Arctic Peoples

When Inuit Circumpolar Council , in 2009, released its  “Inuit Circumpolar Declaration on Arctic Sovereignty”, it was not making a statement of secession of an Inuit Nation or something like that. On the contrary, it was critically examining the concept of national sovereignty from the perspective of indigenous peoples’ right to self-determination, pointing out how, within evolving governance models and federations, sovereignties overlap and get divided “in creative ways to recognize the rights of peoples.”

When using the word sovereignty in their declaration, the ICC was effectively referring to another declaration, the ”Ilulissat Declaration” adopted at the Arctic Ocean Conference, in May 2008 by the five coastal States bordering on the Arctic Ocean, USA, Canada, Russia, Norway, and Denmark/Greenland. Read the rest of this entry »

The IPY Oslo Science Conference will be the largest polar science event to date! It will demonstrate, strengthen, and extend the International Polar Year’s accomplishments in science and outreach. The conference is an essential opportunity to display and explore the full breadth and implications of IPY activities. The international and interdisciplinary science conference will in particular highlight the global impact of the changes that have been observed in the Polar Regions.

The IPY-OSC steering committee received more than 2200 abstracts from 58 countries on deadline, however, as a courtesy to some partners, in particular Antarctic scientists returning from the field, the committee has decided to slightly extend the deadline until January 25, 2010.

Submit your abstract now!

PLEASE NOTE: PolarTEACHERS can still apply, and PolarCINEMA receives entries until 15th of February.

Read the rest of this entry »

At a meeting on July 27, the Council of the European Union approved a ban on selling of sealskin products within its member states. The ban will come into force in 2010. Canada and Norway find that the ban violates the World Trade Organization’s guidelines, and intends to challenge it at the WTO. Greenland’s Premier Kuupik Kleist and other Inuit leaders like ICC vice-president Violet Ford have criticised the ban for being incompatible with international agreements and human rights, whereas Mary Simon, President of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, spoke of a cynical and unjustified decision:

The seal ban is an abomination because it directly attacks cultures, communities, and livelihoods that represent a basic means of living for many here in Canada, using groundless accusations influenced by animal rights propaganda campaigns. And today we are witnessing the EU’s willingness to ignore its own trade rules and relations to please certain myopic self-interests while trying to claim some moral high ground—it doesn’t add up.

The disagreement between sealskin producing countries, subsistence hunting peoples and an EU influenced by animal rights opinions has been building up for a while. Earlier this year, at the Arctic Council Ministerial meeting in late April, the EU was denied status as Permanent Observer as the Arctic Council decided to continue discussing the role of its observers. EU reacted to this by sending only officials and no commissioners to the meeting in Tromsø, Norway. The Arctic Council decision also affected other applicants for permanent observer status - China, Italy and South Korea - and prevented them from becoming permanent observers.

eg

by Clive Tesar & Gunn-Britt Retter 

The Saami Council has given its annual book prize to the author of a children’s novel that contains some decidedly grown-up ideas. Elle Marja Vars was presented with the prize at a ceremony during the Saami Council ’s meeting in Unjárga / Nesseby, in Saami traditional territory in northern Norway.

Vars’ book (pictured here with the author) translates as “The World’s Laziest Man”. The book describes a man who lives simply, and only ever takes and uses as much as he needs. People from the Finnmark area, which is home to many Saami, are often described as lazy by people in southern Norway. Vars gently examines this idea, showing that her character is not really lazy, but a man who lives according to traditional values, who lives sustainably and leaves little impact on the land.

This is Vars’ second Saami Council book prize, as she also won in the category of ‘children and youth books’ two years ago.

by Clive Tesar

Reindeer herders from countries around the Arctic are meeting to trade knowledge and strategies for dealing with warming temperatures. The workshops are one branch of the Ealát Project, an initiative to look at the vulnerabilities of reindeer herders, and conduct research on how herders might adapt to climate change. Anders Oskal, Director of the International Centre for Reindeer Husbandry says,

“Independent of what’s causing climate change, it’s happening now so while others may be discussing the causes, reindeer husbandry and indigenous societies need to work out strategies on how to cope with this issues. This project is supposed to be a contribution to that.”

Oskal hopes that at least six workshops will be held, covering the main herding regions: The Saami region (northern Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Kola Peninsula); the four reindeer herding areas in Russia (Nenets, Yamal, Sakha/Yakutia, Chukotka) and Alaska (United States). The meetings will include people from a variety of different regions, so that they may share knowledge between them.
Read the rest of this entry »