Investigating the effect of European contact on Inuit-animal interactions in Labrador

Elliott, Deirdre A. (2017) Investigating the effect of European contact on Inuit-animal interactions in Labrador. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

Archaeological research into the Labrador Inuit past has shed considerable light on material culture and changes therein, as well as on certain subsistence practices, and on how each of these changed through time. However, few studies have been undertaken that integrate these two aspects of life. Animals are particularly prominent in the arctic and sub-arctic environment, and in many ways formed the core of Inuit culture. Archaeologically, much of the material culture is in some way connected to animals – be it made of animal products, a depiction of animals, or having to do with the acquisition and processing of animals, and so material culture and subsistence are inherently linked. Operating within a theoretical framework of Human-Animal Studies, the aim of this thesis is to explore how Inuit-animal interactions and relationships changed through European contact and influence. By examining both faunal and artifact assemblages from three sites (Nachvak Village/IgCx-3, Kongu/IgCv-7, and Double Mer Point/GbBo-2) covering a range of temporal, geographic, and economic contexts, I was able to separate local variability from larger trends, and to draw conclusions concerning how Inuit used and related to animals within these contexts. This opens up avenues for further study, such as regional, contemporaneous multi-site comparisons, delving into the as yet poorly understood importance of whales, and examining the movements of Inuit-produced materials throughout Labrador and across the world.

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