"In Search of Deer": A historical ecological perspective on caribou in northern Manitoba in the context of Cree use
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Date
2015-04-06
Authors
Hebert, Laura Caroline
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Abstract
Caribou have a longstanding cultural and environmental role, and have interacted with human groups across time. This thesis is a consideration of these interactions, exploring prehistoric and historic patterns of caribou usage by Cree people in northern Manitoba. Through zooarchaeological analysis, an ethnohistorical review, and community workshops and interviews with York Factory First Nation, the relationship between caribou populations and Cree use is illustrated, providing insight into abundance, movements, and the socio-cultural value of caribou over time. In doing so, context is provided for the present-day situation: connections between historical and modern herds are drawn, population and migration changes are highlighted, and the impact of hunting pressures, climatic variation, habitat changes, and food availability on caribou populations are contemplated. Caribou have long been central to the seasonal economy in northern Manitoba, and the use of these animals reflects their abundance and value.
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Caribou, Cree, Ethnohistory, Faunal analysis, Historical ecology, Kame Hills, Southern Indian Lake, York Factory, Zooarchaeology