Terror and Erebus by Gwendolyn MacEwen: White Technologies and the End of Science

Nordlit ◽

10.7557/13.3429 ◽

2015 ◽

pp. 123

Author(s):

Renée Hulan

Keyword(s):

Indigenous Knowledge ◽

Scientific Discovery ◽

The Arctic ◽

Inuit Knowledge ◽

Gwendolyn Macewen

This paper examines Canadian poet Gwendolyn MacEwen’s verse play Terror and Erebus by considering the play’s representation of technology in light of its own poetic technologies. Terror and Erebus is a play for voices that features four characters: Franklin, Crozier, Rasmussen, and Qaqortingneq. As the character Rasmussen searches for the traces of the lost expedition, imagining the voices of the explorers in their final hours, his investigation reveals how the “white technologies” used to explore the Arctic succumb to the environment without the indigenous knowledge possessed by the Inuit who inhabit the Arctic. The paper shows how MacEwen’s literary vision contrasts recent coverage of efforts to locate the Franklin ships which have ignored or down-played Inuit testimony. Working from Rasmussen’s transcriptions of Qaqortingneq’s voice, MacEwen represents Inuit knowledge and technology as both an alternative to the model of scientific discovery underwriting the Franklin expedition and as source of the authoritative account of what happened to Franklin and his crew.

Engaging Audiences - new tools and innovative methods for polar education, engagement and communication

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-7383 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Inga Beck ◽

Sophie Weeks ◽

Pia Cassarini ◽

Julia Dooley ◽

Betsy Wilkening ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Indigenous Knowledge ◽

Science Communication ◽

International Workshop ◽

Scientific Information ◽

Research Process ◽

The Arctic ◽

Collaborative Group ◽

Future Research ◽

Polar Science ◽

Education And Outreach

PEI is the leading international professional network for polar educators and scientists, formed in 2012 as an outcome of the Education and Outreach activities of the IPY, connecting polar education, research and the global community.&#160; The organisation encourages collaboration, networking and dialogue between teachers and researchers developing science communication and engagement tools and methodologies, integrating and evaluating learning and engagement at all stages of the research process. Three opportunities to be involved in this work are highlighted.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;International CollaborationPEI, collaborating with IASC, SCAR and APECS is working with researchers and polar educators to review and update Polar Science and Global Change - An International Resource for Education and Outreach (IPY2010), a comprehensive book of teaching and communication resources including scientific information, research material, methods and hands-on activities to bring polar research into classrooms and the community. The updated online version will provide existing and new resources, in multiple languages, downloadable as chapters and activities including:&#160;Current science and future research questionsEmerging topics - 3rd pole, remote sensing and microplasticsActivities/Labs for teaching polar scienceCommunication techniques for different audiencesPublic outreach initiativesCapacity building and careersIndigenous knowledgeOpportunities are available to join the collaborative group of educators and scientists to evaluate the existing resource and contribute to developing a new online resource.&#160;Professional Networking in Bits and BytesPEI members have been connecting, collaborating, and creating in an online environment since 2012. PEI members also get together at the PEI biennial international workshop to share and evaluate current polar education, outreach and science communication initiatives with international peers and experts. In preparation for the 2022 PEI Iceland workshop, members will present a programme of online professional development experiences for polar educators, science communicators and community members beginning in Spring 2021, highlighting strengths and challenges of engaging audiences . These will be shared freely and evaluated through discussion.&#160;&#160;Global DialoguePEI welcomes participation in a global cafe, connecting interdisciplinary and diverse communities, encouraging ongoing dialogue about effective polar education and action.There are many networks and partnerships who engage in polar education, science communication, community learning and research but there are few opportunities to collect together this experience and expertise on a global scale. The first global conversation - Connecting Education, Indigenous Knowledge & Arctic Research, will contribute material for a report to the Arctic Science Ministerial. It Aims to connect dialogues about polar education and outreach, particularly concerning the Arctic, which is changing faster than any other environment on the planet.This is a unique opportunity for science, education and community partners with an interest in the Arctic to weave networks, lead dialogue and participate in a global conversation.

