Eating Alaska

As part of my independent study week, I watched the documentary Eating Alaska, by Ellen Frankenstein.

"What happens to a vegetarian who moves to Alaska and marries a commercial fisherman and deer hunter?" Frankentstein Productions

Ellen explores Alaskan modes of "extracting resources," from stalking caribou to diving for sea cucumbers to chasing mountain goats and getting stranded for four days. She never manages to pull the trigger, but is adept at cleaning, packing, and eating venison.

The movie features a varied cast of characters. The founder of an Alaskan vegetarian group who would give up meat before processed food believing there is a basic value in not exploiting animals and the earth. A teacher guiding sixth graders through a grocery store, comparing labels and reading ingredients list. A Yupik woman on St. Lawrence island, former site of a military base, describing the toxins embedded in her indigenous diet.

Eating Alaska drives home the point that one size does not fit all when it comes to eating "correctly." It depends on who you are, where you live, and how well you understand the complexities of that environment.