Frequency of Traditional Food Use by Three Yukon First Nations Living in Four Communities

Abstract

This study documented the frequency of use of traditional food species among 122 adults from three Yukon First Nations. The informants resided in four communities: Haines Junction, Old Crow, Teslin, and Whitehorse. Food patterns were examined in two ways: (1) estimated frequency of household use of traditional food species over a one-year period, and (2) frequency of traditional foods in four daily diet recalls of men and women, collected once per season. On average, Yukon Indian households used traditional foods over 400 times annually. Moose was consumed on average 95 times yearly, caribou 71, chinook salmon 22, Labrador tea 20, cranberries and crowberries each 14, and blueberries 11 times yearly. According to household estimates, traditional foods were consumed almost as often in Whitehorse as in Haines Junction. Teslin surpassed both these, while Old Crow had the highest frequency. Daily diets of adult individuals indicated that traditional foods were consumed on average 1.14 times per day. Traditional foods were reported twice daily in Old Crow diets, once daily in each of Teslin and Haines Junction, and 0.5 times daily in Whitehorse diets. Measured by frequency of use, traditional foods-especially moose, caribou and salmonremain extremely important in contemporary diets of these Yukon Indian people. Key words: traditional foods, aboriginal foods, Yukon First Nations, Yukon Indian people RÉSUMÉ. Cette étude documente la fréquence d'utilisation des aliments traditionnels parmi 122 adultes venant de trois Premières Nations du Yukon. Les informateurs résidaient dans quatre communautés: Haines Junction, Old Crow, Teslin et Whitehorse. Le mode d'alimentation a été examiné de deux façons: (1) la fréquence d'utilisation des aliments traditionnels au foyer, estimée sur une période d'un an, et (2) la fréquence des aliments traditionnels dans quatre enquêtes par interview sur le régime quotidien d'hommes et de femmes, effectuées une fois par saison. Les foyers indiens du Yukon utilisent les aliments traditionnels plus de 400 fois par an, en moyenne. L'orignal était consommé en moyenne 95 fois par an, le caribou 71 fois, le saumon du Pacifique 22 fois, le thé du Labrador 20 fois, les airelles et les camarines noires 14 fois chacune, et les bleuets 11 fois. D'après les estimations dans les foyers, les aliments traditionnels étaient consommés presqu'aussi souvent à Whitehorse qu'à Haines Junction. La fréquence de consommation était supérieure à Teslin, et elle était la plus grande à Old Crow. Le régime quotidien des adultes indiquait que les aliments traditionnels étaient consommés en moyenne 1,14 fois par jour. On a relevé la présence d'aliments traditionnels deux fois par jour à Old Crow, une fois par jour à Teslin et à Haines Junction, et 0,5 fois par jour à Whitehorse. Lorsqu'on les juge par leur fréquence d'utilisation, les aliments traditionnels-en particulier l'orignal, le caribou et le saumon-demeurent extrêmement importants dans le régime contemporain des Indiens du Yukon. Mot clés: aliments traditionnels, nourr...

A Method for Estimating Caribou Consumption by Northern Canadians

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Local observations of climate change and impacts on traditional food security in two northern Aboriginal communities.

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Gendered dimensions of environmental health, contaminants and global change in Nunavik, Canada

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