Arctic Peoples

Nations around the Arctic are increasingly looking north for new sources of oil and gas. Some Indigenous Peoples are treating this interest as an opportunity. Others are not so sure.

“Oil and gas can promote the worst case scenario in dealing with government. The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act is a case in point. My community is 20 miles (32 kilometres) from a pipeline, but the (United States) federal legislation left native communities at a great disadvantage. We live 20 miles from a pipeline, but our community is impoverished. There is no direct benefit to our community while other governments are made rich. We have no running water in one of the richest nations on earth.”

Randy Mayo, Arctic Athabaskan Council , Alaska