de l'importance de l'utilisation actuelle des terres aborigènes dans le Nord canadien demeure controversée, malgré plus de 20 études entreprises depuis le milieu des années 70 afin de documenter les revendications territoriales des autochtones et d'évaluer l'impact des projets de développement. Dans le but de planifier une stratégie de développement communautaire et régional qui tienne compte de l'utilisation des terres et de l'économie traditionnelles, on a mis au point des méthodologies pour une étude intégrée de l'utilisation des terres et ...