‘Nangaghneghput – our way of life,’ by Vera Kingeekuk Metcalf published in Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment

“Siku, sea ice, remains the most real and powerful presence in our relationship with our world in the Arctic,” writes Vera Kingeekuk Metcalf in her latest article for peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. Vera serves as the Director of the Eskimo Walrus Commission and co-chairs the SEARCH co-production team dedicated to understanding the drivers and consequences of Arctic environmental change.

Vera continues, noting that sea ice “defines our seasons and activities. For instance, our sea ice is important even as it begins to break apart and retreat north. It calms the wind-driven ocean waves and provides the perfect platform for finding, harvesting, and safely retrieving seals and walrus.”

Vera’s article, published in early October 2021, encapsulates in lyrical and accessible language some of the profound changes being witnessed by Indigenous Communities across the Arctic—and centers the vital role of Indigenous Knowledge (IK) in addressing these urgent environmental changes.