Igunaq
Igunaq is a way of preserving food that has been used for a very long time by people who live in the Arctic. The word igunaq means "food that has been stored," and it's a method that involves burying food in a special way so that it can stay fresh for a long time.
Let's say you catch a whale or a seal, but you can't eat it all at once because it's too much food. Instead of letting it go to waste, you can make igunaq with it. Here's how it works:
First, the meat is cut into chunks and then put into a big hole in the ground. The hole is usually dug in the permafrost, which is frozen ground that never thaws. This helps keep the food cold so it doesn't spoil.
Next, the meat is layered with other things like fat, skin, and sometimes even grass, berries, or seaweed. This creates a kind of insulation that helps keep the meat fresh.
Finally, the hole is covered with dirt and left to sit for several months. During this time, the meat ferments and breaks down, which actually helps preserve it. The result is a type of meat that has a strong, sour taste and is very different from fresh meat.
People who live in the Arctic have used this method for a very long time because it allows them to preserve food when no other methods are available. Today, some people still make igunaq even though they have access to refrigeration and other modern preservation methods. It's a way of continuing a tradition that has been passed down for generations.
Let's say you catch a whale or a seal, but you can't eat it all at once because it's too much food. Instead of letting it go to waste, you can make igunaq with it. Here's how it works:
First, the meat is cut into chunks and then put into a big hole in the ground. The hole is usually dug in the permafrost, which is frozen ground that never thaws. This helps keep the food cold so it doesn't spoil.
Next, the meat is layered with other things like fat, skin, and sometimes even grass, berries, or seaweed. This creates a kind of insulation that helps keep the meat fresh.
Finally, the hole is covered with dirt and left to sit for several months. During this time, the meat ferments and breaks down, which actually helps preserve it. The result is a type of meat that has a strong, sour taste and is very different from fresh meat.
People who live in the Arctic have used this method for a very long time because it allows them to preserve food when no other methods are available. Today, some people still make igunaq even though they have access to refrigeration and other modern preservation methods. It's a way of continuing a tradition that has been passed down for generations.