Pacific Salmon: Ecology and Management of Western Alaska’s Populations

Pacific Salmon: Ecology and Management of Western Alaska’s Populations ◽

10.47886/9781934874110.ch19 ◽

2009 ◽

Keyword(s):

Indigenous Knowledge ◽

Traditional Knowledge ◽

Cultural Context ◽

Pacific Salmon ◽

Local Communities ◽

The Arctic ◽

Great Promise ◽

Joint Research ◽

Local Residents ◽

Local And Traditional Knowledge

Abstract.—The Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim Sustainable Salmon Initiative (AYK SSI) is a research program in Alaska focused on learning from the knowledge and understanding of local indigenous fishing communities. From the mid-1990s, Alaska Natives have urged that local and traditional/indigenous knowledge be recognized as a serious body of ecological insights and stewardship traditions. This paper provides a survey of milestones in Alaska, from the early definitional debates and the rise of systematic methods for documentation, to the growing body of substantive information. The discussion on local and traditional knowledge at the AYK SSI Symposium in February 2007 provided an opportunity to assess achievements and identify obstacles. Participants underscored the continuing challenges of the diverse cultural context for joint research by biologists and local communities, directing attention to foundational questions of trust and respect. Local residents celebrated the great promise for local and traditional/indigenous knowledge to contribute to our shared scientific understanding of salmon and to promote respectful and effective systems of stewardship, but they were also acutely perceptive of the barriers to improved synthesis and mutual learning. The concluding section of this paper explores implications for the on-going research agenda of the AYK SSI, particularly the need for an on-going consultative process to insure that local communities and researchers are mutually aware of methodologies available and the substantive contributions made by local and traditional knowledge research. In this way, the on-going development of research in this area can draw more fully on the struggles and accomplishments of the preceding decade.

Inuit indigenous knowledge and science in the Arctic

Human Ecology and Climate Change ◽

10.4324/9781315825175-19 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 219-227

Author(s):

Ellen Bielawski

Keyword(s):

Indigenous Knowledge ◽

The Arctic

Review and mapping of Indigenous knowledge concepts in the Arctic

Routledge Handbook of Indigenous Peoples in the Arctic ◽

10.4324/9780429270451-16 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 233-248

Author(s):

Parnuna Egede Dahl ◽

Pelle Tejsner

Keyword(s):

Indigenous Knowledge ◽

The Arctic

Legacies of the Jackson-Harmsworth expedition, 1894–1897

Polar Record ◽

10.1017/s0032247406005791 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 43 (1) ◽

pp. 55-66 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Ronald Savitt ◽

Cornelia Lüdecke

Keyword(s):

Scientific Discovery ◽

North Pole ◽

The Arctic ◽

Comprehensive Planning ◽

Fresh Meat ◽

Full Extent ◽

The North ◽

Franz Josef Land ◽

Managerial Experience

Frederick George Jackson, the leader of the Jackson-Harmsworth Expedition of 1894–1897, accomplished a great deal during his exploration of Franz Josef Land [Zemlya Frantsa-Iosifa] although his achievements have never been fully acknowledged. Jackson's expedition itself has often been eclipsed by his famous meeting in 1896 with Fridtjof Nansen, absent for 3 years in the Arctic and it has been unfairly coloured by the view that Jackson was no more than an adventurer and sportsman. The research reported in this article evaluates Jackson's plan and management activities. The study developed a set of factors to evaluate his performance arising from a variety of expeditions contemporary with Jackson's. His strong personality and limited personnel managerial experience limited the full extent of what he might have achieved. Yet, Jackson developed a strong exploration model that was based on comprehensive planning, a significant concern for the health and welfare of his companions, the willingness to innovate in a number of activities including sledging, and a commitment to scientific discovery. Although the expedition did not find a route to the North Pole, Jackson confirmed that Franz Josef Land was an archipelago and he gave credence to the consumption of fresh meat as a means of preventing scurvy. One of Jackson's legacies to subsequent explorers was the use of ponies for haulage. He was unable to appreciate the weaknesses in their use and his influence on subsequent Antarctic expeditions often led to undesirable results. But, overall, Jackson was an innovator in a conservative exploration community.

PILIRIQATIGIINNIQ ‘Working in a collaborative way for the common good’

International Journal of Critical Indigenous Studies ◽

10.5204/ijcis.v7i1.117 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 1-14 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Gwen Healy ◽

Andrew Tagak Sr.

