Food use and nutrient intake were studied with Cree women of Wemindji and Eastmain, Quebec. Twenty-four hour recalls and food frequency questionnaires were used among three age groups of women and in two seasons. Age had an effect on the mean amount of traditional food consumed (p $<$ 0.0001). Species and amounts of traditional food consumed varied by season. Ninety-four percent of women exceeded 2/3 of the recommended nutrient intake (RNI) for protein and 80% exceeded 2/3 of the RNI for iron, despite lower than recommended reported energy intakes. Calcium intakes of less than 1/2 the RNI were reported by 44% of women. Mean total fat intake reported by young and middle adults was greater than 30% of total energy. Qualitative inquiry into changing food use revealed that most women agree that traditional food use has declined for a variety of reasons, and that community residents should use more traditional food.

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This thesis examines the ways in which Cree women of Waskaganish, James Bay use and understand the concept of tradition in narratives about their lives and changes in their community. The fieldnotes of anthropologist Regina Flannery, completed in the 1930's, serve to orient this research, and provide a starting point for discussion. / As northern communities continue to adapt in the face of social and economic changes, cultural categories such as tradition have concurrently undergone reevaluation. It is argued here that the meanings of tradition have become more complex as Cree women adjust to their changing environment. / It is demonstrated that tradition is used as a narrative tool in descriptions of the past, and a means by which women can discuss change and the future of their community. In addition, tradition currently occupies a significant symbolic space in women's individual cultural identities, and is incorporated in daily life in various ways. Furthermore, tradition has also become an important component of Cree political discourse. Finally, it is apparent that tradition remains a contested category among women themselves, and dissent exists as to the future transmission of traditional practices, language and values. / From this analysis, tradition emerges as a nuanced term that has a number of conceptual modalities. It is suggested that a more comprehensive grasp of complex concepts such as tradition is made possible through the prioritization of personal narratives, and the exploration of the ways in which individuals utilize, comprehend and expand on cultural categories.

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