Nunavut Community Revives Traditions Through Seal Feast Workshop
Iqaluit Elders Home hosts country food festival, preserving Inuit traditions through seal preparation and sharing cultural knowledge with community members.
A Feast Rooted in Tradition
On November 3, the Iqaluit Elders Home welcomed 26 community members for a unique country food workshop centered around a ringed seal harvested by a local hunter. The event, organized by Qajuqturvik Community Food Centre, marked the first of its kind in the region, blending cultural preservation with community engagement.
Elders Guide the Process
The preparation of the seal began with a traditional request from 90-year-old Martha Tikivik, who emphasized the importance of positioning the seal's flippers toward the door. "It’s just always been like that," she explained through a translator. Tikivik, born on the land before relocation by the Hudson Bay Company, shared regional customs that have been passed down through generations.
Women traditionally sat behind the head of the seal in igloos, while men sat near the flippers. Different body parts were reserved for specific genders and age groups: women received flippers, shoulder blades, and hips; men consumed spine meat for its strength-building properties; and children ate rib meat for its ease of consumption.
A Living Tradition
Haali Paton, Qajuqturvik’s country food access coordinator, spent nearly 20 minutes preparing the seal using techniques learned from his grandfather. At 36, Paton has been preparing seal meat since age 14 and now works to ensure community access to traditional foods. "It means a lot," he said. "It gives others a chance to eat country food they haven’t had in a while."
Paton highlighted the abundance of ringed seals, known locally as natsiq, as a vital protein source. This year alone, he has harvested eight seals, emphasizing the importance of sharing these resources within the community.
Strengthening Cultural Ties
The event was facilitated by Christina-ann Qavavou, cultural coordinator at the Iqaluit Elders Home, who translated for Tikivik and assisted in preparation. By involving elders and youth in food preparation, the workshop fosters intergenerational knowledge transfer and reinforces cultural identity in a rapidly changing world.