wkw cspmiq5 Nk3k5 Inuit Qaujimaningit Nanurnut Inuit Knowledge of Polar Bears A project of the Gjoa Haven Hunters’ and Trappers’ Organization Prepared by Darren Keith with Jerry Arqviq, Louie Kamookak and Jackie Ameralik and the Gjoa Haven Hunters’ and Trappers’ Organization © 2005 Gjoa Haven Hunters’ and Trappers’ Organization and CCI Press Inuit Qaujimaningit Nanurnut Inuit Knowledge of Polar Bears Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication Main entry under title Inuit Qaujimaningit Nanurnut = Inuit Knowledge of Polar Bears/ Darren Keith … [et al.] (Solstice Series, no. 4) Co-published by the Gjoa Haven Hunters’ and Trappers’ Organization Includes bibliographical references ISBN 1-896445-32-2 ISSN 1709-5824 Solstice Series No. 4 1. Polar bear hunting – Canada, Northern. 2. Inuit – hunting. 3. Inuit – hunting – Nunavut -- Gjoa Haven Region. 4. Polar bear. I. Keith (Darren Edward), 1967 --. II. Gjoa Haven Hunters’ and Trappers’ Organization. IlI. Title: Inuit knowledge of polar Bears. IV. Series E99.E7159 2005 639’.11786’0899712 C2005-900905-5 All rights reserved. © 2005 Gjoa Haven Hunters’ and Trappers’ Organization and CCI Press Inuktitut summary by Norman Keenainak and Nick Amautinnuar Printed in Canada by art design printing, inc. Cover design by art design printing, inc. Cover and inside illustrations by Danny Aluk The publication of this volume was made possible by a grant from the World Wildlife Federation. ii A project of the Gjoa Haven Hunters’ and Trappers’ Organization Table of Contents Preface v Acknowledgements vi Inuktitut Summary 1 Introduction 33 Polar Bear Hunting in the Central Canadian Arctic 35 Pre-Trading Post Era – Before the 1920s 35 After the Arrival of Traders – 1920s to Settlement 39 From Settlement to the Present 44 Hunting and Use of Polar Bear 47 Apumiujuksiuqtut -- Hunting Polar Bears in Dens 47 Hunting by Dog Team 54 Current Hunting Methods 58 Tradition, Culture, and Beliefs 61 The Cultural Value of Polar Bear Meat 61 Sharing of Polar Beat Meat 63 Processing and Uses of Polar Bear Parts 68 Beliefs 72 The Cultural Significance of Polar Bear Hunting 82 Safety in Polar Bear Country 86 Identifying Polar Bears by Age and Sex 91 Polar Bear Age and Sex Terminology 91 Identification and Tracking 93 Denning and Denning Habitat 95 Denning Habitat and Core Denning Areas 97 Changes in Core Denning Areas 98 iii Inuit Qaujimaningit Nanurnut Inuit Knowledge of Polar Bears Polar Bear Feeding and Feeding Habitat 107 Seals and Seal Habitat 107 How Polar Bears Hunt 111 Where Polar Bears Feed 114 Polar Bear Habitat Preferences 118 Environmental Changes 123 Sea-Ice 123 Icebergs and Multi-Year Ice 126 Snow 129 Freshwater Ice 132 Other Observations on Environmental Change 134 Polar Bear Population and Distribution 137 Inuit Qaujimaningit of Polar Bear Mobility 137 Changing Polar Bear Encounters 140 Reasons for Decline in Polar Bear Numbers 141 Health of Polar Bears 144 Conclusion 147 References/Further Reading 149 Appendices 151 Appendix 1: Interview transcripts, 31 January 2002 151 Appendix 2: Field Trip and Interview notes, 3-16 April 2002 185 Appendix 3: Interview transcripts, 10 June 2002 205 Appendix 4: Polar Bear Study: Principles, Methods, Interview Guide 231 Appendix 5: Key to Place Names Inuktitut/English — English/Inuktitut 241 iv A project of the Gjoa Haven Hunters’ and Trappers’ Organization Preface Inuit Knowledge (IQ) is in the trust of Elders. IQ incorporates new knowledge and grows, as does any body of knowledge that seeks to explain an ever-changing world. As the oldest living holders of the tradition, Elders have the greatest breadth of inherited knowledge, and the longest time spent assimilating new experiences using their IQ framework. This study presents not only IQ, passed on through the generations, but also IQ–based inferences made by today’s authoritative knowledge holders. Polar bear hunting is today a specialized subsistence activity in Gjoa Haven, with very few individuals participating actively. Of this limited pool of potential informants, even fewer are Elders, and of these, even fewer are still active polar bear hunters and travel extensively throughout the study area. In the course of interviewing various individuals, it became apparent to the authors that significant IQ related to polar bears and associated vocabulary has been lost among active polar bear hunters in their 40s and 50s and younger. This underlines the importance of working with the most authoritative remaining Elders to record IQ of polar bears as comprehensively as possible. The IQ presented in this report was collected in the course of three interview sessions with 16 individuals between January and June 2002. Two sessions were conducted in Gjoa Haven; the transcripts of these sessions form Appendices 1 and 3. Information was also collected as field notes during informal interviews and participant observation during a field trip north of King William Island in early April 2002 (Appendix 2). Quotes from appendices are cited as A1, A2 and A3 respectively throughout the text. Appendix 4 provides information on the study that was the background of this publication. To preserve the accuracy and specificity of Inuit geographical description, an effort was made to use Inuktitut place names in transcripts, field notes, and in this report. A key to place names is included as Appendix 5. v Inuit Qaujimaningit Nanurnut Inuit Knowledge of Polar Bears Acknowledgements This project and publication would not have been possible without the participation and assistance of a number of individuals. First, the Gjoa Haven HTO commissioned the study and identified individuals in the community to contribute their knowledge and expertise by providing interviews, developing the interview guide, and taking part in consultations and discussions. Co-researchers Louie Kamookak, Jackie Ameralik and Jerry Arqviq provided consecutive translations during the interviews and provided guidance based on their experience as polar bear hunters. Field notes were transcribed from the consecutive interpretations on the audio recordings. Jerry Arqviq was the co-researcher for the field trip, and almost the entire second round of in-town interviews. Elders Bob Konana and George Kamookak were selected to lead the field trip by the Gjoa Haven HTO because of their authority as senior polar bear hunters and their ability