Introduction • Encourages sharing in the community. • Is an important part of culture. • Contributes to children’s education. Northerners have been nourished by foods from the land • Teaches survival skills. and water for thousands of years. The gathering, hunting, • Provides skills in food preservation and preparation. preserving and eating of traditional foods is more than just a diet – it’s a way of life. A lifestyle that has connected Funding for the “Traditional Foods are Healthy Foods” Northerners with the land and sea through celebrated colouring book has been made possible through support rituals and practices passed down from generation to from Government of Northwest Territories, Department of generation; from caribou hunting grounds to fish, and berry Health and Social Services. picking camps.

Today, importance is being placed on the returning to a traditional lifestyle and diet.

The nutritional and physical benefits to this include eating a diet low in unhealthy fat and cholesterol, eating more animal sources of protein, eating foods without chemicals and additives, and getting more physical activity by gathering, hunting and preserving traditional foods.

Northerners take comfort in eating traditional foods. The “Traditional Foods are Healthy Foods” colouring book shows the foods that people once grew up with are good for your health. Traditional foods are especially good sources of nutrients like protein, iron, and Vitamin A & B and also low in saturated fat and sugar.

Each region of the NWT relies on different types of animals, fish and plants to provide nutrients needed to live in a harsh environment. See the map provided on each page to see where the animal, fish or plants live in the NWT.

Why are Traditional Foods Healthy Foods?

• Contributes to physical fitness & good health. © 2017 The NWT Association of Communities owns all rights to these • Keeps people in tune with nature. illustrations. These illustrations are an educational tool not to be • Upholds respect for animal and human life. duplicated for any other use.

Beaver is Good for Us! Did you know? fried, boiled, dried, or fermented. Its meat is dark red, fine grained, moist and tender, and when properly pre- Beaver meat from the shoulder is very The beaver is valued because it has pared, it can taste like pork. the gift of intelligence. It is the tough because of the large logs the beaver carries. Tails are singed or Beaver who taught the Dene how to Fun Fact: “Beaver tail is excellent! We smoked under dry willows and used store and ration food. Beaver have it at potlucks. When I go home, I for snacks, especially when travelling. provides us with many important can’t get enough of it. Its texture is Smoking or drying helps preserve the nutrients such as protein and iron. chewy, rubbery with a good taste, and meat and increases the amount of The hide and bones are used for it is softer than moose nose. To pre- nutrients due to moisture loss during footwear, mitts, jackets and pare, boil, cool, and peel off the skin the drying process. traditional tools. The beaver is valued after boiling.” for medicinal purposes and used for Beaver meat is an excellent source of bait. - Audrey Armstrong protein. We need protein to build and repair muscles, skin and blood. Protein keeps us healthy. Beaver Beef Stew

Beaver liver is an excellent source of • 3 cups cubed beaver meat from legs Vitamin A. One serving provides all of • flour the Vitamin A we need in a day to stay • salt & pepper healthy. Vitamin A is • 1 medium onion, chopped needed for healthy skin, bones and • 1 cup celery, chopped eyes. • 2 bay leaves, crushed | 1/4 tsp savory Beaver liver is an excellent source of • carrots, diced | turnip, cubed iron and provides twice as much iron • potatoes, cubed | cabbage as we need in a day. Iron helps to make healthy blood that flows Directions: In a bowl, season some through our bodies, giving us energy flour to taste with salt and pepper. to be active and to go strong. Roll the meat in the flour and fry in a little oil in a skilled until browned. Beaver meat is very low in fat (10%) Remove meat. Add meat to a large when compared to beef, pork and stew pot or crockpot. Add onion chicken (33-55% fat) but the feet and celery, bay leaves and savory. Add tail contain a lot of fat. Traditional fats the veggies in quantities to suit your are healthier for us. taste. Add enough water to cover. Cook on low for 5 hours or until Preparation: Beaver can be roasted, veggies are tender. Thicken with corn starch if desired. Serve with bannock.

Caribou is Good for Us! managed to help herds continue to Caribou stomach meat is low in fat recover and increase in size. For that (14%) compared to store-bought reason, caribou may not be as meats, such as beef, pork & chicken Caribou is an important part of our available to all northerners as in the (35-55%). The types of fats found in northern diet for Inuit and Dene past. Check with your local traditional animals are also healthier cultures & has been for generations. Renewable Resources Offices for us as they are usually lower in Almost all of the parts of the caribou regarding hunting restrictions in your saturated fat. are eaten, including the tongue and area. bone marrow. A single caribou Caribou is an excellent source of B provides a remarkable array of Did you know? vitamins, which help our bodies use materials used to provide tools, the energy from foods. B vitamins are clothing, shelter and crafts, as well as also important for healthy skin, hair, Caribou meat is eaten raw, frozen, food. There is no waste of a caribou. nerves, muscles and healthy growth aged, roasted, dried, or made into In some areas, caribou hunting is and development. jerky, sausage, roasts and steaks. Smoking or drying helps preserve the Fun Fact: Caribou is the only animal meat and increase the amount of for which there are hunting songs, nutrients due to moisture loss during which came to the hunter as he the drying process. The hides are awakened. It has been said that a used for clothing and crafts and to caribou would “sing through” a sleep on when out on the land. person, either to let them know it was nearby or to reveal a taboo that had Caribou meat eaten raw, frozen, been broken. boiled or dried, is an excellent source

of protein. Protein keeps us healthy by building and repairing muscles, Slow Cooker Caribou Roast skin, and blood. • 2 (10.75 oz) cans condensed cream Caribou liver and stomach contents of mushroom soup supply Vitamin A. Vitamin A is needed • 1 (1 oz) package dry onion soup mix for healthy skin, bones and teeth as • 1 1/4 cups water well as to help fight sickness. • 5 1/2 pounds caribou roast

Most caribou parts are excellent Directions: In a slow cooker, mix sources of iron. Iron keeps us from cream of mushroom soup, dry onion getting tired by making healthy blood soup mix and water. Place pot roast in that flows through our bodies, giving slow cooker and coat with soup us energy to be active and grown mixture. Cook on High setting for 3 to strong. 4 hours, or on Low setting for 8 to 9 hours.

Moose is Good for Us! Moose hide tanning is the traditional Preparation: Moose meat can be way to prepare hides. Many people eaten raw, frozen, boiled, baked, work together to complete the grilled, fried, or dried. Moose is an important food source in process. Brains of the animal, northern diets. Moose provides many patience and time are required to nutrients which help build and repaid successfully tan a mosse hide. Moose Stew Recipe body tissues in order to keep us healthy. With a single animal yielding Tanned moose hide is used make The moose parts saved for stew are as much as 300kg of meat, moose footwear and clothing. Smoking or the tongue, nose (shave hair off), and continues to be a staple food source drying helps to preserve the animal heart. To prepare, boil for 2-3 hours, for many families. parts and increases the nutrient add macaroni/rice, vegetables content due to moisture loss during (potatoes/carrots, and canned Moose hair tufting is a traditional craft the drying process. Smoked or dried tomatoes. that is unique and highly meat is great to take travelling and valued. for snacks.

Did you know?

Moose has least amount of fat of all local animals. The amount of fat in moose meat is low (1%) when compared to 35-55% for beef, pork or poultry.

Roasted moose meat is an excellent source of B vitamins, such as niacin and riboflavin. These vitamins help our bodies use energy from foods and are important for healthy skin, hair, nerves and muscles as well as healthy growth and development.

Roast moose meat is also an excellent source of iron. Iron helps make healthy blood that flows through our bodies, giving us energy to be active and to grow strong. Healthy blood keeps us from getting tired.

Muskox is Good for Us! Muskox are found on Artic coasts and (35-55%). Traditional animal fats are islands with sightings in the Sahtu healthier for us. and MacKenzie Delta regions. There Muskox have roamed the Canadian have been sighting of Muskox as far Muskox meat is an excellent source of Arctic for thousands of years. As south as Yellowknife area. Muskox are protein. Protein keeps us healthy by survivors of the last ice age, they are harvested by a quota system to building and repairing our perfectly adapted to life in the harsh protect the number of animals. muscles, skin and blood. climates of the Canadian North. People hunt muskox for food and to Known to the Inuit as “Umingmak” or use the thick hides for blankets and Muskox meat is an excellent source of bearded one, they have been part of rugs. The inner wool of qiviut of the iron. Iron helps make healthy blood the traditional lifestyle for centuries muskox is used for weaving and knit- that flows through our bodies, giving and are prized for their nutritious ting. These woven goods bring high us energy to be active and grow meat as well as the warmth and prices because the wool is very soft strong. Healthy blood keeps us from durability of their fur and hides. and warm. getting tired.

Did you know? Muskox meat is an excellent source of B Vitamins. B vitamins are important for growth and healthy skin, The deep purple meat from muskox is hair, nerves and muscles. a gourmet’s delight and is a naturally ‘organic’ alternative to beef. Used for Muskox meat is a good source of centuries in traditional Inuit cooking, Vitamin D. Vitamin D helps keep our muskox is prized for its lean yet bones and teeth healthy. well-marbled meat. Muskox roam free in the Canadian North feeding on Preparation: Muskox can be prepared natural lichen, grasses and sedges much like moose: roasted, fried, during summer and woody plants grilled, boiled, and used in casserole during winter. It is their natural diet dishes. and pristine habitat that makes them a truly natural food source. Their diet Cooking Instructions: For steak, roast and habitat contributes to the and loin cuts cook to medium-rare at leanness of the meat, the tender to preserve the tender texture. Over- texture and the deep, rich flavour. cooking can result in tough and chewy meat. For other cuts such as The parts of a Muskox eaten the most legs and shoulders, braise in liquid are the meat, fat, bone marrow, either on the stove or in the oven at a tongue, and heart. low temperature for a long period of time to break down the meat into Muskox meat is low in fat (17%) meltingly tender mouthfuls. compared to beef, pork, or chicken

Bison is Good for Us! Bison can appear to be a deeper red intestines as containers, tails as fly due to the fact that bison has lower swatters, hair woven into ropes or fat content, thus less marbling than used to stuff pillows, sinews as thread Wood bison are found in three popu- beef. and bowstrings, and droppings as fuel lations in the Northwest Territories: when wood was scarce. Hides were the Mackenzie, Nahanni, and the Bison meat is a nutrient dense food always used to their fullest! A few Slave River Lowlands. Bison meat is a because of the proportion of protein, uses are: tipi covers, bags to carry flavourful, tender and lean red meat fat, mineral, and fatty acids to its babies and also used to sit on, sleep alternative. Bison meat is similar to caloric value. on or as clothing. fine beef with a slightly sweeter and richer taste! Bison meat is an excellent source of Fun Fact: The woodland bison was protein. Each serving contains about hunted by cultures of the far North, Did you know? 22 grams of protein which is then although never in summer months used in the body to build and repair because of the overwhelming muscles, skin and blood. Protein also mosquito population. Individual cuts of bison helps fight sickness. are identical to beef. Bison Broth Bison meat contains the “essential fatty acids”, omega - 3 and omega - 6 Directions: 1. Brown bison bones in the oven fatty acids. Omega 3 fatty acids help for best flavor. (To do so, place the bones in a protect against heart disease, 350-degree oven, give or take, until brown.) prevention for cancer and have been 2. Place bison bones in a crock pot or soup pot. shown to help fend off Alzheimer’s 3. Add vegetable scraps as they are available. disease and reduce the likelihood of 4. Cover bison bones and scraps with water: Set heart attacks. the water level about one-inch above the bones. 5. Add two tablespoons of apple cider Bison meat is an excellent source of vinegar or other culinary vinegar. 6. Cover the iron. Iron helps make healthy blood pot and set on low (crock pot) or simmer (stove that flows through our bodies giving top). 7. Keep the lid slightly ajar as the bison us energy and making us grow. broth warms up to avoid boiling. (Or don’t worry Healthy blood keeps us from getting about it, but do make sure your liquid does not tired. boil out or you will be left with burned bones.)

