How Local Arctic Communities Are Preserving Culture Amidst Climate Change

For those of us living outside Arctic communities, melting ice has little effect on our daily routine. But for those who have made their homes within the Arctic circle, melting ice threatens their very existence.

Indigenous Arctic communities face a profound cultural transformation amidst climate change. The melting ice and rising sea levels are causing an alarming impact on their daily lives. Everything from spiritual rituals to basic necessities like gathering food, practices that have been around for thousands of years, face danger of extinction.

Despite these unprecedented environmental changes, Arctic communities are finding new ways to preserve their unique cultural heritage. They are taking action to lessen the effects of climate change and adapt to new ways of life. They’re not only preserving their culture but also helping to safeguard the planet’s fragile ecosystem.

The Arctic is a vast region that encompasses various indigenous cultures, each with their own traditions, languages, and beliefs. These communities have survived by living in harmony with the land and sea for generations. Hunting, fishing, and gathering have played significant roles both in survival and in the social fabric of Arctic communities.

ARCTIC COMMUNITIES: LIVING LIFE ON THE EDGE OF THE WORLD

The Arctic region spans the northern pole axis and spreads across North America, Europe, and Asia. This region has been home to many Arctic communities for millennia. Each one has unique cultural aspects and ways of life that have been shaped by the extreme conditions of the environment. 

Inuit Communities: Inuit are indigenous people who live in the Arctic regions of Canada, Greenland, and the United States. Their unique culture is tied to the land and the sea and have relied on both hunting and fishing for food and resources. The changing climate is affecting migration patterns of char and other staple foods. 

Sami Communities: The Sami peoples are located in Northern Scandinavia, including parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. Industrial development poses a major problem, affecting the ability for reindeer herders to maintain their herd, food resources and their way of life.

Chukchi and Nenets Communities: Both groups are indigenous to Arctic Russia. For indigenous groups in this region, melting permafrost is destroying much of their livelihoods. Buildings and roads that were once built on permafrost are sinking and crumbling. Melting ice also threatens coastal erosion that can wipe out entire camps.

IMPACTS OF MELTING ICE

Arctic communities are no stranger to harsh environments.These communities have thrived in the unforgiving Arctic environment for thousands of years, adapting to changing conditions with each generation. The melting of the Arctic ice poses a significant threat to these communities. After all, they’ve been used to cold temperatures, but never have had to face warmth.

CHANGING COASTS

One of the most significant impacts to these communities from climate change is melting ice. Rapidly rising sea levels have caused greater levels of coastal erosion. Many of the Arctic communities have made their homes close to the sea because that is where their food source comes from. Coastal erosion and rising sea levels threaten to swallow large swathes of land. 

In some cases, entire villages have already been lost to the sea, taking with them centuries of history, artifacts, and heritage sites. 

FOOD CHAIN DISRUPTION

Another significant impact from melting ice is the disruption of hunting and fishing practices. Warmer water temperatures and melting ice have affected migration patterns of fish and animals. These disruptions have made it difficult for some communities to sustain themselves. 

In some cases, as with the Inuit communities, many are choosing to relocate further south in Canada where food and resources are more readily available. But more readily available resources doesn’t exactly mean that they are the right resources. 

Many Arctic communities like the Inuit live off of a diet of almost entirely raw meat. Choices like char, seal, polar bear, and caribou are staples and eaten with a loaf of bannock bread. 

A community that has lived off this diet for thousands of years has developed a digestive system designed specifically for it. To move further south means to abandon both their home and cultural foods. 

CHANGING ECONOMIC LANDSCAPE

Melting ice is also contributing to broader social and economic changes in the region. As sea ice retreats, new shipping routes are opening up. The region is becoming increasingly more accessible to resource extraction and industrial development. 

For the Inuit communities, a once entirely indigenous region now sports caucasian faces. Some southern Canadian businesses have established branches among the Arctic communities, bringing with them all the “luxuries” of modern convenience. Simple things like white bread and even junk foods have been incorporated into some Inuit diets. 

And while junk food alone isn’t enough to untangle a deeply rooted Arctic community, it’s one step in that direction. Mixing of cultures can threaten the cultural heritage of indigenous tribes as they face pressure to adapt to new ways of life and with people who may not understand or respect their traditional practices. 

IF WE CAN’T PRESERVE THE ICE, LET’S PRESERVE THE CULTURE

Preserving the cultural heritage of Arctic communities is critical to keep their identity alive. Arctic communities carry a rich identity that isn’t found in any other region in the world. They’re a people known for inhabiting the uninhabitable, facing the harsh extremes of the earth, and maintaining an ecosystem very few have experience with. 

