Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (Mar 18/02) - Between mouthfuls of frozen caribou and raw char, Jonah Kelly cracks jokes about Inuit being the first people in the world to enjoy fast food.

"When we're out hunting and you catch a seal, you eat it right there," he says with a laugh. "You don't have to take it home to cook it."

Kelly's lighthearted comments came during a festive reception organized to celebrate Health Minister Ed Picco's release of the Nunavut Food Guide.

Held at the Elder's Centre last Tuesday in Iqaluit, the release was organized to coincide with National Nutrition Month.

The Department of Health hopes to use the guide to encourage a more traditional, healthier diet in Nunavummiut. Officials also want it to be used as an educational tool in classrooms.

Elders, Iqalungmiut and government officials gathered to eat samples of the recommended servings.

"Inuit didn't have the opportunity to eat vegetables or fruit, but they were some of the most healthy people in the world because of country food," said Picco.

Nunavut's version of the food guide, which cost $15,000, is far more culturally relevant to the lives of Inuit when compared with the Canada Food Guide as the former places heavy emphasis on the consumption of traditional Inuit food.

"It shows that country foods are just as good or better than store-bought foods. They are equal, not less than," said Picco.

Furthermore, country foods can often be acquired at a far cheaper price than milk, romaine lettuce or cheddar cheese.

"If someone says they couldn't afford cheese, they can get the same nutrition from country food," said Picco.

And, in keeping with the jovial mood of the event, Picco told funny stories about his first encounter with igunaq -- aged walrus. He said his wife tricked him and fed him the delicacy, telling him it was caribou meat.

"I can't get accustomed to the taste of aged meat," he said, drawing laughter from everyone in the room.

"It's difficult for me to be in the house when my wife gets igunaq -- especially from Hall Beach where it's so strong."