Être avec les rivières : regard inuit (Nunavik, Canada)

Abstract

The rivers of Northern Quebec have been the focus of much attention since the 1960s, and have been at the heart of discussions concerning hydroelectric development and, more broadly, the right of access to land. Numerous studies have focused on the different points of view on rivers, particularly those of Indigenous peoples whose way of life is intrinsically linked to this environment. This article explores the relationships forged by Nunavimmiut (inhabitants of Nunavik, Quebec) with their rivers. Stories, images and commented journeys put into perspective the sensitive, multisensory experiences between Inuit bodies and river bodies. These relationships appear to be multiform, involving the co-construction of individual histories and senses. When a river is affected by a change, whether anthropogenic or more natural, it directly transforms and reconstructs sensibilities.

Keywords

• river
• Inuit
• inhabited
• perception
• senses
• Nunavik