ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines the amount of work that goes into getting ready for the 'hard times that are coming'. Building on Gwich'in elaborations on the Biblical End of the World, the frequently expressed statement 'hard times are coming' –by Gwich'in (elders) in northern Canada – provides different insights into human–animal relations. Gwich'in argue that while snowmobiles depend on monetary funds for gas and mechanical parts, the 'working dogs' – and subsequently Gwich'in themselves – can live off the land without dependency on the broader economic system. Gwich'in elder Rosalie Ross, during an interview at the Fort McPherson Hamlet talking about dogs, turns to prophecies of the 'hard times' and how this affects the animals. The 'hard times' further makes a reference to the era where all the comforts and luxuries of the present day disappear, with the grocery stores having no products and no gas being available.