8. Strain the bison broth about 24 hours later. Uses other than food... 9. Use the fresh bison broth for dinner. (Add the dinner vegetable scraps to the next batch of All parts of the bison are used, broth.) 10. Add water to the bones again and nothing is wasted. Horns and hoofs make a second batch of broth. (Keep doing this were used for spoons and utensils, until you are tired of it or your bones have disintegrated.)

Bear is Good for Us. Did you source of iron. Iron helps make we're looking for some consensus. healthy blood that flows through our Whether Pizzly, Grolar, or Nanulak, know? bodies giving us energy and making the hybrid has been spotted in the us grow. Healthy blood keeps us from wild in Sachs Harbour & Ulukhaktok. Black Bear, Grizzly Bear, and Polar getting tired. Get yourself up to the High Arctic and Bear cooked meat is an excellent you might just secure the third source of protein. We need protein to Black Bear and Grizzly cooked meat is confirmed wild sighting in the world! build and repair our muscles, skin and an excellent source of B vitamins. B blood. Protein also helps us fight vitamins help our bodies use energy. Dutch Oven Bear Steak sickness. Polar Bear fat is an excellent source Ingredients: Bear steaks, approx. ¾ to Black Bear, Grizzly Bear, and Polar of vitamin A. Vitamin A is needed for healthy skin, bones and teeth. It also 1 inch thick. Marinate overnight in soy Bear cooked meat is an sauce, onion and garlic. excellent helps our body fight sickness.

Polar Bear fat is a good source of • 1 to 2 cans tomato soup omega-3 fatty acids, which help • 1 can of water protect against heart disease and may • 1 tsp. lemon juice help prevent cancer. • ¹⁄₂ tsp. cinnamon • 1 tbsp. wine vinegar Warning: Polar bear liver contains toxic levels of Vitamin A and should Instructions: Wipe steak dry, then put not be eaten. olive oil in Dutch oven and brown both sides. Add salt and pepper, ¹⁄₂ Preparation: Bear meat is usually tsp. cinnamon and add marinade and eaten baked or boiled and is never simmer until nice and tender. eaten raw. Bear meat should always Polar Bear be eaten well-cooked to avoid the

Grizzly Bear disease known as trichinosis. Trichinosis is an infection caused by Black Bear roundworms, found in raw or under cooked bear meat. (Aging or freezing does not destroy the worms found in bear meat).

NWT Secret

What do you get when you cross a Grizzly with a Polar Bear? No, really,

Cross Generation - Passing “Flesh It” means to take all the fat off. to sharpen it at all besides the In order to clean the polar bear for beginning, but when working on polar on Traditional Skills resale all the fat needs to be cleaned bear or seal you sharpen every 10 off first, and the skin and feet, the minutes. The inspiration behind this Cross mouth and head. This is very delicate Generation Polar Bear - “Flesh it” work because it will be sold to a Passing on Values and illustration comes from an Inuvik customer. Many times customers will grandma and granddaughters, make a rug with the shape of the Traditions passing on traditional skills. As head. In this particular story it took grandma, Beverly Ann Esau explains the family 12 hours to skin the roughly Grandparents have gained wisdom “it’s a cultural connection with their seven foot long bear hide. and knowledge from their years on past” the earth. When they gain the respect In order to clean the hide a tool of their communities for what they called an ulu is used. An ulu (as seen know they are known as Elders. They in the illustration) is an all-purpose are willing to share what they know knife traditionally used by Inuit. An with others who, regardless of age, ulu is utilized in applications as are looking for knowledge, Teachings, diverse as skinning and cleaning information on their traditions, culture animals, cutting a child's hair, cutting and values. Grandparents have an food and, if necessary, trimming important role to play in helping raise blocks of snow and ice used to build the children because they have an igloo. patience and wisdom as well as the knowledge that the child’s parents The technique of using an Ulu to flesh may not have to pass along to the a hide is a challenge and requires child. hours of experience and training. The ulu is never used like a saw, which is something a person new to it would automatically think how it would be used. Instead it is used in a slicing motion, relying on the flexing and flicking of the wrist. If your wrist is locked and not moving, you are using it wrong!

Fun Fact: Ulus will go dull pretty fast, but it depends on the type of skin you are working on. For instance I could work on caribou meat without having

Muskrat is Good for Us! Muskrat meat is an excellent source to moisture loss during the drying of B Vitamins. B vitamins, such as process. Smoked or dried meat is niacin, riboflavin and thiamine, help good to take travelling and for The muskrat is appreciated by the our bodies user energy from foods. B snacks. Dene as an animal that restores the vitamins are important for growth and land after a flood and keeps the rivers healthy skin, hair, nerves, & muscles. and lakes flowing. It is important to Baked Muskrat pass down knowledge and skills need Muskrat meat is an excellent source to hunt, trap, and cook muskrat. The of protein. We need protein to build Ingredients: hide is used for clothing and the fur and repair our muscles, skin, and trim for slippers and mitts. blood. Protein keeps us healthy. • 3-4 Muskrats, skinned & gutted • 1/2 onion Muskrat is an excellent source if iron. • salt & pepper to taste Did you know? • garlic powder to taste Iron helps make healthy blood that flows through our bodies, giving us • butter energy to be active and grow strong. Healthy blood keeps us from getting Instructions: Place the cleaned tired. muskrat in a baking pan lined with tin foil. Pat with butter, salt, pepper and Muskrat is a fair source of Vitamin C, garlic to taste. Add onion chunks. which keeps our gums, teeth and skin Bake uncovered until browned and healthy. crispy at 350 degrees for 30 minutes to an hour depending on your stove. The total amount of fat in muskrat Serve with baked potatoes and or meat is low (17%) compared to beef, carrots. They taste like Springtime! pork and chicken (35-55%). Traditional animal fats are healthier for us.

