Arctic Day 2005

Canada celebrated Arctic Day 2005 with two firsts!

It is the first Arctic Country to host a United Nations Climate Change Conference and the first to celebrate Arctic Day at a UN Conference. “I wanted to bring the Conference to the Arctic,” Stéphane Dion, Minister of the Environment and President of the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2005 said.   “When it was not feasible I ensured that we brought the Arctic to the Conference.”

Arctic Day Won’t Leave You in the Cold!

In keeping with this promise, the opening ceremony warmed the hearts and minds of the audience with a traditional Inuit oil lighting ceremony from Cape Dorset, Nunavut. “I was born in an igloo and that’s the only source of warmth and light we had for months,” said Jose Kusugak, President, Inuit Tapirit Kanatami, Canada’s national Inuit organization.

The opening ceremony was followed by the Aklavik drummers who used traditional drums to pound out their determination to keep their cultures strong in the face of climate change. Canadian ministers and Arctic indigenous leaders had a common message about the impacts in the Arctic and how they are occurring twice as fast as the rest of the planet. The urgency to act was underscored by Minister Dion who said, “The Arctic is the roof of the world. There is an expression: You fix your roof in good weather … you don’t wait for the storm.”

The Earth has a Fever

Chickaloon Village Chief Garry Harrison, representing Arctic Indigenous organizations, presented the Arctic Indigenous Peoples’ Statement on Climate Change which challenged nations to recognize the impact of global warming on the Arctic environment and to accelerate actions on mitigation and adaptation. At the same time, he presented Minister Dion with a Tlingit hand-carved mask of Mother Earth weeping. Harrison said:  “When we get sick we have a fever. Mother Earth has a fever.” Minister Dion promised to share the Statement with all the delegates at the Conference.

Culture and Climate Change

Through personal accounts, scientific discussions, films and interactive displays, Arctic Day presented a clearer picture of how climate change poses a threat to the peoples, cultures and future of the North. A crowd of over 450 people and indigenous peoples from other parts of the Circumpolar North helped to  bring an international perspective to the day. There was a variety of learning events, indigenous stories, Arctic games and dances, and traditional foods throughout the day which included the Aklavik Drummers, Throat Singers and A Fashion Show with Modern and Traditional Inuit Clothing from Nunavut and Nunavik.

Aklavik Drummers and Dancers from the McKenzie Delta

Traditionally the Aklavik use both song and dance to recount legends, stories and prehistory at gatherings. Today this tradition is being passed on to the younger generations guided by their Elders who recognize it as an integral part of their culture. Several ‘motion dances’ showed how its revival bridges both young and old Aklavik Drummers and Dancers together.  

Throat Singers from Nunavik

Inuit throat-singing is a game Inuit women used to play to entertain their children during the long winter nights, while the men were away hunting. Two to four women face each other; one leads, while the other(s) take turns responding by imitating the environment, rivers, wind, animals and lullabies. The game becomes a friendly competition. The first to run out of breath or unable to maintain the pace of the other singer will start to laugh or simply stop and loose the game. The game generally lasts between one and three minutes. Over the past 10 to 15 years there has been a revival of the throat-singing among the younger Inuit generations which was almost all but forgotten by the 1970s.

Modern and Traditional Inuit Clothing from Nunavut and Nunavik

Two sets of designs were presented to honour the significance of the seal to Indigenous people’s lives and how it is being reintroduced once again into modern times. “The importance of the seal is important in our culture. It is the giver of life to us. My grandfather said – if it wasn’t for the seal I would not be here,” said Lisa Koperquluk, Communications Officer, Makkirik Corp. “ The seal gives us warmth heat, light and transportation through our sleighs. So remember if you are an animal lover. Remember so are we.”

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