to undertake such physically demanding activity. Youth Trainees Ian Kamookak and John Pukiqnaq were selected by the HTO to take part in this study. Geographer Darren Keith was the lead IQ researcher (currently Senior Researcher, Kitikmeot Heritage Society), with Jerry Arqviq as co- researcher. Filmmaker Charles Liard of Big Fish Productions (Yellowknife) accompanied the party to make a video documentary of the trip. The Inuit Qaujimaningit Nanurnut research project was supported by contributions from the Nunavut Department of Sustainable Development, the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board, the Bathurst Road and Port Project, and Nunavut Tungavik Inc. vi A project of the Gjoa Haven Hunters’ and Trappers’ Organization kN8ax6 !: 3vspn3FsJ6 vii Inuit Qaujimaningit Nanurnut Inuit Knowledge of Polar Bears Photo courtesy CCI Archives viii A project of the Gjoa Haven Hunters’ and Trappers’ Organization Inuktitut Summary xsM5tp5 vtt6bq5 bm8N wkw5 3vspmiq5 Nk3k5 WoExaJ6 WQx6tbsMs6ymK6 s6h6}g3u xaNh4t5 urQx3ixt9l vg0p3vt}Qq8k5 wh]mlAtQ/3v3i3u8k5 raizi W/sNhxD8N3iq8i4 Nkw5 3v[Qs/s2 bEszi Nk3i4 xsM5tFsJu, x7m raizi xgD8N3iq5b wkw5 3vspm/q5b wozJ5 bm4fkz Nk3k5 x7m bmgjz kNj5 GkN8ax6 !H. bwm8zi5 xg6bs+hg3vsiz 3vspn3FsJu4 xaNh1i6 Nk3i4 3vspn3FsJu4 bmsJk5 w~k3vt}Qk5 WQx6ymK6 bw4hmi ttC6bs3v5bMs6t8NQ5 W0Jys3v5b6ymJ5. N8kZhZM3v5bw8N+hg3vsK5 srs4f5 x3}CA2 wMzi ~k2XoxoCw7mb wkw5 Bwfj5 xaNh8ix6Lt4 N5t3i4. b]mi xf3z8i |t+y=?2 x7m mw2 wkw5 kN3v6XMs6S5 N5tCh=F7ui Bwfu, 3viQ/q8`iZM2X4Lt4 Nkw2 yt3v3Fq8k5. drst5 xg6bsZM3v5bMs6t8NQ5, xaNh1i6 Nk3i4 ytq8i GxS7usJ4ys6g5H W0JysCJ8i6Xs?Ms6g6 xaNh8is+hi. drst3vo6t9lQ5 xS7usJ4ys6g5 WoE0JyE/sZJ2XMs6g6 N8kZho}Czu4 tr5LA bmgm Wd/s+J8`i3iEMs6bz !(^&u WQx6tbs?9oxo6t9lA Nk3i4 xsM5ti6. kN8ax5 @ x7m # NlNw6y0JbsK6 kNj5 xaNh=Fs?Ms6gi4 x0p}Q8q5gk5 w~k3vt}Qk5 yKiq8i kN`o5 1 Inuit Qaujimaningit Nanurnut Inuit Traditional Knowledge of Polar Bears kN8ax6 @: xaNh=Fs+haymJ5 }roi3usk5, xBwx3usk5 x7m w9lwo3usk5 tr5gA kN`o5 WQx3iz5 2 A project of the Gjoa Haven Hunters’ and Trappers’ Organization kN8ax6 #: xaNh=Fs+haymJ5 N5to1usk5 tr5gA kN`o5 WQx3iz5 3 Inuit Qaujimaningit Nanurnut Inuit Traditional Knowledge of Polar Bears kN8ax6 $: N8kZh=Fs+h5 bwm8zi5 kN`o5 WQxMs6ymo6t9lQ5 4 A project of the Gjoa Haven Hunters’ and Trappers’ Organization bm4fx xaNh=Fs?Ms6g5 3vspn3FsJu xy8a6ym9lx8q5g5 bmw8zi5 tr5LA WQx3iz5 kN`o5, ie4niZhx3Fq5 wkw5 xyD6tbsJFisZlx6Lt4 tr3v5bo3iq8k5 isF6t4f5 srsi !(@)i. vt4ymoMs6ymK5 wkw5 s[Jo4Xy7j5 n6rX9oxo3iq8k5 isF3|F5, x7m raizi sNb6g4nw5 `NM=Fq5. vt6hX9oxo3iq8k5, x7m w7m3v isFC6bsJmifq8k5 NkCw5, Nkw5 xaNh4bso6X9oxMs6g5 s[Jo1u. wkw9l hoEo6X9ox9lt4, wMQs9lil Wb3vo3iE/z5 t1u+h5, whmQ/sK6 em}DbsymhE/s9lt4 Nk3k5 s[Jo4Xy1u5 x7m Queen Maud GulfXy7u5. wkw5 Nk3i4 xg3iz5 3vspn3FsJu N8kZh1i4f5 ryxi xy8aZMMs6g6 kNo3vso6t9lQ5 srs6 !(^)q5 xiAo6t9lQ5 GbflA kN8ax6 $H. Nkw5 grysm/sK5 k5tMs6ym/Exq5b b]m8z5 s[Jo4Xy7u5 WQxC|b3i|ft9lQ5 sNb6g4nw5 `NM=Fq5 etx8i srs5 !(%)q5, x7m bm8N xaNh4bs?MsD8`i6Li. Bws}C3Jx6Xy4 ho xaNh[Fs?2S6, bs?8Nl er6b6Xy4, ryxi, dosMs6gi !%k5 tr5gA x3}CAi N8kZh4g3vosuymK6 e'jxQx3u; trm9li r8zwM3j5 sx8Nzi; x7m su1mo1j5 sxNzb xin3i6Xyxk5. yK9o3u, kN3vo6t9lQ5 s6h6}g3u bwm8N szytQJjx8q4vlx6Lt4 bfJ8N6XoMs6g5 w8N3i4 xati4