Our North - SSE Policy Update Megathread

[GR66]

In terms of food security - it is probably easier to transfer the skills necessary to raise caribou and ptarmigan so that the locals can eat the meat their bodies are designed for than it is to teach their bodies how to eat Coco Puffs.

Importing, or even cultivating, carbohydrates that the caribou, the geese and ptarmigan, or even some fish can exploit and convert into food that the Inuit need, to my mind, makes a lot of sense.

There is a lot of literature and practical knowledge available on domesticating animals like elk, reindeer, deer generally, geese, ducks, salmon and sheep. The musk ox is just a really big sheep.

Keep in mind that most Northern communities have extremely small populations. In Nunavut for example where the total population in the almost 2 million square km territory is just 41,000, Iqaluit has about 7,500 people and nothing else is over 3,000 people. If you're talking about significantly increasing infrastructure and resource extraction, etc. in the territory you're likely to see the population expand greatly...and these new people will primarily be Southerners who will have little interest in eating Inuit Country Foods.

 

[Kirkhill]

Keep in mind that most Northern communities have extremely small populations. In Nunavut for example where the total population in the almost 2 million square km territory is just 41,000, Iqaluit has about 7,500 people and nothing else is over 3,000 people. If you're talking about significantly increasing infrastructure and resource extraction, etc. in the territory you're likely to see the population expand greatly...and these new people will primarily be Southerners who will have little interest in eating Inuit Country Foods.

I agree. How many southern immigrants will the northern culture tolerate?

In the meantime two things are happening to the Inuit that echo historical trends.

1. The Inuit population is becoming more sedentary - they have to bring food to town rather than follow the food
2. The Inuit population is expanding - more people have to be supplied with food

And thus the conversion of the nomadic hunter to the farmer (skipping the nomadic pastoralist step).

 

[daftandbarmy]

Curious....how many young Inuit want to eat the same diet as their grandparents did? Might want to ask that question before you go and start dictating their menu choices. Genetic research is one thing...personal choice is another.

As I recall, the 'Northern stores' offered a pretty wide selection of Muktuk and other native meats. The local villages were also decorated with hundreds of drying arctic char hanging on lines, animal skins, and butchered seal and other game.

I'm thinking their traditional food choices aren't going to change much.