Igunaq

Igunaq (Inuktitut: ᐃᒍᓇᖅ) is an Inuit method of preparing meat, particularly walrus and other marine mammals.

Meat and fat caught in the summer is buried in the ground as huge steaks, which then decompose and ferment over autumn and freeze over winter, ready for consumption the next year. The precise conditions are passed on through generations and form part of the oral tradition of the community.

Igunaq is considered a delicacy and is quite valuable. Consumption has declined over the years as a wider range of foodstuffs has become available in the Arctic regions. It is also not without risk - improper production can lead to illness and death through botulism.