Qajuqturvik Community Food Centre played host to a unique presentation on Feb. 14 on country food and food sovereignty.

Titled Inuksiutit: Food Sovereignty in Nunavut, it's the final phase of a three-year project which brought together Inuit and non-Inuit researchers to show case food skills and stories, said Nancy Wachowich, the initiative's principal investigator.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e running two country food projects in Kinngait and Pond Inlet designed and led by Inuit community leads along with and five co-eyes [young team members]," she said. "WeSA国际影视传媒檙e focusing on documenting food systems, youth engagement and creating digital archives on country food.SA国际影视传媒�

There are three elements to the project: documenting country food systems, youth-capacity sharing, and advocating food sovereignty for Inuit.

The exhibit featured photos and a video of Joshua Katsak from Pond Inlet showing how to carve up a seal with his grandson, Dana Katsak.

SA国际影视传媒淔or us, heSA国际影视传媒檚 the hunterSA国际影视传媒� said Rhoda Katsak, Joshua's wife. SA国际影视传媒淲hat we do is weSA国际影视传媒檒l go hunting, but my husband is the teacher of traditional knowledge. My husband is butchering the seal while heSA国际影视传媒檚 telling the story of what youSA国际影视传媒檙e supposed to be doing to take care of the meat and to prepare it properly."

The Katsaks also added that a big feature of the initiative is to provide video media to preserve knowledge, which the young people on the project help with by taking videos and photos that they then share on social media.

Martha Jaw, the community leader in Kinngait, said it's an important project because it brings together youth and Elders. 

"The purpose is to take pictures [and] doing books for future use to teach our Nunavummiut younger generations, as well as all over the world to see how Inuit use food, and prepare it," she said. SA国际影视传媒淲e are fortunate that we are included. We're happy about it and weSA国际影视传媒檙e sharing knowledge of our culture and traditions that we want to preserve for our younger generations in the future.SA国际影视传媒�

Funding for the project came from the Canada-Inuit Nunangat-United Kingdom Arctic Research Programme (CINUK), as well as UKRI, POLAR Canada and includes a full partnership with Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami.