Trapping, survival strategies, and environmental involvement: A case study from the Canadian sub-Arctic

Abstract

In a sub-Arctic band of Hare Indians, considerable discrepancies have been found in the style, consistency, and degree of environmental involvement characterizing different individuals and families. The distinct subsistence patterns of subgroups within the population are explored. Ideological, psychological, historical, and experiential factors that contribute to this variability are examined. These factors are seen to affect strategies concerning trapping, hunting, mobility, wage labor, identity maintenance, and the quality of life that people seek. While some individuals pursue freedom from traditional subsistence hardships, others focus on self-sufficiency and freedom from constraints imposed by greater integration with Western society. © 1978 Plenum Publishing Corporation.