Coming full circle: a critical review of the historical changes in governance, nutrition and food security of Labrador Inuit between 1500 and 2005

Abstract

Labrador Inuit are an Indigenous People from northern Labrador, within the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Prior to European contact, Labrador Inuit were self-reliant. However, historical relationships with Christian missionaries, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Government of Canada impacted their relationship with food, access to food, and the physical and social health of Labrador Inuit. This review is based on the stages of colonization. It uses a critical dietetics lens to examine the extrinsic causes of nutrition and food security issues that resulted from colonization, and describes the interventions implemented to address them. Moreover, the review shows the resilience and adaptability of Labrador Inuit as they came full circle from self-sufficient Labrador Inuit in the 1500s, to sign the first Inuit land claim agreement in Canada and form the Nunatsiavut Government in 2005.