Hunting for Food Sovereignty: Nunavut’s Movement for Local Arctic Food

Inuit people in Nunavut are addressing worsening food insecurity in their communities by uplifting traditional and innovative food procurement. For millennia, Inuit people have relied on country food, like seal, caribou, and Arctic char, to sustain themselves in the unforgiving Arctic. But in the 20th century, the Inuit diet changed. As poverty rose, so did the price of hunting equipment, and more families came to rely on imported Westernized food. Since the shift, food insecurity has worsened dramatically in the territory. Although imported foods line the aisles of local grocery stores, many residents cannot afford them.

The loss of traditional food procurement and food sharing is a symptom of a larger issue: the stripping away of self-determination for Indigenous people. Rather than relying on federal interventions, which have tried and failed to appreciably lower food costs, some Inuit-led programs are finding solutions that support traditional sustenance practices.

As Inuit leaders continue to reimagine food systems rooted in traditional knowledge and community care, Nunavut is charting a new course toward food sovereignty. These initiatives show that true food security goes beyond affordability; it is about restoring agency, preserving cultural knowledge, and ensuring that every family can access, share, and take pride in country food. By reclaiming their food systems, Inuit are feeding their communities and reclaiming their future.