Abstract

Aboriginal Inuit of the Arctic Canada and indigenous Sámi of Fennoscandia hold onto cultural values such as sourcing traditional food from their land; these peoples still live – at least partially – in a subsistence economy. Both were traditionally nomadic, and nowadays, Inuit travel to hunt, while Sámi reindeer herders still follow their herds during periods required. Given their lifestyle, nomadic patters, work values, ethics, natural adaptation, and the central tenet of their food production and eating habits, both of these societies constitute an interesting case about self-employment, subsistence, food production and organization – including food-sharing by which income is voluntarily distributed according to custom, to the needy. However, much remains to be known about how they adapt to problems and engage in these matters. Whereas quantitative methods best answer why questions, we opt for a qualitative approach that is better suited to how questions. In a qualitative study, we observe the preservation of and respect for traditional knowledge and competencies. Community entrepreneurs organize their society with a high level of respect, networking, and reducing economic risk. We also identify tension between mainstream and traditional culture in the framing process, and how different types of frames were used to develop consensus around their core cultural food. We show and identify a process model of how the Inuit and Sámi communities engaged in frames and framing to develop consensus through self-respect of traditional knowledge, but to adjust and influence challenges to their historical culture.