Environmental responsibility

Inuit and Cree know we should have a clean environment in order to make our bodies, animals and the environment function well. The environment must remain healthy because people have to rely on it for food. The animals are part of our life, and have to be looked after very carefully….Lucassie Arraqutainaq, Sanikiluaq

It was Inuit law not to abuse of play with animals and, even today, I’m really afraid to break those laws. I’ve taught my children and grandchildren not to abuse them either. Also, we are taught not to wound an animal if we aren’t going to eat it…. My father told me if I wound and animal I shouldn’t make it suffer because it also hurts inside when in pain. – Matilda Sulurayok, Arviat; John Kaunak, Repulse Bay

Since time immemorial, the natives were put here… to take care of the land. Our Grandfathers did not abuse the land and it’s our turn to pass our knowledge on to our younger generation. What our forefathers kept all this time is very precious. It’s now in our hands. Our Creator has given us the responsibility for taking very good care of what we have. If we don’t take care of it we will lose our own culture one day. – John Petagumskum, Whapmagoostui