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University of Alaska Fairbanks' Northwest Campus hosted a youth reindeer meat production workshop last week in partnership with NSHC's Native Connections program. High school students learned aspects of meat processing, including food hygiene and reindeer biology.
The workshop was led by Jackie Hrabok, Ph.D., an Arctic biologist who has worked across the circumpolar north from Canada to Finland. Now in western Alaska, she’s a professor for UAF’s High Latitude Range Management program. She teaches reindeer husbandry and how to make traditional crafts from leather, antlers and hooves.
“The style of teaching is really interactive, hands on, learning by doing. The theory is not through a university lecture type of a big school, where you are sitting in the classroom and watching Power Points. This is all hands on," Hrabok said.
Dressed with hairnets and nitrile gloves, the students used ulus to prep their handmade reindeer jerky for packaging.
Offering instruction on jerky processing, Hrabok said, “Say, you make up a whole bunch of these. Now, where should you store them? Room temperature?”
“No, freezer, freezer,” replied a student.
“Freezer is a correct answer,” responded Hrabok. “Why? Preserving? Perfect. So the preservatives that we used when you made your jerky, what did you use? You used salt,” Hrabok continued.
The workshop is a collaboration between UAF Northwest Campus and Norton Sound Health Corporation’s Native Connections program, focusing on prevention of youth suicide and substance abuse.
Partnership for prevention
The workshop is a collaboration between UAF Northwest Campus and Norton Sound Health Corporation’s Native Connections program, which focuses on prevention of youth suicide and substance abuse.
Native Connections Project Director, Tonia Osborne, said the program received a suicide prevention grant from GCI to fund supplies and help purchase reindeer from herders in Savoonga on St. Lawrence Island. She said learning food processing helps kids in many ways beyond their physical health.
“A lot of people feel disconnected and alone and isolated. I know for me, personally, being connected to my culture, especially through food, has made me feel more grounded in myself,” Osborne said.
She said cultural connection through traditional activities like reindeer processing contributes to self worth and a sense of belonging.
“Teaching them how to work with their traditional foods or through their cultural practices, shows them, 'You do matter. You do belong.' Every one of us had a role in our community, and we still do,” said Osborne.
Hrabok said the workshop also aimed to encourage curiosity through engaging experiences, so students keep choosing to learn.
“You can see that the kids, the students, are enjoying themselves, and it's as an instructor you want to see this lifelong learning. This is just one little stage in the life of 14, 15, 16, year olds, and where will that lead?” she asked.
Hrabok hoped the workshop helped plant the seeds for the students’ future growth.
“It's just to keep the students, regardless of what age, enjoying life and choosing things. Get out there, challenge yourself and have fun,” Hrabok said.
Northwest Campus is partnering with the Native Connections program for more workshops in the region, to foster similar opportunities for kids. Osborne said it’s all about creating connection.
“You could see a light switch go on, and they're like, 'I know how to do this.' Like they know how to fish, but they don't know how to put it away. But now they have that full circle moment. And that’s what I live for in this job,” Osborne said.
Students spent the final class day processing the last bits of reindeer through the commercial grinder and pressing it into patties. Hrabok fired up the grill and they celebrated with fresh reindeer burgers.
