Local Indigenous Perspectives on the Arctic

Unique to each, coastal communities rely on a variety of resources found in marine waters. And this dependence is a cultural foundation for Alaska Native communities. Traditional knowledge (TK) reinforces this dependence on and connection to these marine resources and the environment. Alaska Native communities, literally, prosper or struggle as the other does, together. This dependent relationship holds valuable insights for evaluating the impacts of development and could be a model applied to other ecosystems. Western science has information and knowledge, but TK is about completing our understanding; about applying the knowledge, or; about testing the knowledge. Lastly, the ability of Alaska Native communities to thrive culturally and to sustain themselves on traditional natural resources should be a fundamental measure for how healthy the Arctic ecosystem is.