Kiviak: polar survival wisdom crystallization, Inuit century-old traditional delicacies

in the Arctic Greenland and the surrounding polar regions where the ice is frozen all the year round and the vegetation is scarce, the harsh natural environment has created the survival philosophy and food culture of the Inuit. In this land where farming is almost impossible and fresh fruits and vegetables are extremely scarce, A traditional food with great regional characteristics and carrying the wisdom of national survival- Kiviak (Kiviak), also often called pickled puffins, was born. It has no exquisite appearance and strong and unique smell, but it was once the core food for the Inuit people to survive the long and extremely cold winter and supplement nutrition. It is a cultural symbol engraved in the memory of the Inuit nation, and it is also a food miracle for human beings to adapt to the extreme natural environment.

I am Enoch, an Inuit tribe living in northern Greenland with my elders since childhood. Now I focus on sharing the traditional polar food culture, hoping to break the misunderstanding of the outside world about this food and restore the national history and survival wisdom behind it. In our Inuit cognition, Kiviak is never the so-called "dark cuisine", but a magic weapon for survival handed down from generation to generation. It is an indispensable delicacy for festivals, weddings, sacrifices and other important occasions. Every time it is made and eaten, it is the persistence and inheritance of national traditions.

The polar winter is long and harsh, and the months-long polar night makes it extremely difficult to go out and hunt. Fresh food is completely cut off. How to store food and supplement the necessary nutrients for the body is a survival problem that Inuit ancestors must solve. Kiviak came into being. This is a unique fermented food created by the ancestors in combination with the polar climate and local products. It perfectly solves the core problems of food preservation and nutritional supplement in extremely cold regions. After hundreds of years of inheritance, it has become the most representative mark of Inuit food culture.

The production of authentic Kiviak follows the ancient methods handed down by our ancestors throughout the whole process. Every step is full of reverence for nature. Without any intervention of modern technology, it completely relies on the natural fermentation in the low temperature environment of the polar region. First of all, seals and puffins should be captured. Seals are the core containers made. Adult and strong seals should be selected. After slaughtering, the internal organs and bones should be completely removed, the complete seal skin sac should be kept, and the internal water should be dried. The puffins are the main food material. This small puffins unique to the Arctic are tender in meat and rich in nutrition. Hundreds of puffins should be prepared at one time without plucking or removing, fill as much as possible and exhaust all the air inside.

After the filling is completed, the opening of the skin bag is tightly sewn with seal tendon thread, and then melted seal grease is evenly smeared on the seam to completely seal and prevent air and bacteria from entering, which is the key to successful fermentation. Then the sealed seal sac is buried in the permafrost layer, and heavy stones are pressed on it to fix it. The slow and mild anaerobic fermentation is carried out by relying on the polar low temperature and the gastric acid and natural bacteria in the seal body. The process is as short as several months and as long as two to three years. The longer the fermentation time is, the softer and waxy the meat is and the mellow the flavor is.

After a long wait, the seal sac is dug out of the permafrost, the suture is disassembled, and the puffins inside are fermented and become edible Kiviak. The way of eating is also very traditional. It can be eaten raw without any cooking and processing. The feathers of puffins can be pulled out directly. The meat is soft and glutinous and dense, and the gravy is rich. Inuit people often directly suck the gravy and internal organs of puffins, or tear off the meat for eating. The taste is unique, with strong fermented aroma and natural meat aroma, which is a polar flavor that is difficult for the outside to experience.

For the Inuit, the value of Kiviak is far more than just the belly, but also has irreplaceable nutritional significance and cultural value. There are no fruits and vegetables in the Arctic, and the human body cannot obtain essential nutrients such as vitamins. The fermented Kiviak is rich in vitamin B, vitamin C, and high-quality protein and fat, which can effectively prevent scurvy and provide the human body with sufficient calories. Helping people resist the severe cold in the polar region is the only source of nutrition in the long polar night, maintaining the survival of the entire tribe.

In the traditional culture of Inuit, Kiviak is a symbol of honor. Only on important days such as weddings, festivals, tribal gatherings, sacrifices, etc., will it be taken out and eaten to entertain distinguished guests and worship ancestors. It is the core food to express respect and celebration. The craft of making Kiviak is also a skill handed down from generation to generation in the tribe. Elders will teach young people to choose ingredients, seal skins and control the timing of fermentation. This is not only the inheritance of cooking skills, but also the continuation of national survival wisdom and cultural spirit.

Nowadays, as modern lifestyles enter the polar regions, fresh food is becoming more and more popular, and fewer and fewer young people make Kiviak, this traditional craft is at risk of being lost. However, in many old Inuit tribes, they still adhere to this tradition, and every year they still make Kiviak according to the ancient method to protect this national food memory. The outside world often misunderstands it because of its production method and smell, but regardless of prejudice, it is the best testimony of human beings in extreme environments, symbiosis with nature, and tenacious survival with wisdom. It is a traditional national food worthy of respect.

Every local delicacy is rooted in the local natural environment and national culture. Kiviak is like this. It has no exquisite appearance and mild smell, but it hides the vastness of the polar region and the survival of the Inuit ancestors. Wisdom hides the cultural roots of a nation. It teaches us that there is never a unified standard for judging food, and each taste that adapts to nature and carries culture has its unique value and significance.

If you want to understand the diverse world food culture, you might as well put down your prejudice, walk into the story behind Kiviak, feel the survival philosophy of the coexistence of polar peoples and nature, and experience this thick and precious tradition that belongs to the Arctic. This is not only a delicacy, but also a history of national survival and a cultural heritage worth protecting.