NOTE: Issues range from 1996–2006. Contact information in earlier issues could be outdated. For current information, please contact the Alaska Native Knowledge Network, 907-474-1902.
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Observing Locally Connecting Globally:2003 Summer Institute for Educators June 10-25, 2003 Fairbanks, Alaska In communities around Alaska you hear comments like: "The weather is strange and unpredictable" or "Sea ice patterns are changing." These comments reflect Alaskans' observations and concerns about the effects of global change on their communities and lives. Join educators from around the state as they: * learn to use local/traditional knowledge as a basis for environmental studies; * use the GLOBE* curriculum to enhance student science skills and understanding; * learn some of the latest teaching techniques and current best practices in science education; * address science, math and cultural standards and * share ideas, strategies and perspectives. Who Anyone working with students is welcome. We are especially encouraging teams consisting of teachers, resource specialists and local experts in science or Native knowledge. Cost $100 credit registration fee. Partial to full grant support for travel and per diem on an application basis Credit 4 credits, UAF-NRM 595 or ED 595 Instructors Elena Sparrow, Leslie Gordon, Sidney Stephens, Guest elders and experts Information http://www.uaf.edu/olcg Contact: Martha Kopplin 474-2601 phone / 474-6184 fax mkopplin@northstar.k12.ak.us * Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment | |
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Observing Locally, Connecting Globally by Sidney Stephens:Well, the 20 teachers in the first Observing Locally, Connecting Globally (OLCG) class didn't have to imagine because just such a trip kicked off this two-week class. After a brief introduction to our captains and equipped with Howard's river map, topo maps and GPS receivers, participants boarded their boats. Before casting off, the captains each talked about the fickle, ever-changing nature of the Tanana. How its level is affected by hot weather but, unlike the Chena River, not much affected by rain. How sandbars and channels shift and change over night and over time. How banks crumble and ledges form due to erosion and permafrost. Once underway, each captain pointed out examples of these phenomena, intermingling navigational tips with personal reminiscences of their lives on the river. For example, Sam pointed out different riffles and what they might hide, but also shared barging stories like when the burnt skeleton of the Elaine G stuck out from a sandbar for years until the constant force of the river and ice dispersed it. Or when the ding, ding of the pilot's bell called all hands on deck to witness the historic passing of the Steamboat Nenana on its last run to Fairbanks. Wes talked about his childhood fascination with the river and about his grandfather's patient instruction to watch and remember everything. By paying attention to details and traveling the river over and over again, Wes mentally cataloged hundreds of river variables now used to interpret each riffle, sand bar, cut bank and eddy. Howard, too, has a mental map of the river but preferred to talk of people and places such as Lost Creek, so called because a bootlegger got lost in there and never came out, or Fox Farm itself where, as a boy, Howard skinned and tanned fox hides for the "Old Man." Traveling with these men, one was awed by their knowledge and confidence and intrigued by glimpses of the river as they know it. For them, the Tanana was clearly much more than part of the scenic view from the Parks Highway or a water body to be studied and measured. It was an integral part of each of their lives and stories. Sam Demientieff looks at a Landsat image with class participants. Jonas Ramoth discusses poisonous plants. So what kind of a course was this anyway and how did a river trip fit in? Good questions. Essentially, OLCG is a new project aimed at promoting global change education in Alaska by first engaging students in local environmental observations and monitoring relevant to their community and then connecting these investigations with a broader understanding of global change. We began this course for teachers with the river trip because the study of global change is, of necessity, the study of earth as a system-its interconnected atmosphere, water, soil and living things. Our three captains demonstrated an incredibly rich understanding of these inter-relationships as they finessed their way down the Tanana. They embodied the kind of long-term observation and systems-thinking necessary not only to navigate a dynamic river, but to monitor the local environment and connect to global change. Thus they set not only the tone, but the standard for the rest of our class, not to mention providing us with one heck of a great day on the river! Once back in class, we attempted to put these ideas of long-term observation and systems thinking into practice by focusing on the international GLOBE1 curriculum combined with the constant input of local experts like Dixie Dayo, Mary Shields and Elders Jonas Ramoth and Catherine Attla. This format was based on the belief that the linking of local knowledge with science instruction in schools is a mutually beneficial process that can only enhance both the cultural well being and the science skills and knowledge of students. For example, weather is one of the most critically-observed and mentally-cataloged phenomena in villages all over Alaska. Being able to observe and predict the weather is of critical survival value to people traveling on land or