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magazine / nd07
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November/December 2007 issue |
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FEATURE
The 1,000-mile diet
The post office is being paid to deliver
fresh food to northern communities. Yes, the post office. And, no,
the food is often not very fresh.
By Alex Roslin
Catherine Qrunnut has a favourite food, and like
anyone with a craving, she’ll go a long way to satisfy it. Last
summer, she and her husband Edward piled their four
kids into a six-metre boat and headed out on the land. After
setting up camp, Edward and 11-year-old Raphael trekked
for five hours over rocky ground and small hills in search
of caribou.
top
When they reached the mountains, the pair shot a 90-kilogram
female, butchered it and hauled the carcass back to
camp, where the family shared a meal of raw caribou. It’s not
the easiest way to put dinner on the table, the Igloolik,
Nunavut, resident admits, but that’s the point. “My greatgrandmother
survived hunger by hunting,” she says. “If she
didn’t hunt, I wouldn’t be here. That’s why it’s important.
I want my kids to see how hard it was back then.”
Though few Inuit families survive solely by hunting anymore,
securing food is as challenging in the North as it has
ever been. Animals are becoming scarce. In the Northwest
Territories, the caribou population is crashing and the cost of everything is soaring. Five
years ago, a two-month hunting trip would have cost $1,500.
Last summer’s trip set the Qrunnut family back $3,000.
“It’s getting harder,” says Catherine, “but we try to save up
some money so we can teach our children our traditions.”
For the rest of this story, visit your local newsstand or go to our store to buy this issue.
Sidebar: Steep at twice the price
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