Fun Fact: Muskrat mainly eat plants so the flesh is sweet and palatable. Muskrat meat is similar to rabbit, with darker meat!

Preparation: Muskrat can be boiled, baked, roasted or smoked. Muskrat tail is smoked to singe off the outer skin. The tender meat found inside is considered a delicacy. Smoking or drying helps preserve the meat and increases the amount of nutrients due

Rabbit and Hare is Good for Did you know? washcloths and dishrags and children also made toy dogs of them” Us! The fat content in rabbit and hare - Prayers to the Raven meat is very low (1%) when compared Rabbit is an important traditional food to beef, pork and poultry (12-20%). that can be hunted all year round. Traditional Rabbit Stew Numbers of rabbits change over a ten Rabbit and hare meat are excellent year cycle. People snare and freeze sources of protein. Protein also keeps • Cut the rabbit meat into small, rabbits when there are many avail- us healthy by building and repairing bite-sized chunks. Mix together flour, able. Rabbit/hare is usually baked, our muscles, skin and blood. rosemary, oregano, parsley, and salt. boiled or cooked in stews. The fur is Then coat rabbit meat with flour used for clothing, trim for moccasins, Rabbit and hare meat are excellent mixture, saving any remaining flour mitts and for crafts. sources of iron. Iron helps make mixture. healthy blood that flows through our bodies, giving us energy to be active • Melt butter in Large stew pot, and and to grow strong. Healthy blood add onion. Cook until golden brown, keeps us from getting tired. adding an optional pinch of sugar.

Rabbit and hare are excellent sources • Stir in garlic. Cook together for 2 or of the B vitamins B12 and niacin. more minutes. These vitamins help our bodies use energy from food, and are important • Add floured rabbit meat, and fry for growth, healthy skin, hair, nerves until cooked. and muscles. • Add cold water and diced Preparation: Rabbit and hare is vegetables. usually baked, boiled or cooked in stews. By preparing foods in • Simmer at least 1 hour, or until traditional ways to avoid too much vegetables are done. added sugar, fat and salt. Try rabbit or hare stew with carrots, onions, and potatoes for a tasty meal. • Mix 1/2 cup of hot water with remaining flour mixture and add to Fun Fact: “They have deep, warm fur, stew. but their skin is very fragile and easily torn... In early days they cut the hide • Boil 2 or more minutes until desired spirally to make long strips, which thickness is reached.. they wove into garments or blankets. The overgrown, furry feet served as

Dall Sheep is Good for Us! The sheep rarely venture far from this fatty acids help protect against heart rugged terrain, using it to escape disease and may help to prevent predators, including wolves, golden cancer. Dall sheep challenge the hunters, eagles, bears, and humans. wildlife watchers, and photographers Lamb contains varying amounts of fat, who pursue them. The sheep too are Their cloven hooves with rough pads depending on level of trimming and challenged - by the harsh help them cling to cliff edges and the animal’s diet, age, gender, and environment in northwestern Canada. broken ledges. In spring and early feed. The fat content may range from The sheep live mostly above summer, dall sheep often visit mineral 17-21%. timberline on ridges, dry meadows, licks to restore the nutrients they lost and steep mountain slopes in the during the long winter. Lamb is a rich source of many MacKenzie Mountains and Richardson vitamins and minerals, including Mountains. There are always rocky vitamin B12, iron, and zinc. outcrops and cliffs nearby. Did you know? Preparation: Cook it as you would, Dall Sheep is a type of red meat, a elk, moose, and venison. It is most term used for the meat of mammals, often eaten unprocessed, but cured which is richer in iron than chicken or (smoked and salted). fish. Many think that there is no better meat. It will be tender and won't be Uses other than food: Sheep horns to strong, if you care for it properly. make dishes and ladles, and knife handles by boiling the horns until soft The meat of young sheep, in their first and then molding and pressing them year, is known as lamb, whereas into desired shapes. mutton is a term used for the meat of adult sheep. Bighorn Sheep Fun Fact: The sheep's horns can weigh up to 30 pounds per Being rich in high-quality protein and set. The sheep themselves can weigh many vitamins and minerals, lamb can up to 300 pounds. be an excellent component of a healthy diet. The protein content of lean, cooked lamb is usually 25-26%. We need protein to build and repair our muscles, skin and blood.

Lamb meat is a high-quality protein source, containing all of the essential amino acids needed for the body’s growth and maintenance. Omega-3

Lake Trout is Good for Us! and repair all parts of the body. It is Cheese Stu ed Trout also a source of healthy fats, called omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fats Lake trout have a range of coloring, help to keep the heart healthy and Ingredients: including green, gray, brown and are good for brain development. Lake black with a light coloured belly. Lake trout is also a source of phosphorus. • 2 lbs. whole trout trout can be found throughout the Phosphorus is important for healthy • cleaned ¹⁄₂ cup fresh mushrooms Northwest Territories. It can take up bones and teeth and it also helps the • sliced ¹⁄₂ cup green onion to 12 years for this fish to mature. The body to grow. • chopped ¹⁄₂ cup green pepper flesh can have a very light colour but • chopped 2 tbsp. grated parmesan can range to a deep pink. cheese Is Lake Trout Safe to Eat? • salt and pepper to taste Lake trout is an excellent source of protein. Protein is needed to build Yes! Lake trout are safe to eat. Instructions: In a small bowl, combine mushrooms, green onion, green They are also some of the healthiest pepper and parmesan cheese. Spoon foods available. The benefits of into cavity of fish, seasoning with salt consuming lake trout are much and pepper. Securely close cavity greater than the risks of contaminant with toothpicks or skewer to keep exposure. stuffing inside. Place on lightly greased broiler pan. Broil 4–5” from However, in certain locations, fish heat, about 5 to 10 minutes on each consumption notices have been side, or until fish flakes easy. issued in the past for lake trout. Check the GNWT Health and Social Services website for current consumption notices.

