Theme Two: The importance of a mixed cash- and harvest/ herding- based economy to living in the Arctic

Abstract: Our hypothesis is that the combination of hunting, fishing, gathering, herding, and cash sectors of the economy continue to define the prevailing lifestyle of Arctic indigenous people. To test this hypothesis, we will compare the contributions of domestic production (including harvesting, distribution, and processing of local harvests) and cash production to overall household production. A further hypothesis is that the persistence of a mixed economy is both a matter of necessity and choice. To test this hypothesis, we will examine the importance of cultural values related to domestic and cash production, and examine the extent to which households with relatively high cash incomes nevertheless engage in significant domestic production.