Contribution short abstract:

We explore how country food consumption in has changed in two Inuit communities over the past decade. We examine the relationship between country food consumption frequency and country food sharing and how ecological, economic, and social factors influence access to country food.

Contribution long abstract:

A large body of research testifies to the continued importance of locally-harvested "country foods", like caribou, arctic char, and beluga, for Inuit nutrition. Access to country food is also important for Inuit social and psychological well-being, because positive relationships with others are central to Inuit concepts of health and wellness. As such, the exchange of country food in Inuit communities is tangible evidence of well-being: it reflects an enduring ethos of sharing and mutual aid. Yet, because contemporary harvesting also requires substantial financial investment (in boats and snowmobiles), some would-be hunters are unable to participate as much as they wish, while others question the expectation that country food should be freely shared. Consequently, access to country food is a topic that taps into deep concerns among many Inuit about their livelihoods and about the nature of their relationships with one another. Such concerns motivate our current project, Sanguatsiniq, which is conducted in collaboration with the communities of Kangiqsujuaq (Nunavik) and Ulukhaktok (NT). Here, we present data from household questionnaires conducted in 2013 and 2023 in Kangiqsujuaq and in 2015 and 2024 in Ulukhaktok. We examine the relationship between country food consumption frequency and country food sharing and how ecological, economic, and social factors influence access to country food among different segments of the population.