The role of hunting in a socioeconomic classification for Greenland

The socioeconomic classification used in Western societies is not directly applicable to Greenland where other factors, such as success as a hunter, participation in community life, and raising children, also convey status and must be included in a status coding. In the 1993 Greenland Health Interview Survey the participants' hunting activities were estimated through a number of questions. Nineteen percent of male Greenlanders classified themselves as hunters when asked about their primary occupation, but in another question an additional 10% stated that they relied on hunting for a living. When asked about their job, hunters were confused as to whether hunting was considered a job by the researchers. This uncertainty may explain the difference between the two questions regarding classification of individuals as hunters. For future research it is necessary to develop a socioeconomic status classification which is culturally sensitive and suited to contemporary Greenlandic society.