One of the primary reasons why cultural preservation of Arctic communities remains important is because of their unique identity. These communities have developed their own languages, customs, and beliefs that are closely tied to the environment. In the wake of the climate crisis, taking cues from communities that value the land is a must. If these cultures are lost, it could have devastating impacts on our ability to gauge the severity of climate change on the Arctic, as well as on the world’s cultural diversity as a whole.

It’s important to recognize the role that traditional knowledge and sustainable practices can play in fighting climate change. Many Arctic communities have developed sustainable practices that can mitigate climate effects. The use of dog sleds instead of snowmobiles that rely on fossil fuels and the use of renewable resources like whale blubber and seal oil are two major examples. These practices can serve as models for sustainable living both in the Arctic and in other regions of the world.

From a psychological perspective, preserving cultural identity can help these communities as they find themselves displaced from their homes or long standing traditions.

For some Inuits, taking to social media has been a successful way of preserving culture. Throat singing, or katajjaq, surged in popularity during the pandemic. This cultural practice was once used by women to pass time when men were away on long hunting trips. Difficulty during the pandemic caused members of these tribes to pull on a traditional practice as a way to cope. At the same time, it inspired the world to join in the preservation of the art. Throat singing has been a powerful way of introducing Arctic communities to the world. It’s also opening up the doors for cultural tourism opportunities to experience it firsthand.

One more reason to preserve the cultural heritage of Arctic communities is to recognize the injustices and human rights violations that these communities have experienced. Many Arctic communities have been subject to colonization, forced assimilation, and other forms of oppression that have threatened their cultures and ways of life. By aiding in the preservation of cultural heritage, we can acknowledge these injustices and work towards healing and reconciliation. 

Overall, the preservation of cultural heritage in the Arctic is crucial not only for the communities themselves, but also for the broader global community. It provides insight into sustainable practices that can help fight climate change while maintaining community resilience.  

STRATEGIES FOR PRESERVING ARCTIC COMMUNITIES

Preserving cultural heritage can be a challenging task as the climate rapidly changes. Local communities are working to ensure that the cultural identities of Arctic communities are protected and passed down to future generations. Some of these strategies include:

Oral Traditions: Oral tradition has been an integral part of Arctic community cultures for centuries. With the melting ice, many traditional hunting grounds, sacred sites, and cultural landmarks are at risk of being lost. Local communities are making an effort to document these oral traditions through books, exhibits, and documentaries.

Using Modern Technology: Social media and other technologies are increasingly popular among these communities. Sharing traditional songs, dances, ceremonies, and even explaining parts of their culture to the world help to create a platform that preserves cultural identity. 

Community Engagement: Some communities like the Nenets in Siberia are working with researchers and archaeologists to document and preserve their heritage. These communities are also working closely with the government to establish protected areas for cultural landmarks, hunting grounds and sacred sites. These policies also consider the reports of climate change-related impacts that aren’t immediately visible to non-Arctic communities.

Adaptation: Adaptation is a necessary strategy in cultural preservation. Changing with the environment has become a standard practice. The Chukchi community in Russia demonstrate this by hunting on land instead of ice. This helps to preserve the cultural hunting practices while moving with the changing environment.

Education: Education is arguably the most essential strategy for cultural preservation amidst climate change. Local communities are educating younger members about their culture and traditions to ensure their heritage continues on. Some communities, like those in Scandinavia, have taken to using tourism as a way to educate non-Arctic community members. Showcasing the beautiful sights of the Arctic circle while also warning against its destruction is a powerful way to inspire change.

These are only a few examples of strategies being used today. Arctic communities achieved some victories through sharing their cultural heritage with others and continue to do so through ecotourism and technology. 

Advocacy in government resulted in new policies establishing protected areas and creating sustainable practices to maintain clean water supplies. And for some communities, their expertise in harsh environments have led to scientific breakthroughs that can help mitigate climate change. 

THE FUTURE FOR ARCTIC COMMUNITIES

The future of Arctic communities remains uncertain. As temperatures continue to rise and melt the ice, these communities still face unprecedented challenges to their survival. Despite the progress already made, there’s still much to do.

We need the Arctic communities in our world. Not just for cultural diversity, but for their understanding of an extreme environment. These communities know and understand the Arctic circle. They know and understand the region’s ecosystem. As we look toward solutions to the climate crisis, we must look to the people it’s affecting the most. We must partner with the Arctic communities not only to preserve their culture, but our own as well.