Hunting Territories, Hunting Bosses and Communal Production among Coastal James Bay Cree

Résumé de l'article RésuméLes changements socioenvironnementaux dans les régions nordiques du Canada pourraient avoir des répercussions sur la santé de leurs résidents. Les communautés autochtones sont parmi les premières à en ressentir les impacts, car leurs modes de vie sont étroitement liés au milieu naturel. Cet article présente les changements socioenvironnementaux observés par des membres de l'Association des trappeurs cris (CTA) d'Eeyou Istchee (le territoire traditionnel des Cris situé dans la zone orientale de la Baie James). Il analyse les impacts de ces changements sur leur comportement de chasse et les niveaux de consommation associés à deux espèces alimentaires traditionnelles, la bernache du Canada et le caribou des bois. Les membres du CTA observent des changements dans la migration des espèces, dans le comportement animalier ce qui affecte la consommation de ces aliments traditionnels et entraîne des changements alimentaires au niveau de la société, influençant la santé et le bien-être. AbstractSocioenvironmental changes in Canada's northern regions are likely to have wide-ranging implications for the health of its residents. Aboriginal communities are among the first to face the direct impacts of changes, as their lifestyles tend to be more closely tied to and reliant upon the natural environment. Based on field research, this paper documents observations of socioenvironmental changes made by members of the Cree Trappers Association (CTA) of the Cree of Eeyou Istchee (the traditional homeland of the Cree located in the eastern James Bay area). It also analyses their impact on hunting behaviour and consumption levels associated with two traditional food species -the Canada Goose and the woodland caribou. CTA members are witnessing changes in animal behaviour and the migration patterns of species. These in turn are affecting the consumption of traditional food, causing dietary changes at the society level, and, ultimately, impacting on human health and overall well-being. KeywordsSocioenvironmental change, traditional food species, Cree First Nations, James Bay, Canadian subarctic. RésuméLes changements socioenvironnementaux dans les régions nordiques du Canada pourraient avoir des répercussions sur la santé de leurs résidents. Les communautés autochtones sont parmi les premières à en ressentir les impacts, car leurs modes de vie sont étroitement liés au milieu naturel. Cet article présente les changements socioenvironnementaux observés par des membres de l'Association des trappeurs cris (CTA) d'Eeyou Istchee (le territoire traditionnel des Cris situé dans la zone orientale de la Baie James). Il analyse les impacts de ces changements sur leur comportement de chasse et les niveaux de consommation associés à deux espèces alimentaires traditionnelles, la bernache du Canada et le caribou des bois. Les membres du CTA observent des changements dans la migration des espèces, dans le comportement animalier ce qui affecte la consommation de ces aliments traditionnels et entraîne des changements alimentai...

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“…and in Cree culture (e.g. meat sharing) (Preston, 1978;Scott, 1986 and1996;Peloquin and Berkes, 2009). …”

Section: Aboriginal Health and The Cree First Nationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Socioenvironmental changes in two traditional food species of the Cree First Nation of subarctic James Bay

Royer

Herrmann

2012

cgq

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“…1), each of which encompasses a complex of coastal bays, estuaries and offshore islands which include an array of suitable hunting locations. Each hunting territory is under the stewardship of a senior hunting boss or tallyman, who is given responsibility for ensuring the productivity and sustainability of the land (Scott 1986). Under the guidance of the tallyman, a nonhierarchical system of resource management has evolved based on respect, reciprocity and sharing (Scott 1986).…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Each hunting territory is under the stewardship of a senior hunting boss or tallyman, who is given responsibility for ensuring the productivity and sustainability of the land (Scott 1986). Under the guidance of the tallyman, a nonhierarchical system of resource management has evolved based on respect, reciprocity and sharing (Scott 1986). Within this system, Cree hunters are said to view themselves as part of a larger ecological "community-of-beings" (Berkes 1995:107).…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Hunting of migrating geese is the major harvesting activity requiring an elaborate system of social coordination that includes rotational strategies of hunting to ensure optimal harvests while reducing goose population disturbance (Scott 1986). Geese stage in Wemindji during spring and fall migrations (Reed et al 1996).…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While the regional significance of the James Bay coast as both an ecological and cultural edge has been recognized (Turner et al 2003), with the exception of brief acknowledgements that dyke building, shrub clearing and forest corridor cutting have been practiced (Scott 1983, Reed 1991, Forest 2006, Peloquin and Berkes 2009, no comprehensive account is available of how local Cree communities have manipulated or maintained these edges. To develop such an account and contribute to growing understandings of aboriginal landscape modification we take both an actor-based and system-based analysis (Nelson et al 2007) by focusing on what motivates individual Wemindji Cree hunters in management decision-making while also examining Cree landscape management from a system's perspective.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Securing a Future: Cree Hunters' Resistance and Flexibility to Environmental Changes, Wemindji, James Bay

Sayles¹,

Mulrennan²

2010

E&S

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Human Ecology

2010

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Hunting Territories, Hunting Bosses and Communal Production among Coastal James Bay Cree

Cited by 31 publications

References 1 publication

Socioenvironmental changes in two traditional food species of the Cree First Nation of subarctic James Bay

Socioenvironmental changes in two traditional food species of the Cree First Nation of subarctic James Bay

Securing a Future: Cree Hunters' Resistance and Flexibility to Environmental Changes, Wemindji, James Bay

Human Ecology

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