Mussels Under the Ice

Kangiqsujuaq residents gathering mussels in winter
May 19, 2011
Kangiqsujuaq

In Kangiqsujuaq, the Inuit show how they’ve adapted to the territory through a combination of knowledge of natural phenomena and an audacity that verges on genius. Every two weeks in winter, the ebb tide empties the water under the ice floe, creating an ice cave into which Inuit descend. Even if it’s very cold outside, inside, the temperature is mild. With their bare hands, they remove the blue mussels from the rocks. Their time is limited, as the tide rises slowly first, then at full speed. They return to the surface with broad smiles on their faces. A feast awaits them!