Keyword(s):

Indigenous Knowledge ◽

Health Research ◽

Common Good ◽

Ways Of Knowing ◽

Indigenous Communities ◽

The Arctic ◽

The Common Good ◽

Health Related Research ◽

Health Related ◽

The Common

Increasing attention on the Arctic has led to an increase in research in this area. Health research in Arctic Indigenous communities is also increasing as part of this movement. A growing segment of the research community is focused on explaining and understanding Indigenous knowledge and ways of knowing. Researchers have become increasingly aware that Indigenous knowledge must be perceived, collected and shared in ways that are unique to, and shaped by, the communities and individuals from which this knowledge is gathered. This paper adds to this body of literature to provide Inuit perspectives on health-related research epistemologies and methodologies, with the intent that it may inform health researchers with an interest in Arctic health. The Inuit concepts of inuuqatigiittiarniq (“being respectful of all people”), unikkaaqatigiinniq (story-telling), pittiarniq (“being kind and good”), and iqqaumaqatigiinniq (“all things coming into one”) and piliriqatigiinniq (“working together for the common good”) are woven into a responsive community health research model grounded in Inuit ways of knowing which is shared and discussed.

The role of cultural heritage in the geopolitics of the Arctic: the example of Franklin’s lost expedition

Fennia - International Journal of Geography ◽

10.11143/fennia.98496 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Kim Pawliw ◽

Étienne Berthold ◽

Frédéric Lasserre

Keyword(s):

Great Britain ◽

Cultural Heritage ◽

The Arctic ◽

Sociocultural Perspective ◽

Historic Sites ◽

Canadian Identity ◽

Northwest Passage ◽

Conservative Government ◽

Inuit Knowledge

Sir John Franklin’s ships departed from Greenhithe port in Great Britain (1845) with the aim of discovering the Northwest Passage in what is now Canada. During their journey, both ships got stuck in ice near King William Island and eventually sank. Over time, searches were held in order to find both wrecks. More recently, under the Conservative Government of Stephen Harper (2006–2015) there was renewed interest regarding what is now referred to as Franklin’s lost expedition. Searches resumed and narratives were formed regarding the importance of this expedition for Canadian identity. This article is embedded in a sociocultural perspective and will examine the role that cultural heritage can play in the geopolitics of the Arctic while highlighting the process of ‘patrimonialization’ that the Franklin’s lost expedition has undergone during Harper’s term in office. Based on discourse analysis, it brings out the main narratives that surrounded the modern searches of Franklin’s wrecks which are related to history, national historic sites, mystery, diversity, importance of Inuit knowledge and information gathering. This article demonstrates that these narratives were intended to form a new Canadian northern identity and to assert Canada’s sovereignty over the Arctic.

Isumaqatigingniq: Building a Transformational Science Education Model to Engage the Next Generation of Inuit and Western Scientific Investigators

ARCTIC ◽

10.14430/arctic73779 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 74 (5) ◽

pp. 15-22

Author(s):

Martin T. Nweeia ◽

Pamela Peeters

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

High School Students ◽

Educational Program ◽

Ways Of Knowing ◽

Physical World ◽

The Arctic ◽

School Students ◽

Arctic Environment ◽

Inuit Knowledge ◽

And Mathematics

Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ), “the Inuit way of knowing,” and science each approach observation of the natural and physical world from shared yet different epistemologies. Studies that integrate IQ and science demonstrate the inherent value of using observations and findings from both to understand Arctic systems. Yet holders of IQ and scientists often do not fully comprehend the practice of the other because they think and approach observation and knowledge differently. Using the concept of Isumaqatigingniq, or “thinking together,” we will form an educational program, Isumaqatigingniq-Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, (I-STEM), that will highlight and integrate studies of the narwhal and the Arctic environment undertaken with contributions from IQ and science. Program outreach will target high school students from both Inuit and non-Inuit backgrounds. Understanding existing efforts that combine these knowledge frames will hopefully inspire future collaborations by these groups. Learning through I-STEM will better equip students to address scientific themes that design, optimize, and implement collaborative observation systems. Inuit and scientific research efforts are essential for a deeper understanding of the Arctic environment. Implementing an active educational program that engages high school youth to understand the value of incorporating these two ways of knowing will help foster a future educational environment of collaboration. The educational I-STEM model will bring a new Inuit perspective to formal scientific education programs and share perspectives of science and Inuit knowledge within Inuit educational programs. Isumaqatigingniq can continue growing, incorporating new perspectives on Arctic observations and knowledge.

