The seals were a lifeline, the very means of survival for the people. From the beginning, Inuit had a deep respect for the seals, which for them was the key to a successful hunt, the essence of survival, and the basis of their relationship with the seals.

For centuries, aboriginal people throughout the Arctic regions of the world have depended on seals for their survival. Inuit and other indigenous peoples of the Arctic have used seal meat for food, sealskin for clothing, and oil from seal blubber as fuel for light and heat. For these reasons, the seal was the principal prey of Inuit and the seal hunt lies at the core of traditional Inuit life.

In Sacred Hunt, David Pelly's lucid text, based on years of traditional knowledge research, describes all facets of the seal hunt, beginning with the respect for seals underlying the hunt. This respect is reflected in the myths, legends, rituals, and traditions of the Arctic peoples, extending to the very creation of seals. This book offers a provocative and moving portrait of the traditional hunt and of the spiritual link between Inuit and Arctic seals.

This is a new release of the book published in October 2001.