Inuit Knowledge of Polar Bears

Inuit Knowledge of Polar Bears
A project of the Gjoa Haven Hunters’ and Trappers’ Organization

Inuit have been hunting polar bears for centuries and have built up a rich knowledge about their habitat and behaviour. This knowledge is expressed in the oral history, Inuktitut vocabulary and cultural traditions—in Inuit Qaujimaningit, or IQ.

The oral tradition is dependent on the continuation of the cultural practices and activities in which it is imbedded. Polar bear hunting and the travel associated with it must continue for IQ to be maintained and passed on through the next generation. Polar bear meat must be shared and eaten for its cultural and social significance to continue. IQ related to polar bears is threatened by several factors. The change in the sea-ice habitat could have long-term impacts on polar bears and the ability of Inuit to undertake hunting activities. Fluency in the Inuktitut language among young people is decreasing, and the specialized vocabulary and concepts associated with subsistence activities are being lost.

The Hunters’ and Trappers’ Organization of Gjoa Haven, Taloyoak, Kugaaruk and Cambridge Bay share concerns over the future viability of the polar bear population in the McClintock Channel Polar Bear Management Area and about the future integrity of the related IQ. The objective of this project was to record and communicate, as accurately as possible, the IQ of Gjoa Haven residents related to polar bears in the area. The lessons learned from this study will enable application in future programs in the communities of Taloyoak, Kugaaruk, and Cambridge Bay, and as a model for studies of a similar nature elsewhere.

© 2004 Gjoa Haven Hunters’ and Trappers’ Organization and CCI Press
Solstice Series No. 4
ISBN 1-896445-32-2 ISSN 1709-5824, $25.00 CDN/U.S.
9“ x 6”sc, viii+ 242p. English with Inuktitut Summary
B&W photos, maps, illustrations