The Lifeblood of the Gwitchin: Porcupine Caribou

 

Figure 1 Taken from google images

 

The Porcupine Caribou are such an vital part of life here in Old Crow and the John Tizya Center (cultural center) has an excellent display all about the caribou and their importance in history and today.  I’ve also had the pleasure of finding three pounds of ground caribou in my freezer when I arrived at my B&B (which is more like a mini house to myself) so I’ve been feasting on caribou since I arrived!

 

The Gwitchin people try to use every part of the caribou so nothing is wasted. It is called Respecting Vadzaih (the caribou). This is how they use each part:

 

Meat: used for food; could be frozen or dried for storage

Fat: eaten, also burned to make light

Marrow: eaten raw or cooked

Kidney, Liver: eaten (protein rich and iron rich)

Eye, Nostril, Tongue, Heart: eaten (delicacies)

Brain: Used to soften hides; eaten (protein rich)

Hoof: boiled to make jelly (eaten), made into rattles, buttons, beads etc.

Stomach: Used as cooking bag and to store food and water

Bladder: used to store food and water

Hide: made into clothing, moccasins, shelters

Hair: made into pillows, mattresses, toys, dog bedding

Tail: made into medicine, used as a whip

Antler: Made into arrow and spear points, knives, cups, spoons, etc.

Bone: Made into awls, hide scrapers, fish lures, pipes, sled runners, etc.

Teeth: used as necklace ornament

Sinew: made into thread, cord, snares, and fishnets

 

 

 

 I saw this sign on one of the log cabins in town and thought it was interesting. It is the Porcupine Caribou Harvest Management Plan and as you can see we are in the Green Zone right now. Years ago, the arrow pointed to the orange zone and it seems that people are paying attention to the advice of the elders and aiming for bull caribou so that the species could grow again. It is also important that people take only what they need. There was a paper posted all over the community last week about excess meat found in the garbage dump. It reminded people to take only what they need and not more.

 

 The Porcupine Caribou Herd is one of the largest herds in North America. During migration (which I can only think of to compare to the zebras and antelope in Africa) the herd covers over 250,000 square kilometers. They cross the Porcupine River during their migration, hence the name. The Vuntut Gwitchin are stewards of the Porcupine Caribou and lead the fight to protect them and their calving grounds. Vuntut National Park was created in part to protect the herd’s range and migration. Ivvavik National Park and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge have also been protecting the Porcupine Caribou. However, there is pressure to develop on the coast of northern Alaska because of the discovery of oil below the calving grounds of the caribou. Many First Nations groups, especially the Gwitchin, are concerned because there is no other ideal place for the caribou to have their calves. The 1002 area is ideal because it is an open plain where predators like wolves and bears cannot hide. There is also often a breeze that helps keep away the harmful mosquitoes.

  

Figure 2 The location of the Porcupine Caribou migrates from Dawson, YT up to Inuvik, NWT and their calving grounds are located in Alaska close to the coast (1002 area) Every spring the caribou head up to the calving grounds and every fall they head back south often passing through Old Crow 2X a year.

 

 

Figure 3 Taken from google images

Figure 4 Caribou's primary food source is lichen found on tundra and in spruce forest habitats.

 

Traditional Ways of Hunting Caribou

 

Traditionally, First Nations used caribou fences to corral the caribou into an area where they can work as a group to spear them or use a bow and arrow. These fences took many people to set up and remnants of a few of them are lying on the ground in Vuntat National Park north of Old Crow.

 

Figure 5 Traditional Hunting

 

 

 

Figure 6 Aerial view of an historic caribou fence in Vantut National Park

 

 

 

Figure 7 People looking at caribou fence in the national park

 

There is so much more that can be said about the caribou. I wish I could have seen one, but I missed the migration route by about a month. They are currently calving in Alaska and will make their way south again through Old Crow in the fall (hunting season). I did find a couple caribou antlers while hiking through the bush and I’m excited to take them home as my souvenir and reminder of this unique place.