water. Weather extended to climate is also of critical importance when considering issues of global change. Consequently, we began our class focus on weather by first listening to Jonas and Catherine share their knowledge and perspectives. Then we honed in on and practiced specific GLOBE protocols for gathering atmospheric data (e.g. minimum/maximum temperature, snow/rain fall and pH, cloud type and percent cover) and for submitting weather data on the Internet. This same local/GLOBE format was followed for hydrology, land cover and soil investigations in hopes that participating teachers would then implement and extend such studies with their own K-12 students. And though we feel happy with OLCG's first attempt at merging Native knowledge with global change education, we realize that we have much to learn and that there is a long way to go before such teaching is either perfected or made prominent in most rural schools and communities. Luckily, the National Science Foundation funded this project for three years which will enable us to support teachers and students throughout the year, connect to related local and international projects and plan and carry out two more summer institutes. If you'd like more information on how you can be a part of this effort, please contact us: Sidney Stephens (ffss1@uaf.edu), Elena Sparrow (ffebs@uaf.edu or 474-7699), Leslie Gordon (lgordon@northstar.k12.ak.us) or Martha Kopplin (mkopplin@northstar.k12.ak.us or 452-2000 ext. 431). 1. The GLOBE curriculum (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) is an extremely comprehensive, well-tested and hands-on program in which K-12 students collect atmosphere, soil, hydrology, land cover and phenology data over time, entering it on the Internet for scientists and others to analyze and use. See www.globe.gov for more information. Howard Luke at the Fox Farm. Catherine Attla talks about having respect for everything. | |
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Observing Locally, Connecting Globally: 2002 Summer Institute for Educators:Observing Locally, Connecting Globally (OLCG) is a NSF-funded science education project based at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF). The goal of this program is to provide Alaskan teachers and students with opportunities to engage in global change research focused on the local environment and connected to larger issues of global change. Cost Partial to full grant support for travel and per diem to attend this institute is provided. Credit 4 credits, NRM 595 or ED 595 Instructors Dr. Elena Sparrow, Dr. Leslie Gordon and Sidney Stephens For more information or an application, please contact: Martha Kopplin Joy School 24 Margaret St. Fairbanks, AK 99701 456-5469 phone, 456-1477 fax mkopplin@northstar.k12.ak.us We invite you to participate in our third summer institute for teachers to be held in Fairbanks May 28-June 12, 2002. Participants will receive training and classroom support in the GLOBE curriculum (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment); current best practices in science education; the integration of local/traditional knowledge into environmental studies and collaboration with community and university scientists. Anyone working with students is welcome. Priority will be given to people whose participation will add to or create a team at their site. We are especially encouraging teams from rural Alaska consisting of formal and informal educators, local experts in science or Native knowledge, resource specialists or administrators. We are also interested in teams of urban educators working with a large number of Native students. | |
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One Among Others by Gail Pass:See children, fathers and mothers. Acceptance of who you are in a crowd in amongst us, not above on a cloud. The difference of one in a crowd can make, little bits of change, opportunities to take. Learn from me as I learn from you, allow lessons in life to change you. Individualize all, humble your heart, You generalize a nation, hatred you start. This hatred you breathe, fear and detest, born from the compounds of vanity at best. Tolerate us, a nation of all flavors, respect family, friends and neighbors. See yourself as one among others, See children, fathers and mothers. | |
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Online Survey on Distance Education:The Alaska Distance Education Technology Consortium and the University of Alaska are undertaking an extensive project to determine Alaska’s distance education needs. The first phase of the project is an online survey open to Alaskans of all ages, backgrounds and interests—whether for their school-age children or to continue their own education at any level. Please use the following instructions to complete the survey and urge others to do the same so our data best represents the needs of communities. How to Register 1. Go to http://ak.vived.com and click on the “Sign Up” link at the top. Or go directly to one of the choices in the “Use the Dashboard” box on the upper right side of the webpage if you determine that you are one of the following: • School User (teachers, parents, and general staff) • School Leader (principals, technology leaders, building technology coordinators) • District Leader (superintendent, district technology coordinators, etc.) 2. Fill in the registration information and click “Continue” at the bottom of the page. 3. If you haven’t already selected your role, then choose the role that best applies to you. 4. Choose the district or school that best represents you and click “Continue”. If you have trouble, just register as a district leader and choose a district. You can always change it later. 