Prior to adopting a sedentarySedentary means to live in one place, to grow one’s own food, and to build more… lifestyle, Inuit relied on hunting and fishing for subsistenceSubsistence means the minimal resources that are necessary for survival. A subsistence economy relies on hunting…. In 1980, many Inuit had lived in villages, but hunting and fishing were still important economic and cultural activities. Around 1980, many Inuit also worked at cooperatives or enterprises related to the constructionConstruction – The process of building something or putting something together Construction – Le processus de…, mining, and air transportation.
Cooperatives
At the end of the 1950s, the Inuit had developed cooperatives or stores that they managed for themselves. These cooperative stores allowed Inuit to control the sale of goods from outside their region. It also gave them control over goods they created, like soapstone sculptures and parkas. It was at this time that Inuit sculptors became recognized internationally. Arts and crafts became a source of revenue for some Inuit people.
Economic Development
From the time they were created, cooperatives played an important role in the economic development of Nunavik. They also helped develop the autonomyAutonomy- Autonomy refers to independence; a person or a group of people’s ability to act independently… of the Inuit people. The towns in Nunavik are small and remote, so job opportunities were sometimes limited. Some jobs required specialized training (such as tradeTrade is when we buy, sell, or just exchange goods (things, foods, etc.) or services (helping… certificates or CEGEP or university degrees) that were not available in the communities. This sometimes led to jobs being filled by non-Inuit people from ‘southern’ areas of Canada. Today, people are working hard to ensure more and more education and training opportunities are available in the north so students do not need to travel away from their families to receive post-secondary education.
Additional Images and More Recent Times!
AuthorAuthor – A person who writes something Auteur – Une personne qui écrit quelque chose:
Based on texts from the Récit de l’univers social. Adapted and updated by LEARN.
Concepts and Big Ideas
Economy
SubsistenceSubsistence means the minimal resources that are necessary for survival. A subsistence economy relies on hunting…
SedentarySedentary means to live in one place, to grow one’s own food, and to build more…
NomadicA nomad is someone who lives by travelling from place to place. Nomadic thus means anything that involves…
NomadA nomad is a member of a community of people who live in different locations, moving…
Cooperative
