IPY 2007-2008

Inuit have been keen observers of their environment for generations. Traditional knowledge and skills are passed down through generations through oral history and practice and are blended and incorporated into new knowledge and experience. Inuit intimately understand the Arctic landscape, including its variability and changes. Their knowledge helps them know when to travel, find food, be safe on the sea ice while hunting, and where to build shelters in the snow. So when the signs they have relied upon for their daily activities became less dependable, Inuit elders were concerned by the change.

Through the exhibit, SILAVUT Inuit Voices in a Changing World, learn about Inuit knowledge regarding sea ice, glaciers, snow cover, and arctic animals. Explore the environmental changes Inuit elders and hunters have witnessed in their lifetimes, as unpredictable storms and blizzards create problems for traditional weather forecasting, weakened sea ice poses dangers to regular travel, and changes in animal health impact the quality of community food resources and provide inferior skins for making clothing.

Find out how Inuit elders and hunters work with Dr. Shari Gearheard, a researcher who lives in the Inuit community of Clyde River, Nunavut to document their knowledge and to link that knowledge with science. See the results when scientific research and Inuit knowledge work together to help us understand more about climate change. Learn techniques of preserving oral history to research your own communitys collective knowledge about climate, the environment, and the way things used to be.