Kiviak
| Alternative names | Kiviaq |
|---|---|
| Region or state | Greenland |
| Main ingredients | Little auk |
Kiviakorkiviaqis a traditional wintertimeInuitfood fromGreenlandthat is made oflittle auks(Alle alle), a type of seabird,fermentedin aseal skin.
Making kiviak has traditionally been a community effort inInughuitculture.[1]Up to 500 whole auks are packed into the seal skin, beaks and feathers included.[2]As much air as possible is removed from the seal skin before it is sewn up and sealed with seal fat, which repels flies. It is then hidden in a heap of stones, with a large rock placed on top to keep the air out.[3]Over the course of three months, the birds ferment,[3]and are then eaten during theArcticwinter, particularly onbirthdaysandweddings.[4]
The process was featured in the third episode ofBBC'sHuman Planetin 2011.[3]
Polar explorerKnud Rasmussen's death is attributed to food poisoning by kiviaq.[5][6]In August 2013 several people died inSiorapalukfrom eating kiviak that was made fromeiderrather than auk. Eider does not ferment as well as auk, and those who ate it contractedbotulism.[7]
See also[edit]
- Surströmming– Swedish fermented Baltic Sea herring
- Hákarl– National dish of Iceland consisting of fermented shark
- Igunaq– Method of preparing meat, particularly walrus and other marine mammals
- List of delicacies– Food item considered highly desirable in certain cultures
- List of fermented foods- Food items that are produced by fermentation
References[edit]
- ^Hay, Mark (7 March 2023)."Inside Greenland's Misunderstood Winter Delicacy".Atlas Obscura.Retrieved15 March2023.
- ^"Kivak Season in Greenland 2018".rove.me. 23 May 2018.Retrieved23 May2018.
- ^abc"TV review: Human Planet".The Guardian.27 January 2011.Retrieved28 January2011.
- ^Freuchen, Dagmar (1960).Peter Freuchen's Adventures in the Arctic.New York: Messner. p. 81.
- ^Magazine, Smithsonian."Eating Narwhal".Smithsonian Magazine.Retrieved19 October2022.
- ^"Review: This Cold Heaven: Seven Seasons in Greenland by Gretel Ehrlich".the Guardian.16 February 2002.Retrieved19 October2022.
- ^"Greenland terducken from hell: the real bird-seal meal".The Fourth Continent. 7 August 2013. Archived fromthe originalon 30 July 2014.Retrieved15 February2014.
External links[edit]
- "Kiviak".Food Lorists.
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