Preparation: Trout can be roasted or eaten frozen. They may also be boiled, baked, fried, or made into trout soup. Trout livers can be prepared with blueberries and eaten at any meal for dessert. Trout can be hard to dry when they are fat. They can be half-dried for one to four days, then boiled and eaten with seal oil. Trout may also be stored pickled with blueberries.

Whitefish is Good for Us! and insects. Whitefish do not eat especially the white fish. Take care of other fish. Fish that do not eat other the fish as soon as they are caught. fish tend to have lower levels of Lake Whitefish are found throughout mercury. “If we are lazy and idle, food won’t mainland Northwest Territories in come to us”. lakes and rivers. They have a narrow, Lake Whitefish is an excellent source silver body. Larger fish develop a of protein. Protein is needed to build - Elder distinct hump behind their head. Lake and repair all parts of the body. It is Whitefish have a light, sweet flavour. also a source of healthy fats, called (Whitefish, like most other fish omega-3 fatty acids, and provides Is Whitefish Safe to Eat? species, often contain some mercury). more than most other fish species in Yes! Whitefish are safe to eat. They Mercury is a heavy metal contaminant the North. These fats help to keep the are also some of the healthiest foods that can build up in the organs and in heart healthy and are good for brain available. The benefits of consuming the meat. Whitefish eat plankton, development. Whitefish is also rich in whitefish are much greater than the snails selenium. Selenium helps to protect risks of contaminant exposure. the body from damage that occurs over time, called oxidative stress. Preparation: Whitefish have delicious, Oxidative stress is unavoidable and is white, flaky, mild tasting flesh. They a natural part of how the body works, can be eaten in a wide variety of ways which is why we need this important depending on how fat they are; raw, mineral. half dried, dried; cooked rare or well done; cooked in most fish recipes, Whitefish Eggs roasted over the fire, eaten frozen, fermented, or boiled whitefish is also Whitefish eggs are usually harvested used in agutak. by jigging in the open river or by ice fishing in the winter. Salmon or char eggs are used to lure the whitefish, which usually end up stealing the eggs from the “J” hook. You need eggs to get their eggs!

Food Fact

Only catch enough whitefish to last you through the winter. Use or preserve every part of the fish that is edible. Fish are easy to spoil,

Fish are Good for Us! NWT Secret Is Arctic Grayling Safe to

The latin name for Arctic Grayling is Eat? Fish are important and commonly Thymallus arcticus, because a freshly eaten traditional food sources in the Yes! Arctic grayling is safe to eat. It is caught fish smells a little like the herb north. Many kinds of fish are available also one of the healthiest foods avail- Thyme. Cook it right there on the in our waters. Fish parts are used for able. The benefits of consuming arctic shore within an hour of catching it for decorative craft designs & medicinal grayling are much greater than the maximum deliciousness. purposes. risks of contaminant exposure. A consumption notice has never been Northern Fish include Walleye, Arctic Grayling issued by the NWT’s Chief Public Pickerel, Cisco, Tullibee, Loche, Health Officer to limit the intake of Burbot, Pike, Jackfish, Whitefish, Lake Arctic grayling has a dark blue Arctic grayling. Trout, Inconnu, Grayling, Suckers, coloring, with pink and purple tones. Coni, Cod, Herring, Sculpin, and They are found throughout the NWT, Preparation: Arctic Grayling has an Arctic Char. and are commonly found at the mouth excellent white flaky flesh, usually of cold rivers. Arctic grayling is also eaten frozen, dried, or cooked. The Although there are slight differences known as bluefish. A relative of trout, grayling does not keep very well after in the nutrients found in fish, they all Artic Grayling is a freshwater fish that it is caught, so it must be eaten as add important nutrients to our diet. weighs from one to three pounds. It is soon as possible. It is best when They are excellent sources of protein, a migratory fish that can be found in broiled or grilled. The skin is very calcium and B Vitamins. Fish such as lakes or medium sized rivers. good to eat, too! Trout and Arctic Char provide omega-3 fats. Arctic grayling is an excellent source Fun Fact: Grayling have evolved to of protein. Protein is needed to build meet the needs of life in changing and repair all parts of the body. Arctic and harsh environments. They can be grayling meat is also an excellent migratory or can complete their entire source of magnesium and selenium, life in a short section of lake. two minerals that are essential to the body. Magnesium helps the body use the energy that is in food. It is also important for bone health. Selenium helps to protect the body from damage that occurs over time, called oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is unavoidable and is a natural part of how the body works, which is why we need this important mineral.