5. Join the “Alaska Distance Education Technology Consortium” group by selecting it from the pull down menu and click “Join”. 6. Sign in using your email and newly created password. How to Take the Survey 1. Sign in using your email and password. 2. Click the “Assess” tab at the top of the page. 3. Click the “Take Assessment” button for the ADETC Distance Education Survey Please note that you may have other assignments from other leaders in your state. If no assignments appear, then click the “Account Info” link and make sure you have joined the Alaska Distance Education Technology Consortium group. We hope this tool will be easy to use and will provide you and the Alaska Distance Education Technology Consortium with the analysis needed to inform key leaders from around Alaska. Please send us any comments or questions. We would like to hear what you think about the survey tool and way we can improve it. If you have questions, please email Sara Chambers at sarachambers@acsalaska.net. If you would like additional information about the groups behind this survey, check us out at http://adetc.alaska.edu and http://www.vived.com. The Dashboard is free for schools, districts and states to use for data collection and analysis, so use it for your own projects. Thank you for your interest, and we look forward to your input. | |
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Oral Traditional Knowledge: Does It Belong in the Classroom? by Esther A. Ilutsik:As local educators who are documenting the oral traditional knowledge of our ancestors and developing methods and means of bringing this information to our descendents through the public educational system, we are faced with many decisions that drastically affect the validity of this knowledge base that was once so fluid. Public schools represent a system that is foreign to the methods and means of transmitting this information in the past. We are constantly faced with decisions that affect how this knowledge will be passed on to our future descendents. Many of us local educators have been through the Western educational system and have been taught the pedagogy of that system. Many of us have taken this very method of instruction and infused our local traditional knowledge as a means of educating our own people about our traditional culture. But we continue to ask ourselves, "Is this the proper way to get our oral traditional knowledge passed on to our descendents?" Michelle Snyder shares a story using the storyknife while Nia White looks on. With questions like these always at the forefront of our minds we continue to document and develop materials for integration into the public educational system. With the adoption of the Alaska Standards for Culturally-Responsive Schools, we needto begin making critical decisions that will affect the types of oral traditional knowledge that can be integrated into the public school system and how this information will be taught. As educators we are always looking at how other local cultural groups are addressing these very difficult issues. On March 26-28, 2002, I had an opportunity to attend the Third Annual Native Hawaiian Education Association Convention at the Leeward Community College in Hawaii and present a workshop titled "Oral Traditional Knowledge: Does It Belong In The Classroom?" The session began with a brief introduction to Alaska with a special emphasis on the Yup'ik people of Bristol Bay, followed by a brief presentation on how traditional Yup'ik oral knowledge is documented and then presented within the classroom. This was followed with Michelle Snyder (my daughter), a ninth-grader from the Dillingham High School, presenting a paper on "Cultural Education in the Classrooms". This set the stage for those participating in the workshop session. Oral traditional knowledge-what is meant by that? Within the oral traditions knowledge was sacred. This knowledge encompassed all aspects of life from birth to death, including the natural world and environment. This knowledge in the past was forever flowing to fit the needs of that age and time. It was so fluid that it could be defined in regional and subregional terms. As N. Scott Momaday put it: Oral tradition stands in a different relationship to language. Words are rare and therefore dear. They are jealously preserved in the ear and in the mind. Words are spoken with great care, and they are heard. They matter, and they must not be taken for granted; they must be taken seriously and they must be remembered. Thus in the oral tradition, language bears the burden of the sacred, the burden of belief. In a written tradition, the place of language is not so certain. So the oral traditional knowledge of our people was sacred knowledge that was not passed down freely. It was passed down as the need arose with all the special circumstances in life that was lived and continues to be lived. In the past, the oral traditions of our people were not passed down to be documented and questioned, but rather it was passed down as the need arose and was practiced without question. Within the oral traditions knowledge was sacred. This knowledge encompassed all aspects of life from birth to death, including the natural world and environment. In this Western-influenced world we are constantly asked to categorize, so that we cannot simply say that the oral traditions encompassed LIFE, instead we need to be specific about the areas. The oral traditional knowledge that is collected and documented are the songs, dances, prayers, rituals, stories, limericks, medicinal plants, ceremonies, music, games, chants, relationship to animals, plants, water, fire and all living things and virtually