an Inuk youth perspective at the Arctic Circle Assembly

Reykjavík, Iceland — October 15–21, 2023 — published 10/26/2023

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

The rain seems to have followed me from Reykjavík. So has COVID-19 it seems, as I sit and rest with just enough energy to muster a blogpost about my week at the Arctic Circle Assembly. Thankfully I wasn’t sick while abroad, otherwise this would have been an entirely different story.

So, what is the Arctic Circle Assembly (ACA)? The ACA is the “largest annual international gathering on the Arctic,” hosted by the Arctic Circle in Reykjavík, Iceland. The Arctic Circle in this context is based on “international dialogue and cooperation on the future of the Arctic and our planet” (Arctic Circle, 2023). The Assembly welcomes over 2000 participants of all backgrounds from over 60 countries, entertaining roughly 200 sessions in the forms of panel discussions, workshops, and presentations. Indigenous leaders, students, government and state representatives, experts, scientists, environmentalists, and activists attend the annual assembly. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to play a role in this years assembly with the support of the Gordon Foundation, the Arctic Mayors’ Forum, and Global Affairs Canada.

I actually attended the ACA after meeting and creating Arctic policy recommendations with fifteen other youth from across the Circumpolar North (Canada, Alaska, Kalaallit Nunaat, Sápmi, and Iceland). We gathered for two days prior to the ACA to share our experiences from our homelands and communities across the Arctic (sub-Arctic for me) to inform policy recommendations on keeping next generations of leaders in the Arctic. We used our own expertise to brainstorm priority areas for recommendations and our collective knowledge to create tangible solutions. As is life in the Arctic, everything is connected. We decided to split into three areas of importance: Culture and Community, Sustainable Development, and Holistic Wellness to simplify and clarify our policy recommendations.

We are still experiencing colonialism, oppression, and exploitation in the Arctic. We are determined to act now for ourselves and for next generations to ensure that what happens in our communities is led BY us, FOR us. We have the right to make decisions and to be part of decision-making processes, to either participate or step back, and most of all, to provide informed consent to the goings-on in our communities. The creation of policy recommendations advances our voices one step further, but it is important to keep the pressure on governing bodies to ensure they aren’t disregarded or forgotten. It is important for all of us that our policy recommendations are respected and implemented. We have already begun sharing with our networks, organizations, leaders, and decision-makers. We also need you, our governments, and those who claim to care for the Arctic to implement them as well.

Our first public session about the hackathon was at a panel discussion at the Assembly, shared by team members Kristen Tanche, a Łıı́d́lıı̨ ̨Kųę́ ́First Nation, Dehcho Dene of the Northwest Territories, Canada and Sámi youth Brynjar Andersen Saus of Sápmi/Tromsø, Norway. They discussed the importance of the hackathon, our progression, and what it means to them to share with other Arctic leaders, officials, and experts. Those in attendance were lucky to be there and to hear what Kristen and Brynjar had to say.

Kristen, Brynjar, and Lotta Hagelin of Sápmi/Helsinki, Finland wrote the introduction to our policy recommendations, including this beautifully succinct piece:

Our future is dependent on young people in the whole region taking on leadership roles. The next generation must guide the development of the Arctic in a sustainable way such that we respect and honor the existing natural and cultural values, while at the same time creating opportunities and contributing to solving the biggest challenges facing our societies and the world at large. We believe that diversity and inclusion are the cornerstones to keeping and recruiting the next generation of leaders in the Arctic. We live in the Arctic because of our traditional and professional livelihoods, and culture. We want to live in areas where we can practice and be immersed in our culture and share it with others. We feel a connection to community, family and our ancestors. We feel immense emotions about the North, a place where we feel seen and that is an integral part of our identity. We are proud of being Northerners and feel a sense of responsibility for the North that is rooted in the continuation of practicing and sharing Arctic and Indigenous cultures. The Arctic is where we are motivated to make change and feel that we have room to grow. This is our home where we want to live, create, and exist.

(Content warning: suicide)

During my time in Iceland and since I’ve been back in Ottawa, two young women in my community died by suicide. Some things felt irrelevant during the Arctic Circle Assembly with everything that’s going on. To me it also accentuated the need for Inuit and Indigenous peoples across the Arctic to have the autonomy and respect to lead our communities in ways that are relevant, to support our communities the way we see fit, and to exist in ways that are both healing and peaceful.

