Introduction

Inuit were totally reliant on what they could harvest from the land and waters. This reliance created a strong sense of respect for the food that sustained them.

✤ Food was respectfully harvested. ✤ Food was never taken for granted. ✤ Food was never wasted. ✤ All parts of the animal were used. ✤ Food was shared and enjoyed through eating together. ✤ Every source of food was used.

This reliance on what was provided by the immediate environment led Inuit to become very creative in the ways they preserved, prepared and stored food. As well, every part of the animal also supplied what was needed for making tools, hunting weapons, household implements, and for meeting technological needs of the people.

Inuit used to be so strict and had to follow so many rules and laws regarding the environment to ensure that people of the future could enjoy the same privileges, clean water, and game to be available to feed themselves. We are the keepers of the environment, of the animals, of the water and the sila (natural world/atmosphere), and we occupy this land.

-Mark Kalluak. To meet these needs, Inuit actively harvested in every season and adjusted their activities and lifestyles accordingly to take full advantage of seasonal activities. Physical activity, strength and endurance, and positive well-being were required in order to live successfully.

In this booklet, we will look at how the knowledge and activities of Inuit in the past can set an example for healthy living today. We can also draw upon this in order to make the most of all the resources we have available to us to maintain balance in healthy living.