The world is changing rapidly for the Inuit, becoming a place they no longer recognize. In some cases, they do not even have the language to describe what is happening to them – species are appearing that they have never seen before. Their food sources are disappearing. The weather is changing rapidly. The landscape is changing as well, with rising water levels and melting permafrost. Global warming is an environmental injustice against the Inuit and poses one of the greatest threats their culture has ever faced. Here are quotes from Inuit residents of Baffin Island and the Northwest Territories, telling their experiences in their own words:

“Global warming is getting stronger every year. In the past, when lakes freeze over with ice some people would be jigging for fish. Now it takes longer for lakes to freeze. There used to be ice that never melted. Now there are more of them melting due to earth warming up. It is not like it used to be.” –Pauloosie Nakoolak, Coral Harbour (Northwest Territories, Canada)

“It’s usually in springtime before the ice breaks up that a seal spends time basking on the ice. At that time they are going through the moulting stage. But if the ice breaks up early, then the moulting is incomplete; therefore the hair will be old and brownish in colour. I will know right away that the moulting phase was disrupted by early ice breakup.” –Inusiq Nasalik, Pangnirtung (Baffin Island, Canada)

“Right now the weather is unpreductale. In the older days, the elders used to predict the weather and they were always right, but right now, when they try to predict the weather, it’s always something different.” –Z. Aqqiaruq, Iglulik (Baffin Island, Canada)

“Long ago, there was always ice all summer. You would see the [multiyear ice] all summer. Ice was moving back and forth this time of year. Now, no ice. Should be [multiyear]. You used to see that old ice coming from the west side of Sachs. No more. Now between Victoria Island and Banks Island, there is open water. Shouldn’t be that way.” –Frank Kudlak, Sachs Harbour (Northwest Territories, Canada)

“When there is lots of ice, you don’t worry too much about storms. You get out there and travel in between the ice [floes]. But last few years there has been no ice. So if it storms, you can’t get out…” –Andy Carpenter, Sachs Harbour (Northwest Territories, Canada)

Click here to view Inuit Observations on Climate Change, a documentary produced by the International Institute for Sustainable Development.

Sources:

"Traditional Knowledge," by Susan Sang, WWF Arctic Bulletin, No. 304
The Arctic Climate Impact Assessment