There are many takeaways that I am grateful for. The most impactful one for me came from Aluki Kotierk, Lisa Koperqualuk, and Sara Olsvig during their panel discussion titled Indigenous Knowledge Systems and International Fora: An Assessment of Progress. It was during this panel that I felt seen, heard, and valued. I have been cynical (for lack of a better word) lately because I feel like I am just repeating myself over and over to no avail. I sometimes feel like my advocacy for climate justice and social change is just me shouting into the void. I started my trip in Iceland feeling activism fatigue, hopeful for a shift in my mindset. Aluki, Lisa, and Sara responded to my question about this, in which they pointed out that 5, 10 years ago, things were different than they are today. In 5 or 10 years time, things will be different again. Things will be different BECAUSE of the work that we are doing today, not in spite of it. They also said they are often repeating themselves like a record, but that our voices and our presence is needed. Our influence is needed, and that if we keep looking forward we will one day have the chance to look back and see how far we’ve come. They reminded me to assert myself and to utilize legal/formal ways of asserting Inuit and Indigenous rights when the other side makes it seem as though they don’t exist. They also said that “these are the centres where knowledge systems are produced. It is extremely important that these centres see that there are different types of knowledge,” and “Had I not made comments, there would have been a huge void and change wouldn’t have happened.”

It was exactly what I needed to hear.

Other notes, ideas, and takeaways from the trip:

• We must recognize the voices who have a lot to contribute but cannot attend these events for whatever reason, including people who have children without childcare, those who cannot afford to travel, those who are responsible for family members and others, those battling mental illness, and so many others. The voices in the room aren’t the only voices who need to be heard.
• Paradigm shifts are needed in these settler spaces: our hunters, seamstresses, Elders, caregivers, language speakers, and community members are also masters and experts in their own right (not just those with a degree from a colonial institution).
• At one point, I asked Robert Sinclair (Senior Arctic Official and Director General, and Arctic, Eurasian and European Affairs, Government of Canada) if he thought about Indigenous peoples in his work, to which he said no. How can we/I assert pressure in the right ways to get our message across? How to deal with white fragility, where the other person either consciously or subconsciously makes it about themselves?
• We can’t continue by only prioritizing western/settler education.
• Within many Inuit and other Indigenous communities, trauma-informed approaches are needed.
• “Success” ≠ leaving your hometown.
• Inuit knowledge is community-based and community-focused.
• We need supports for people like me and the others in the room who are advocates for change in a world with slow, colonial systems.
• We need Arctic Indigenous people in decision-making spaces that affect us at all levels, all over the world.
• Climate change impacts Indigenous people disproportionately compared to non-Indigenous people.
• Being an ally is more than saying you’re an ally, it’s action and commitment.
• Question: can we create Arctic policy recommendations with non-Indigenous people?
• [on living in the Arctic]: I would rather speak my language than have a job.
• What are our (cdn) federal government workers doing to fill the gaps in terms of Indigenous-led and youth-led policies?
• ^Do they think of Indigenous peoples when they create or alter policies?
• A settler mansplained “empathy” to me. Bye.
• White people who say they are “looking to hire” Indigenous people often say that year after year, but it doesn’t mean anything unless they actually do what they say.
• Lisa: “Indigenous knowledge is seen differently by scientists, researchers, and even Indigenous peoples, too. Indigenous knowledge is a science. Traditional knowledge exists but it is within Indigenous knowledge.”
• We must hold our elected officials accountable.
• I feel that my generation/younger generations aren’t taking shit anymore. We don’t have time, energy, or patience for white fragility and white supremacy.
• Not all recommendations apply to everyone, but to keep leaders in the Arctic we need to focus on areas in need of support so we can have equal footing. How can we tend to or act upon those supports with everyone involved?
• There are so many priorities for our communities, how and where do we even start? (Hint: for me, right now, I am going to eat soup and nap. Covid sucks.)

…ok, taima. Nakummek if you read this far. Our policy recommendations can be accessed here. Please read, share your thoughts, and use your voice as well ❤.

Until next time,

Megan

chilling on the rainbow road, just vibing as a queer Inuk woman :) :)

New friends and policy nerds from this year’s hackathon (I love you all!!):

Alma Linke Nilsen (Luleå, Sápmi/Sweden) Ashley Rae Carvill (Carcross, Yukon, Canada) Brynjar Andersen Saus (Sápmi/Tromsø, Norway) Eline T.O. Evjen (Bodø, Norway) Gabe Canfield Kungunna (Kingikmiut, Alaska, USA) Galadrielle Pommereau (Reykjavík, Iceland) Jesse Rousu (Oulu, Finland) Kristen Tanche (Liidlii Kue/Fort Simpson, NWT, Canada) Lauren Leadbetter (Fairbanks, Alaska, USA) Lily Maniapik (Nunavut, Canada) Lotta Hagelin (Sápmi/Helsinki, Finland) S. Maggi Snorrason (Reykjavík, Iceland) Megan Dicker Nochasak (Nain, Nunatsiavut, Canada) Nils Joel Partapuoli (Sápmi/Årosjokk, Sweden) Nukarleq Ivalo Jeremiassen (Aasiaat, Greenland)