Beluga & Bowhead Whale is whale blubber was used for fueling vitamin A, C, B and protein from the lamps. skin of maktaaq. Good for Us! Did you Know? Preparation: Whale meat can be In Northern cultures food is shared. prepared by pan-broiling the square When a whale is killed the community Whale skin, meat, and blubber are steaks and serving them sizzling hot. enjoys a bounty of healthy food from eaten raw, aged, dried, cooked or Whale meat is also excellent for soup a single animal. Beluga meat, blubber boiled in soups and stews. Many stock, stews, roasts, and curries. and skin are prepared and eaten in people like the skin – maktaaq or Another way to enjoy whale is to eat many ways. Aging food is a traditional muktuk – best. The skin can be eaten the muktuk (the outer covering of the practice used to develop a desirable raw, aged or cooked and is also a whale), which is traditionally eaten flavor. In the past, whale skin was favorite, as are the cartilage and raw or cooked. used to cover boats and the bones near the flipper. A large beluga oil from can provide up to 44 pounds of meat, Finest Pickled Muktuk 110 pounds of maktaaq and 66 gal- lons of oil. Boil muktuk for thirty minutes. Rinse Except for the blubber, whale is an well in hot water twice. Use plenty of excellent source of protein. Protein salt and pepper while boiling. keeps us healthy by building and repairing muscles, skin and blood. Make Brine (4 pints): • 2 cups white vinegar Dried whale meat is an excellent • 1 ¾ cups sugar source of iron, providing all of the • 4 bay leaves iron we need in one day from one • 5 cloves serving. Iron helps make healthy • 2 teaspoons mustard seed blood that flows through our bodies, giving us energy to be active and Let it stand in the refrigerator for one grow strong. Healthy blood keeps us week. Then store in cool place. from getting tired. • 1 teaspoon black pepper Whale liver, skin and blubber are • 1 teaspoon allspice excellent sources of vitamin A. One • 1 teaspoon pickling spice serving provides more than seven times the amount our bodies need. Instructions: Bring to a boil for ten Vitamin A keeps our skin, bones, and minutes, let is cool. Put Muktuk in jars eyes healthy. with slices of onion, lemon and orange. Pour brine over the muktuk. We can get important amounts of

Traditions of Hunting Beluga ceremony to mark the close of a successful whaling season. Whaling & Bowhead Whales captains were first to be tossed and while high in the air, they would throw It has been believed by the Native gifts such as baleen and tobacco to people for many years that animals, the crowd. just like human beings, have spirits. The belief has always been there that The blanket toss (Nalukatuk) is you must treat the animals with arguably the most widely recognized respect. I think it has been traditional event in the Northern Games. A large for every tribe that ever existed in the group of "pullers" gather around the world to try not to make the animals edges of a blanket to stretch it out at that you hunt for food suffer. If you waist height. After a participant were going to kill an animal, make it climbs into the centre, the pullers clean and quick… you do not waste rhythmically raise and lower the them. You do not play with them. blanket. There was a belief that if you played with them, you are insulting the animals, birds, and fish. And a lot of times they think the spirits of those animals, birds and fish will turn around and tell the other animals

“Don’t go to that person. He hasn’t any respect for us. And the person, the hunter will not be able to catch anything.”

- Elder

Origin of the Blanket Toss

The blanket toss originated with Inuit hunters because someone who was tossed into the air could spot caribou, whales or other animals in the distance. Elders also speak of a time when the blanket toss was part of the

Seal is Good for Us! Did you know? reluctant, but did it anyway. The elder said to me, “God bless you with many more; God bless you with everything.” Seal is a major food source of Artic Inuit and Inuvialuit Elders tell us that the seal is a “special food” because peoples. Hunting seal is part of a - Dan Karman healthy, traditional way of life. Seal oil seal keeps us healthy and warm. can be used as a medicine for Almost all seal parts are eaten such wounds or other infected areas. The as the liver, flippers, blubber, meat Seal Oil skin and other parts are used to make and eyes. These parts are eaten raw, clothing and footwear such as kamiks. frozen, boiled, dried, aged or Seal oil that is properly prepared and Traditionally, parts of the seal are also fermented. stored is sweet and has a clear used for crafts and consistency (milky when frozen). Seal fuel oil. Most parts of the seal are excellent oil uses include: added as a flavour in sources of protein. Protein keeps us agutak, fish dishes, and soups; used healthy by building and repairing our as a dip; and used as a trade item for muscles, skin and blood. other traditional foods.

Seal meat, liver, brains and eyes provide Vitamin D although the Recipe amounts vary. Vitamin D helps us have healthy bones and teeth, keeps Preparation: The meat is dark us strong and healthy and for the red-black color. Seal meat can be prevention of diseases such as rickets cooked in any regular meat dish, and diabetes. stewed, fried or eaten plain.

Seal liver provides a variety of To prepare fur seal slippers, “lusta” let nutrients in high quantity and is them ferment in rock salt for a few considered a very valuable food months. “Lusta” is considered a source. Seal liver provides us with five delicacy and is cut into ½ the size of times the Vitamin A, two times the a pinky nail in order for it to digest iron and folate, and half of the well in the system. “Lusta” is dipped Vitamin D we need daily. in seal oil.

Seal intestines and liver are fair sources of Vitamin C, which keeps our gums, teeth and skin healthy.

Tradition Fun Fact: “I was taught to give my first catch of seal to an elder in the community. I remember being

Duck is Good for Us! ducks for use during the winter An elder suggests “Boil the duck in months. soda and salt water for ten minutes, wash it off and proceed with the The duck is a migratory bird found in stuffing and roasting process”. the North from May to September. Did you know? Duck meat and eggs are an important food source and provide important Duck meat is an excellent source of Duck or Goose Soup nutrients for health and growth. protein. Protein keeps us healthy by Common eiders are year round resi- building and repairing our muscles, Put water in pot, about ¾ full. Add 2 dents in some artic locations but skin and blood. ducks (or 1 goose) and 2 cups most ducks are only available from chopped onions. Add some salt and spring to fall. Northerners freeze Duck meat is an excellent source of pepper. Boil for a ½ hour and simmer iron, providing 50% of the iron we until tender. Add rice and simmer for need in a day. Iron helps make another half hour. Add salt and healthy blood that flows through our pepper to taste, if needed. Enjoy with bodies, giving us energy and making sailor boy crackers and butter or jam! us grow. Healthy blood keeps us from getting tired. Optional: Curry Powder (about ½ teaspoon or so sprinkled in) Macaroni Duck eggs are an excellent source of can be added instead of rice or with B vitamins such as riboflavin and B12. the rice. You can add other veggies, These B vitamins are important for like celery, carrots, etc with the rice. growth and healthy hair, skin, nerves and muscles.

Duck eggs are a good source of other important nutrients such as protein, iron, vitamin A and folate. They are fair sources of Vitamin D and Omega-3 fats.

