NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Gwich'in Settlement Area

Tags: social sciences, traditional food, food security, Inuvialuit

Objective(s): To improve food security in the community of Inuvik and to inform Inuvialuit Regional Corporation programs and policies in advance of proposed food security initiatives such as commercializing country foods.

Project Description: This licence has been issued for the scientific research application No.4504. The primary goal of this research is to examine the following research questions using qualitative methods: 1) between whom, involving the transfer of which resources (food, money, equipment), and under what circumstances is country food currently exchanged? and, 2) what are the local desires for and concerns towards commercializing land food? The Principal Investigator (PI) hopes that it will help people in Inuvik think about action that might improve food security in the community and for other Inuvialuit. It may also help inform Inuvialuit Regional Corporation (IRC) programs and policies in advance of proposed food security initiatives such as commercializing country foods. Upon arrival in Inuvik, the researcher will discuss the research and identify a research assistant candidate with representatives from various community organizations. The PI will work with community representatives to ensure data collection methods, data access and storage, and presentation of results are appropriate and meet both of our ethical concerns and expected responsibilities. Then, data collection will commence. The qualitative research methods that I intend to use during fieldwork in Tuktoyaktuk include: 1) Semi-structured interviews: the PI will organize at least 5 30-60 minute interviews with elders and hunters/fishers in a location chosen by the participant. The PI will set up presentations with the Hunters & Trappers Committee and the Hamlet explaining the research goals in order to recruit participants. The research assistant may also help with recruiting and arranging interviews. Topics to be covered in the interviews will include: food sharing networks, desires and concerns regarding the selling of traditional foods, imagined benefits of commercializing country foods, food preferences, barriers to accessing country foods, frequency and quantity of country foods eaten per week, and prices paid/willing to pay for country foods. 2) Oral questionnaires: The PI will have short conversations (10-20 minutes in length) with as many members of the community as possible to get a variety of perspectives including different ages (15 years-old+), genders, and employment status. The PI has prepared a recruitment flyer that will be posted in multiple locations in Inuvik such as the community centre and grocery stores that will have the PI’s contact details on them. The PI will also have a page-long Information Sheet that will be given to interested parties so that they are informed of the topics and goals. The short interviews will be based on a guide of about 12 open-ended questions relating to store-bought and country food systems and practices. 3) The final research method is participant observation, or more simply, "hanging out" around town. While in the community, the PI hopes to be living with a host family, hope to volunteer in a local organization such as the food bank, and taking part in as many community festivities as possible. The PI will attend public events at the community centre and participate in programs run by the Hamlet’s Recreation Department. The PI will be cooking with and learning recipes from locals to explore local food systems. The PI will ask permission to participate in subsistence activities such as accompanying harvesters on their trips and learning how to butcher and prepare country food. The PI will submit a plain-language report of the major findings to community representatives in Inuvik and to the Inuvialuit Community Economic Development Organization (ICEDO). The PI will work with Inuvialuit hosts to decide what information will be in the report they receive and whether they would like to give a presentation of my initial findings near the end of my fieldwork. A follow-up visit to Inuvik may be arranged so that the PI can communicate the analyzed results to individuals and organizations in person. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from October 23, 2019 to November 30, 2019.