NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region

Tags: climate change, traditional knowledge, human adaptation

Objective(s): The goals of this research project are: 1. Document and explain changes and variations in the transmission of environmental knowledge and land skills among community members in Ulukhaktok; 2. Identify the interconnections between the factors that affect or impede the transmission of environmental knowledge and land skills; 3. Draw key lessons for climate change adaptation policy and learning institutions in the Arctic.

Project Description: The licence is issued for the scientific research application # 941. The goals of this research project are: 1. Document and explain changes and variations in the transmission of environmental knowledge and land skills among community members in Ulukhaktok; 2. Identify the interconnections between the factors that affect or impede the transmission of environmental knowledge and land skills; 3. Draw key lessons for climate change adaptation policy and learning institutions in the Arctic. The goal is to obtain a sample size of approximately 80 individuals between the ages of 15 years and elders. Respondents will be compensated for their participation in the research according to the interview protocol accepted in the community. Narrative data will be collected from community members through, semi-structured interviews, structured interviews, and free-listing exercises. Interviews will be conducted at the convenience of the respondent and will be conducted in English, Inuinnaqtun, or Inuvialuktun. Semi-structured and free-listing interviews will be conducted with key informants (selected together with community partners), who have extensive experience participating in subsistence activities, to generate a list of 'important' land skills and related environmental knowledge. Structured interviews will be prepared on the basis of the results of the semi-structured interviews to compile data on the rates, modes, and nature of knowledge and skills transmission. The objectives of the interviews are to learn if a respondent has learned a particular skill, if yes, who was their major teacher, how did they learn this skill, how old were they when they learned the skill, and what factors help facilitate or slow transmission? This research requires the active engagement of community members in the research process including, research design, data collection, interpretation, and dissemination of findings. The communication of results to community members and to relevant stakeholders in the NWT will be ongoing throughout the research process. The research team (university and community researchers) will work with community and northern organizations to develop locally appropriate and effective methods for disseminating research results. Methods may include: reporting results on the local radio, household visits and individual communications, written plain-language report in Inuinnaqtun and English, CD-Rom, presentations to the community and at the school. A follow-up visit will be made to the community to discuss the research findings with community members and collect feedback on the research. Employment and training: one full-time research assistant, one Inuinnaqtun interpreter, and several (5-10) part-time youth research assistants will be hired to work on the research. There will also be opportunities for local research partners to co-author publications and to present at conferences and forums in Canada and internationally. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from January 05 to May 24, 2009 in Ulukhaktok.