Preparation: Duck meat is eaten raw, cooked or dried and is lower in fat (23%) compared to store bought chicken (40%). People enjoy duck meat for its juicy texture and taste. The liver, gizzard, heart and eggs are also eaten.

Goose is Good for Us! boiled or roasted. Many like the taste Goose also makes great soups and and juicy texture of goose meat. casseroles. Traditionally they were People collect fat and oil from the boiled and eaten with seal oil or made People enjoy eating goose because it goose to use for dry skin and to main- into soup. means the arrival of spring! In early tain youthful appearance. It is also May hunters enjoy getting out on the put on sores to help them heal. land to shoot geese. The geese are Fun Fact just arriving from the south with plenty of meat and fat on them. Many Did you know? When geese call very noisily as they people try to collect a large number fly north in the spring, the weather of geese to freeze them for year Goose meat is an excellent source of will then turn warm; when they make round use. Goose is usually eaten protein. Protein keeps us healthy by little or no sound, it will soon become building and repairing our muscles, cold! skin and blood.

Goose meat is an excellent source of riboflavin and vitamin B-6. These vitamins help our bodies use energy from foods. B Vitamins are important for growth and healthy skin, hair, nerves and muscles.

Goose meat is an excellent source of iron – more than beef, pork or chicken. Iron helps make healthy blood that flows through our bodies, giving us energy to be active and to grow strong. Healthy blood keeps us from getting tired.

Goose eggs are excellent sources of many nutrients such as protein, iron, omega 3 fats and vitamin A, B and folate, good sources of Vitamin D and fair sources of calcium.

Preparation: Goose can be prepared much like chicken: roasted, baked, broiled, grilled, fried, or stewed.

Ptarmigan & Grouse is Good time. It is said that when a fox is Fun Fact: Hunters report that around, ptarmigan move into the hills. ptarmigans follow caribou, eating in for Us! Ptarmigan are generally an easy bird places where caribou pawed through to hunt and provide nutrient-rich the snow to get to the berries and Unlike duck and geese, ptarmigan meat. Northerners like to store them moss. Ptarmigan feathers are super and grouse live year round in the in the freezer for year round use. absorbent and were traditionally used North. Their feathers change with the to clean things up, similar to how season – white when there is snow paper towels are used today! and darker in the summer. They are Did you know? known for coming and going They Pan-Fried Ptarmigan seldom stay in one area for a long Ptarmigan meat is rich and dark and has much more iron than chicken meat. Ptarmigan is usually eaten Cut the meat off the bones of a baked, fried, boiled or in soups. The ptarmigan. Dip the meat into a beaten parts of the Ptarmigan that are eaten egg. Crush 20 or so Ritz or Club most are the meat, heart, gizzards crackers in a ziplock bag. Add to the and liver. bag: ¼ teaspoon of salt ½ teaspoon of pepper 1-2 teaspoons of granulated Ptarmigan and grouse meat are excel- garlic Add the meat to the bag and lent sources of protein. Protein keeps shake until the meat is coated. Let the us healthy by building and repairing meat stand for 10-15 minutes with the our muscles, skin, and blood as well coating on it. Then melt 1-2 as helping us fight sickness. tablespoons of butter in a frying pan and over medium heat fry the meat Ptarmigan meat is an excellent source on both sides until the meat is cooked of iron. One serving provides 50% of and the coating is golden brown. the iron we need in a day. Grouse Serve with potatoes or rice and meat has less iron than ptarmigan but vegetables. is still a good source. Iron helps make healthy blood that flows through our bodies giving us energy and making us grow and keeps us from getting tired.

Ptarmigan meat is fair source of Vitamin A, Vitamin A is needed for healthy skin, bones, and eyes. It also helps keep our bodies healthy.

Berries are Good for Us! Berries provide many nutrients that given back to the earth for the next we need each day to stay healthy, season. such as fiber, vitamin C, iron and B Picking berries is a great outdoor vitamins. Fiber helps protect us Fun Fact: Berries can be eaten or can activity that anyone can enjoy from against some diseases such as be frozen or dried for use all winter. summer to late fall throughout the cancer. Using berries in baking bannock, or North. Our long days produce a wide jam is very tasty. variety of berries: cranberries, crow- berries, blueberries, currants, cloud- Did you know? berries, gooseberries, raspberries, Akutuq or Eskimo Ice Cream strawberries and Saskatoons. Wild northern berries provide vitamin C in different amounts. For example: Each family has a favorite version of cloudberries are an excellent source, Eskimo ice cream. This is a basic meaning they provide the most vita- recipe with some alternatives. Akutuq min C, whereas blueberries are a is a rich-tasting concoction that good source and cranberries are a fair resembles frozen froth. source. • 1 quart caribou fat, ground well The vitamin C in fresh wild berries is • 2-4 cups of berries (salmonberries, higher than store bought berries. blueberries, low-bush cranberries) Freezing destroys very little vitamin C, so many people freeze berries to Grind the caribou fat very fine so it use in the winter. mixes well. Bring to room temperature and add berries. Stir Blackberries or cloudberries may be well, and then chill for about two eaten in a mixture of seal oil and hours. Some use seal oil or Crisco as chewed caribou tallow which had a substitute for caribou fat. (But it been beaten to be like whipped doesn’t have the same rich taste!) cream and is often referred to as “ice cream”.

Fun Fact

Stories warning of picking berries too early were often told to teach children, newcomers, and greedy people when to pick berries. This would ensure that some berries were left behind for late pickers, or to be

Wild Plants are Good for Us! Did you know? • Seabeach Sandwort is added to boiling seal meat. Because of its high salt content, it adds flavour to boiled Wild plant greens are excellent Wild greens are gathered during the meat. warm months of the year. Greens for sources of vitamin C. This vitamin keeps our gums, teeth and skin the willow, mountain sorrel and fire- • Plants, such as Labrador Tea, are healthy. They also help wounds heal weed provide nutrients such as vita- brewed and steeped for tea and and help our bodies fight sickness. min A, iron, calcium, magnesium and provide a source of vitamins. fiber. These nutrients are important Young, raw Fireweed leaves provide for healthy skin, bones, teeth and • Purple Saxifrage flowers are eaten more Vitamin C and Vitamin A than blood as well as to prevent infection. where berries are not available. the amounts in more mature plants.

