For the past three years, in collaboration with Anguvigaq, the Nunavik Hunters and Trappers Association, we have been documenting the traditional Inuit knowledge of hunting and harvesting, with a particular focus on beluga whale harvesting. This documentary project is still in its early stages, and we will share more as it develops.

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Over the last three summers, we have had the privilege of documenting daily life on the remote shores of Ungava Bay in Nunavik, where youth, elders, and researchers come together to learn, pass on, and study the enduring Inuit traditions of hunting and fishing, ensuring these cultural practices continue for future generations.

The Marralik-Ungunniavik region, once a vital harvesting site for the Inuit of Kuujjuaq and Kangiqsualujjuaq, experienced a dramatic change in 1986 when the government abruptly banned beluga whale hunting, citing concerns over the Ungava Bay beluga stock. This decision had significant negative impacts on Inuit food security, cultural practices, and local knowledge of beluga populations. Many knowledgeable Inuit contest the rationale behind the ban, questioning the effectiveness of the imposed conservation measures.

In 2021, a new regional beluga management plan was introduced, allowing for a limited beluga hunt in Marralik-Ungunniavik, provided the communities submitted a detailed hunt plan, which was approved by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). The Nunavik Hunting, Fishing, and Trapping Association (NHFTA), in partnership with local communities, crafted this plan, which was approved due to its strict regulation in a camp setting and its integration with research. The quota for beluga hunting, conditionally reissued each year, allows elders and hunters to pass down their knowledge to younger generations. To further support this, the NHFTA established a summer camp for youth and a research monitoring initiative, aimed at reclaiming traditional activities in the region and collecting data on beluga populations that may support the permanent reopening of the hunt.

More to come.