Imagined foodways: social and spatial representations of an Inuit food system in transition

ABSTRACT In this study, we examined the social and spatial representations the Nunavimmiut have of their contemporary foodways. Based on Anderson’s concept of ‘imagined communities’ [1991. Imagined communities: Reflections on the origin and spread of nationalism (Rev. ed.). Verso books], we drew on the notion of ‘imagined foodways’ to capture the cultural and territorial distance between imagined and actual dietary patterns. With the spatial organization of the global food system undergoing considerable upheaval, food provenance is an important – although often neglected – dimension of foodways. The aim of this study was to identify the geographical imaginary the Nunavimmiut associate with different types of foods and food sources. To this end, participatory workshops were held in Kuujjuaq and Kangiqsujuaq in Nunavik between June 2016 and May 2018, which resulted in the creation of mental food maps. The results showed that the imagined foodways represent an idealized version of food that maintains the Nunavimmiut’s close relationship to the land as a source of nourishment and to their traditions. Traditional foods are still highly regarded and underpin an intimate relationship with and detailed knowledge of the land. In contrast, commercial foods, although they account for about 80% of the food consumed in Nunavik, arouse less interest and are the subject of a more ambiguous relationship.