• Tundra Tea is made by pouring Vitamin C is lost when heated or boiling water over the leaves and soaked in water. Eat wild greens steeping gently. Tundra tea is known fresh, steam them or cook them in to soothe an upset stomach. Also small amounts of water to get as traditional used for heartburn, colds, much vitamin C as possible. arthritis, as a wash for sores, and a laxative. Preparation

Wild plant greens are eaten raw, cooked, or added to soups. Some leaves and flowering stems are used in soups as potherbs. When Mountain Sorrel is boiled, it adds a tart flavour to cooking. When eaten raw, Sorrel leaves have a refreshing flavour and are eaten rolled into a ball or as a salad.

Fun Facts About Wild Plants

• Fireweed leaves are often eaten raw with seal blubber or cooked and eaten like spinach. The flowers can also be eaten raw.

Fresh Herbs are Good for Us! like the grass in your front lawn, is acids, which can help lower risk for filled with antioxidants, vitamins A and cardiovascular disease. Sage is also C, and phytochemicals (which have on our list of foods that fight pain! Herbs can magically flavor up dishes antioxidant-like benefits). without resorting to loads of salt, Fun Fact butter, and cheese. Adding a little Parsley: This powerful little green green to a meal not only makes it gets some brain-boosting clout from While adding herbs — dried or fresh prettier and tastier, but can pack quercetin, a chemical found in the — to any dish can add healthy some awesome health benefits, too. herb that helps protect brain cells vitamins and antioxidants, they may from free radical damage. Added lose nutritional value during the Chives: This herb, which looks a lot bonus: Parsley’s polyphenols and drying process, so stick with fresh if carotenoids may help protect skin available. from sun damage. Find it in curly or flat-leafed varieties. Preparation - How T0’s Mint: Mint comes in many varieties, but the two most common are Store Fresh. Rinse herbs with cool peppermint and spearmint. Spearmint water to remove dirt, gently shake off is lighter, sweeter, and more excess moisture, and pat dry with palatable, while peppermint has a paper towels or a clean dishcloth. stronger bite from the menthol in its Find a medium-sized jar and fill with a leaves. These bright green little few inches of water. Trim the ends of leaves can aid digestion, and mint tea the herb stems so that the bunch fits has been known to soothe upset with the leaves above the jar’s edge. stomach. Leave them on the counter, or store in the refrigerator, covered loosely with Dill: Known as the classic flavoring for a plastic bag. pickles (and as Tommy’s younger brother on Rugrats), dill is a wispy Deep Freeze. Chop up fresh herbs and little herb traditionally used to treat pop them into an ice cube tray to insomnia. Dill may also help protect freeze for later use. against age-related cognitive impairment. It’s also a staple to flavor Grow your own. Try growing your own classic chicken noodle soup. herbs in an indoor herb garden or use a few small planters and an empty windowsill. Then you’ll have a fresh, Sage: Behind its soft, fuzzy leaves, healthy way to give flavor to dishes sage hides hordes of antioxidants, right at your fingertips. including flavonoids and phenolic

Water is Life by Chief LadyBird My illustration responds to this because when they dance at pow movement through the healing wows, people will often offer their symbolism of a jingle dress. The tobacco and ask them to dance for a “Water Is life” is a concept that was jingle dress originated in Whitefish sick relative. In the case of this born from the Standing Rock Bay First Nation and came to a sick illustration, she dances for the water, movement, where water protectors girl’s father in a dream after he which has been poisoned; she dances have been fighting the Dakota Access offered his tobacco to the creator to for the land, which has been Pipeline, to protect the water and ask for assistance. While dancing in destroyed; and she dances for the land from the harmful effects of pipe- the dress, the girl was able to people, who have been hurt by lines. It addresses the need for fair overcome her illness and has become capitalism and greed. access to clean drinking water and a symbol for healing. Jingle dress opposes environmental racism. dancers have a big responsibility

© 2017 The NWT Association of Communities owns all rights to these illustration. These illustration are an education tool not to be duplicated for any other use.

Designed by: NWT Healthy Communities Team NWTAC Association of Communities & Department of Health & Social Services

Written by: Chelsey Andrews, Project Coordinator for NWT Healthy Communities

Thank you to the NWT Artists for the artistic contribution to the Sachs Harbour “Traditional Foods are Healthy Foods” Colouring Book. Tuktoyaktuk Thank you to Nancy King. Nancy King is a First Nations (Potawatomi and Chippewa) artist from Rama First Nation. Her Anishinaabe name is Aklavik Ogimaakwebnes, which means Chief Lady Bird for her contribution to Inuvik the “Traditional Foods are Healthy Foods” Colouring Book. Fort McPherson Ulukhaktok

Tsiigehtcihc Paulatuk Thank you to Elizabeth Purchase for her artistic contributions to the “Traditional Foods are Healthy Foods” Colouring Book.

Thank you to Paul Vecsei for his artistic contributions of the fish Colville Lake illustrations in the “Traditional Foods are Healthy Foods” Colouring Fort Good Book. Hope Created in partnership with: NWT Association of Communities and Norman Wells Government of Northwest Territories, Department of Health and Social Deline Services. Tulita

Wrigley Wekweti Gameti

Wha Ti Fort Simpson Behchoko Jean Marie River Nahanni Butte N’Dilo Yellowknife Fort Liard Trout Lake Dettah Fort Providence Kakisa Lutselk’e

K’atl’odeeche First Nation & Hay River Fort Resolution Enterprise

Fort Smith