NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: North Slave Region

Tags: social sciences, climate change, traditional knowledge, emergency response

Objective(s): To engage in collective intergenerational knowledge sharing and creation to produce a compelling series of communication tools; to contribute to adaptation plans for communities through an extended dialogue on emergency preparedness and management; and to gauge the level of services already existing in the communities, while assessing the investment that will be needed to meet the challenges of changing weather patterns and land conditions.

Project Description: The objectives of this research project are: Short Term: •to engage in collective intergenerational knowledge sharing and creation to produce a compelling series of communication tools; •to contribute to adaptation plans for communities through an extended dialogue on emergency preparedness and management; and •to gauge the level of services already existing in the communities, while assessing the investment that will be needed to meet the challenges of changing weather patterns and land conditions. Long Term: •to build capacity in the communities, by engaging young people in western research skills and traditional knowledge skills, to address climate change and impacts on community health in the Arctic; •to honor the tradition of emergency response, search and rescue that has historically been undertaken by First Nations, Inuit and Northerners and to ensure respect for their role, knowledge and experience in future emergency planning; and •to undertake research on this topic that is relevant to the needs, priorities and culture of Arctic peoples and to ensure that the results are documented and communicated in a manner that is of value and benefit to all Northerners and Canadians. Through a series of teleconferences, a dialogue will be initiated between Gordon Fellows who will act as mentors for high school students. These students will in turn be trained in both western scientific research skills and traditional knowledge participatory research methods before engaging with Elders. Through both video interviews and an on-the-land cultural camp, the intergenerational group will shape the process of inquiry and share knowledge and perspectives on the historical and contemporary context to climate change and community survival and adaptation. Institute for Circumpolar Health Research (ICHR) will serve as the headquarters for this initiative, along with the boardroom of the Dene Nation. The bush camp will be planned for a location to be determined in consultation with Elders and harvesters. The plan is for Institute for Circumpolar Health Research to manage this project in partnership with the Dene Nation and in cooperation with the Yellowknives Dene First Nation, high schools in Yellowknife and Nunavut, as well as Ecology North, Western Arctic Moving Pictures, and the Frozen Eyes photography club. With their focus on Arctic emergency preparedness and management, the Walter & Duncan Gordon Foundation and Munk School of Global Affairs will provide valuable expertise. Grand Chief and Assembly of First Nations Regional Chief Bill Erasmus has assigned Daniel T’seleie, Director Lands, Dene Nation, to work with Cindy Gilday of ICHR. Cindy will co-ordinate and lead this project. Two Gordon Foundation Fellows who are both Dene and live in Yellowknife will play key facilitation roles. In brief, the dissemination process will include: •The youth video will be shared with all the high schools that participated in the project and offered to educational boards who are interested. •The Elders/youth and research team will present research results and video to the Yellowknives Dene First Nations Council meeting in Dettah. •Youth will present the video to the Dene National Assembly and shared with any First Nations who are interested. •The Elders/Youth and research team will likewise present their video to the Munk School of Global Affairs, U of T/Walter & Duncan Gordon Foundation National consultation event in Yellowknife in November 2012. •Opportunities will be sought for Youth to present the video to national and International forums on Climate Change and Adaptation in indigenous communities in the Arctic and beyond. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from August 3, 2012 to December 31, 2012.