everything that affects all aspects of the living. All this knowledge, so sacred to our ancestors' existence, is documented. Often, as local educators, we question within ourselves whether this is the proper way of preserving our knowledge. But we continue to document this knowledge and put it into the proper category for future reference. We document how traditional knowledge was passed down and in some cases attempt to replicate those very practices. We know that the oral traditions of our people were passed down within everyday activities. For example, they were passed down by engaging in a ceremony or participating in the evening ritual of purifying the sod homes, or doing certain rituals before the hunt or the gathering of wild edible plants. We know that many times, if our people needed to be reprimanded for an action or reminded of how one is to act, it was done through the oral stories that were shared within the sod homes or at the men's house. For there was a proper way of sharing this knowledge and passing it down. This knowledge was not studied but LIVED. We, as local educators, now take this very sacred knowledge and attempt to bring it into the public classroom using the Western methods that are the basis for the educational system that is presented to us today. In some instances we attempt to replicate certain practices by actually participating within traditional cultural settings, but even these cultural camps can be strongly influenced by Western teaching methodology. These circles of questions bring us again to the question, "Does oral traditional knowledge belong in the classroom?" This is what many of our local educators who are documenting the oral tradition of our people are asking themselves. Are we doing the right thing by documenting this knowledge and then making it available in written form to the general public for their use and judgment? How do we go about making sure that if this knowledge base is documented that it will be respected and understood by those of another cultural group? Whose responsibility is it to train our own local educators and those from another cultural group? How do we measure success in the understanding of the local cultural group? We leave you all with many questions that each regional group will have to ask of themselves. We did not come up with answers, but these will have to come from within ourselves through our own local people. [For further guidance in addressing these difficult questions, refer to the Guidelines for Respecting Cultural Knowledge available through the Alaska Native Knowledge Network] | |
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Our Clothing, Our Culture, Our Identity by Veronica Dewar:by Veronica Dewar, President, Pauktuutit Inuit Women's Association I would like to begin by thanking the organizers of this conference for giving me the opportunity to address you today. I would also like to acknowledge the many other Inuit women from Canada who are here with us. I am often the only Inuk at gatherings like this, so I would like to thank the British Museum for ensuring there was not only token representation of Inuit from Canada. Pauktuutit is the national organization that represents all Inuit women in Canada. There are approximately 60,000 Inuit in Canada who live primarily in the six Arctic regions: the Western Arctic, Kitikmeot, Kivalliq, Qikiqtaaluk, Nunavik and the north coast of Labrador. Pauktuutit was incorporated in 1984 to address a range of social and health issues that were not being addressed by other Inuit organizations in Canada. At that time, we were deep in negotiations of land claim settlements and other matters of national significance to Inuit. Our work has focused on the priorities of women, which have tended to relate to ending violence in our communities and restoring Inuit ownership and control of our culture, our wisdom and our futures. As the national representative of Inuit women in Canada, Pauktuutit regularly addresses issues related to traditional knowledge. As an example, Pauktuutit completed a major project on traditional child birthing and midwifery involving over 75 interviews of Inuit women and midwives describing over 500 births. Key objectives were to document and preserve this knowledge and to introduce it to the modern medical profession. I would like to share some personal experiences and perspectives on the importance of our clothing and designs to us as Inuit. I will then tell you about some of our recent activities, both within Canada and internationally, and what we hope to accomplish in terms of protecting our traditional knowledge and intellectual property as it relates to the amauti. The personal comments I am about to share with you first appeared in the Ottawa Citizen, a local daily paper in Ottawa, Ontario where I now live. Dixie Masak Dayo (Alaska) gave a presentation at the ACC titled "How Do We Heal?" featuring her story dress. The dress is about values and is a tribute to the Alaska Natives and her father who taught her a traditional education. When I was growing up in Coral Harbour, Southampton Island, traditional Inuit design was a natural part of my life; these were everyday garments. My mother had 13 children and she couldn't leave them to fend for themselves; she had to use the amauti to carry them. The amauti was always around. I even had one as a little girl to carry puppies in. The amauti has existed and been passed down from generation to generation. We couldn't afford to buy expensive clothes. The government social assistance we received was not enough. But my mother made caribou clothing for my father and brother. She made things from sealskin, use fox and wolf fur to protect the