Berry plants and berry picking in Inuit Nunangat: Traditions in a changing socio-ecological landscape

Traditional food is central to Inuit culture and sense of identity. Recent changes in lifestyle, climate, and animal populations have influenced how people practice and experience activities on the land. We summarize the findings of 191 new and archived interviews addressing the continued relationsh...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Published in:Human Ecology
Main Authors: Boulanger-Lapointe, N., Gérin-Lajoie, J., Siegwart Collier, L., Desrosiers, S., Spiech, C., Henry, G. H. R., Hermanutz, L., Lévesque, E., Cuerrier, A.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2019
Subjects:
Arctic
Berry
Canada
Climate change
Inuit Nunangat
Pollution
Traditional food
Accessibility
Cultural identity
Cultural tradition
Fruit
Land use planning
Landscape change
Mental health
Plant
Newfoundland and Labrador
Nunatsiavut
Nunavik
Nunavut
Quebec [Canada]
Animalia
Anser
Newfoundland
inuit
Online Access:https://depot-e.uqtr.ca/id/eprint/11075/
https://depot-e.uqtr.ca/id/eprint/11075/1/LEVESQUE_E_196_ED.pdf
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10745-018-0044-5
Description
Summary:Traditional food is central to Inuit culture and sense of identity. Recent changes in lifestyle, climate, and animal populations have influenced how people practice and experience activities on the land. We summarize the findings of 191 new and archived interviews addressing the continued relationships of Inuit to berries in the Canadian territories of Nunavut, Nunavik, and Nunatsiavut. Berry plants have been and remain widely used throughout the study area. Berry picking is an important cultural activity that contributes to spiritual, personal, and community wellbeing. In some regions, the availability of berries and accessibility to berry patches are threatened by climate change, recent increases in goose populations, as well as community development. Study outcomes suggest that berry picking should be considered in land-use planning since, alongside hunting and fishing, it is an activity that contributes to physical and mental health while being an important cultural practice across Inuit territories.

Similar Items