NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region

Tags: traditional food, traditional knowledge, harvest

Objective(s): To explore how Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR) youth and elders understand, define, and value country foods; and to explore the traditional food experiences of ISR youth and elders, including experiences in acquiring, preparing, consuming, and learning about country foods.

Project Description: This licence has been issued for the scientific research application No.4998. The goals of this project are: a) to explore how the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR) youth and elders understand, define, and value country foods; and b) to explore the traditional food experiences of ISR youth and elders, including experiences in acquiring, preparing, consuming, and learning about country foods. The study will be promoted through community organizations and facilities, including Angik and Mangilaluk schools and Paulatuk and Tuktoyaktuk Hunters and Trappers Committees (HTCs) and by word of mouth. Participants will meet with their respective community research assistant at a time and location of their choosing in which they will be provided with an overview of the project, obtain informed consent and photo release forms, trained on how to use the digital camera and instructed to take pictures of country food, and local food environment including eating, sharing, hunting, fishing and gathering. Participants will collect pictures for a period of 2 months. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted with each participant. The research team will conduct in-depth qualitative analysis of the transcribed interviews. A sharing circle between youth and elders will be facilitated to share the photos captured by the participants and to foster Traditional Knowledge transfer and sharing within the community. Results will be presented to the community through a report or presentation. Community and regional consultation took place in March-April 2021 to receive input on the proposed project. The proposed research reflects the input from individuals, locals, regional and territorial organizations. Project updates were sent to the Paulatuk and Tuktoyaktuk HTCs and Community Corporations in February and May 2021. The local research assistants will help with project coordination for each community. Interpretation of results will occur in communities in January 2021. Posters, postcards, public meetings and radio announcements will be used to advertise the project in the communities and invite youth and elders to participate. Public meetings in June and July 2021 in both communities will provide the opportunity to advertise the project and respond to community questions and concerns. Team leaders will present to communities and local organizations for results workshops. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from July 28, 2021 to December 31, 2021.