Inuit Knowledge of beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) foraging ecology in Nunavik (Arctic Quebec), Canada

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/cjz-2015-0259 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 94 (10) ◽

pp. 713-726 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

K. Breton-Honeyman ◽

M.O. Hammill ◽

C.M. Furgal ◽

B. Hickie

Keyword(s):

Diet Composition ◽

Foraging Ecology ◽

Arctic Region ◽

Beluga Whale ◽

The Arctic ◽

Delphinapterus Leucas ◽

Hudson Bay ◽

Productive Area ◽

Inuit Knowledge ◽

Beluga Whale Delphinapterus Leucas

The beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas (Pallas, 1776)) is expected to be influenced by changes in the environment. In Nunavik, the Arctic region of Quebec, Nunavimmiut (Inuit of Nunavik) have depended on beluga for centuries, developing an extensive understanding of the species and its ecology. Forty semidirective interviews were conducted with Inuit hunters and Elders from four Nunavik communities, who had a range of 28–47 years of beluga hunting experience. Interviews followed an ethnocartographic format and were analyzed using a mixed methods approach. Hunters most commonly reported prey species from the sculpin (Cottidae), cod (Gadidae), salmon (Salmonidae), and crustacean families; regional variations in prey and in foraging habitat were found. Hunters identified significant changes in body condition (i.e., blubber thickness), which were associated with observations about the seasonality of feeding. The timing of fat accumulation in the late fall and winter coupled with the understanding that Hudson Bay is not known as a productive area suggest alternate hypotheses to feeding for the seasonal movements exhibited by these whales. Inuit Knowledge of beluga foraging ecology presented here provides information on diet composition and seasonality of energy intake of the beluga and can be an important component of monitoring diet composition for this species into the future. An Inuttitut version of the abstract is available ( Appendix A ).

Untold Stories: Indigenous Knowledge Beyond the Changing Arctic Cryosphere

Frontiers in Climate ◽

10.3389/fclim.2021.675805 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 3 ◽

Author(s):

Laura Eerkes-Medrano ◽

Henry P. Huntington

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Indigenous Knowledge ◽

Indigenous Peoples ◽

Mental Health Policy ◽

Well Being ◽

Systematic Investigation ◽

The Arctic ◽

Future Research ◽

Comprehensive Picture ◽

Scientific Attention

Scientific attention to climate change in the Arctic has spurred extensive research, including many studies of Indigenous knowledge and the effects of climate change on Indigenous peoples. These topics have been reported in many scientific papers, books, and in the IPCC's 2019 Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC), as well as attracting considerable interest in the popular media. We assembled a set of peer-reviewed publications concerning Arctic Indigenous peoples and climate change for the SROCC, to which we have added additional papers discovered through a subsequent literature search. A closer look at the 76 papers in our sample reveals additional emphases on economics, culture, health and mental health, policy and governance, and other topics. While these emphases reflect to some degree the perspectives of the Indigenous peoples involved in the studies, they are also subject to bias from the interests and abilities of the researchers involved, compounded by a lack of comparative research. Our review shows first that climate change does not occur in isolation or even as the primary threat to Indigenous well-being in the Arctic, but the lack of systematic investigation hampers any effort to assess the role of other factors in a comprehensive manner; and second that the common and perhaps prevailing narrative that climate change spells inevitable doom for Arctic Indigenous peoples is contrary to their own narratives of response and resilience. We suggest that there should be a systematic effort in partnership with Indigenous peoples to identify thematic and regional gaps in coverage, supported by targeted funding to fill such gaps. Such an effort may also require recruiting additional researchers with the necessary expertise and providing opportunities for inter-regional information sharing by Arctic Indigenous peoples. As researchers who are visitors to the Arctic, we do not claim that our findings are representative of Indigenous perspectives, only that a more accurate and comprehensive picture of Arctic Indigenous peoples' knowledge of and experiences with climate change is needed. Our analysis also reflects some of the SROCC knowledge gaps and the conclusions provide suggestions for future research.