Regions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region
Tags: social sciences, fish, knowledge transfer, traditional knowledge, hunting, culture
| Principal Investigator: | Collings, Peter F (5) |
| Licence Number: | 14118 |
| Organization: | University of Florida |
| Licensed Year(s): |
2007
|
| Issued: | Feb 22, 2007 |
| Project Team: | George Wenzel (Co-PI, Primary Researcher in Clyde River, McGill University) |
Objective(s): This study is an examination of subsistence involvement among the first cohort of Inuit born and raised within the context of settlement life. In particular, the research seeks to determine the importance of a number of factors (traditional material resources, non-traditional capital, age, family structure, and social networking) that influence the degree to which an individual engages in subsistence.
Project Description: This study is an examination of subsistence involvement among the first cohort of Inuit born and raised within the context of settlement life. The study is part of a longitudinal and comparative study of subsistence in two communities: Ulukhaktok (Northwest Territories) and Clyde River (Nunavut). In particular, the research seeks to determine the importance of a number of factors (traditional material resources, non-traditional capital, age, family structure, and social networking) that influence the degree to which an individual engages in subsistence. The study builds on previous research on subsistence, culture change and identity in northern communities, specifically on research conducted during 1992-1994 by George Wenzel and the late Richard Condon in the communities of Ulukhaktok and Clyde River. It is expected that the same sample of Inuit from the 1992-1994 study will be included in the present study in order to reach a detailed understanding of subsistence involvement over time of individuals born and raised within the context of settlement life. Two interview batteries will be employed: 1) a household census, through which demographic and economic information from each participating household will be collected; and 2) a twice-monthly harvest survey, through which information on hunting and fishing activity, food sharing transactions, and meal sharing over a period of two weeks will be collected. The researcher expects to sample between 25-30 households in Ulukhaktok with roughly 25-30% of these being female-headed. Heads of household are expected to be between the ages of 35 and 50. Other data collection procedures to be used include pile sorting, triads testing, and free-listing exercises to elicit cultural domains related to subsistence. At the completion of the research, each community will receive a detailed report, in both English and Inuktitut/Innuinaqtun, summarizing the research results and conclusions. Broader dissemination of research results will occur through oral presentations at academic meetings during subsequent years of the project and through academic, peer-reviewed journals. A copy of reports and publications will be deposited at the Aurora Research Institute library. The study will be conducted from March 1 to December 31, 2007.
