Opinions

Leaving diseased caribou meat not a crime

Since the very first day Point Hope was criticized for leaving sick caribou on the tundra, American food-processing plants have recalled hundreds of products for possible food contamination. The most recent incident was Dec. 24, which resulted in the recall of 248,000 pounds of beef from a distributor in Oklahoma that'd sent products out to six states and possibly more. Before this recall, in November, a distributor in Ashville, N.Y., recalled 545,000 pounds of beef that may have been contaminated with E. coli. After investigations into a rash of local illnesses, authorities linked the sickness to tainted meat from processors, which initiated recalls throughout all stores that sold the meats. After two possible deaths and numerous illnesses related to the E. Coli outbreak, the New York company decided not to reuse the collected meat in other food products, as it is legally common practice to reuse diseased meat by cooking it thoroughly. The company said all 545,000 pounds will go straight to the garbage.

Was anyone cited for wasting meat? Or is this considered wasting at all?

The indigenous hunters and providers in Point Hope are being charged by the state of Alaska with waste and failure to salvage diseased meat when all of the U.S., including Alaska, wastes meat a million-fold. All of the hunters in rural Alaska need your help now to reveal the safety issues involved in handling and processing diseased meat. You can't just say, "All you need to do is cook the meat long enough to eat it," as this is not the case with this E. coli recall. I would like to see how the public would react to authorities telling them to keep the meat, since E. coli is safe to eat as long as you cook it long enough.

In Alaska, food recalls are almost common practice and totally legitimate as far as laws may carry them. But in rural Alaska, traditional hunters are forced to go against their traditions and salvage all diseased meat and pack it home, no matter what the case may be. Alaska Fish and Game currently makes it against the law to leave even the smallest amount of meat behind, diseased or not. Everyone must take the meat home and store it for at least four days before throwing it out. This is the law. This law was originally established to prevent sport hunters from leaving valuable meat behind from their expensive trophies, which today has not been very effective in remote areas in Alaska. Although the hunters in rural Alaska serve a far greater purpose than sports hunters, they fall victim to these laws, thus endangering the health of the hunter, as well as the men, women and children handling and consuming the meat.

This law was established in 1991, but none of the tribal government members claim to have heard of this law being passed. A lawyer for one of the defendants being charged in Point Hope argued that the law was not properly passed through the system because of the lack of information provided to the Native Village of Point Hope. Despite the absence of local newspapers and Internet in 1991, the argument was thrown out of court. Although the state published it in the Anchorage Daily News and not in any local or regional newspaper, it was deemed legitimate, even though the news failed to reach the community of Point Hope, the judge ruled. So these hunters had never heard of this law before, but only knew what they were taught traditionally by their forefathers. The Native Village of Point Hope was shocked because a large part of the people's diet consists of raw and half-dried traditional foods.

State charges of wasting meat include up to a $10,000 fine, at least seven days in jail (and up to one year in jail), and last but not least, suspension of hunting privileges for five years. These punishments could be viewed as far greater than most people realize, given rural Alaskans may not even earn up to $10,000 in a single year. Being convicted and losing one's hunting privileges could result in the person's family and other dependant community members starving, or otherwise receiving handouts for five long years, all because they were trying to protect themselves from diseased meat.


The caribou herds that travel through Point Hope spend their time grazing and feeding around the Red Dog lead and zinc mine. Also, on their way to Point Hope, these herds feed off the historically contaminated Project Chariot site, not to mention the radioactive waste dumped into the water systems around Point Hope as part of a scientific study by Dr. Hansen to measure the period of time radioactive waste begins to affect the food chain. It seems rural hunters have a very good reason to take precautions.

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We have all seen the effects in these animals as a result of pollution. Not only have we seen the effects in these animals but perhaps we have seen them in friends or family members that have passed on due to high rates of cancer in the surrounding areas. Our indigenous traditional knowledge passed down from our ancestors has taught us how to protect ourselves, thus recognizing potential problems found in the foods we seasonally harvest. Alaska Natives were all taught never to take sick animals or meat home, and we all have survived through this until now. Food safety will ensure the future strength of our people. This can be seen only as common sense to those who just want to survive as their ancestors did not very long ago.

I ask that you open your mind to my people's traditional beliefs and practices and understand why we do this. From my point of view, although I was shocked and angry at these national beef recalls, I can still understand why this meat is being pulled. Now see that when my people practice their own safety precautions, we are thrown in jail and fined by the authorities.

Our traditional foods aren't found on grocery shelves, but in the wilderness of our lands and waters. We are the harvester, the butcher, the health inspector and the consumer all rolled into one. Most urban people who buy food from stores will never know what it is like to have to go through the searching, butchering and inspections, and then finally the enjoyment of the food that sits on the table day after day, all with peace of mind knowing that the food is safe to eat. We too must not take risks of feeding diseased food to others. We too deserve to have the right to protect ourselves from handling diseased meat. This is a vital part of our homeland security.

Write your governor, representatives and senators, and let them know it is unfair for rural Alaskans to be forced to harvest diseased food. Even the shortest of letters would make a world of difference. Everyone should know that we, as rural Alaskans, deserve the right to protect ourselves from harmful food sources, as does the rest of the U.S. via FDA, USDA, etc. Anything less than this could very easily be considered genocide on the people.

Aqquilluk Hank Sr. -- a husband and father, coaches basketball, and was recently elected to the Point Hope City Council -- is one of eight Point Hope villagers charged with wasting caribou during a July 2008 hunt. Adamant he followed traditional hunting customs and did nothing wrong, Hank is fighting the charges in state court.

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