face from the elements and made mitts out of rabbit skin. Everything was made from skins from our surroundings. In a harsh, cold environment we needed these superb garments for survival. I remember looking through Sears' and Eaton's catalogues when I was about eight or nine back in the '50s. I really liked the big full skirts and the fur muffs. We wanted to buy the things we saw, but there was no way of making money to get them. In Coral Harbour, the priests would get boxes of secondhand clothes and we would look through them. We found sweaters and skirts and warm clothing, but nothing as nice as what we saw in the catalogues. My sister used to make me skirts. I remember a dress my sister made me with a big, full skirt and it used to swing around when I danced. When you are exposed to another culture, you get interested in new things. I went to school in Churchill, Manitoba and then in Ottawa. And I traveled overseas and was exposed to other cultures. I went back home at the beginning of the '70s and started working for land claims organizations as an interpreter. I started to question what I was doing. "Why am I not doing more to help my people?" I asked myself. "Do they understand their rights and what opportunities they have?" I got involved in local politics and I traveled around the North to different regions. I dressed mainly in Western clothes, but when I went back home, all my sisters sewed well and they would make me many traditional garments. I began to see the beauty in them: They were appropriate, warm and well designed, but beyond that they were part of our identity. In fact, they are really in demand now. More and more Inuit are wearing traditional clothes. Even some white people who move up North wear them now too. Also, you have to have a good salary to buy Western-style material, so sometimes it's easier to use caribou skins. You can wear them as reversible garments-one way with fur outside and one way with the fur inside. I think what some non-Inuit fashion designers have been doing with our designs is disrespectful. If they would see how they are really used up North, I believe they would think twice about how they're appropriating the designs. I've seen some non-Inuit try to sell their own version of Inuit design but it's often a distortion. For instance, a non-Inuit woman designed an amauti and normally the front is shorter than the back, which is longer and gives you room to move and keeps your legs warm from the back. But this lady made the back very short and started to wear it herself; she was selling them as authentic Inuit designs, but they weren't. When the Inuit women saw that, they said, "Why can't we stop that? It's misrepresentation and it distorts the very nature of it." It's sad, I think, because the garments-all pieces of the amauti, for example-have a meaning to them. The design is complicated. Every piece has a name; each section has a name and a purpose to it. For instance, with the amauti you can carry the baby in the back or if you want to breastfeed, you put your arms inside and you can roll the amauti backward to take the baby inside. If you distort that design, it becomes meaningless because you can't actually do any of those things. That is what it's all about. It would be best if designers consulted with us instead of just stealing our designs and patterns. We want recognition that these are our designs and we want to know what they are doing with them. It's part of a general recognition of Inuit culture and a way to increase awareness of our culture. We recently had the experience of a representative of Donna Karan, a major New York fashion designer, who came to the Western Arctic in Canada and was buying older Inuit garments. In some cases, she bought jackets off people's backs and went into people's homes specifically looking for older designs. She did not consult with Inuit on the purpose of her visit, nor did she tell people what she planned to do with the garments back in the United States. Pauktuutit learned of her visit when a journalist from Yellowknife called us to inquire whether we were aware of this situation. We were not, but were certainly concerned. Once we had an opportunity to learn more about the purpose of her trip to the Western Arctic-which is a very long trip from New York City-and her activities in our communities, we felt we had no choice but to intervene. We were very concerned that Inuit were being exploited because she took advantage of some of the less educated people there who did not know their rights. We wrote directly to Ms. Karan, outlining our concerns and the reasons for them as well as explaining our efforts to develop a legal mechanism that would recognize and protect the collective nature of Inuit ownership of our designs and other cultural symbols and property. We had hoped to get a dialogue going, but unfortunately, we have not received a formal response. We did learn that in response to calls primarily from Canadian journalists, Ms. Karan's media people stated clearly that it was not her intention to appropriate Inuit designs by including them in her lines. It was then that we learned that the garments that were purchased in the Western Arctic were on display in Ms. Karan's boutique in New York City, along with designs from other cultures around the world. I can only wonder if the people who sold their garments were informed of this and whether they would agree. We are no longer willing to be treated like artifacts in museums, and that includes our living culture that is embodied in our clothing and other symbols of Inuit culture such as the inukshuk, ulu and so on. I also have to wonder what the purpose of such a display is and how it relates to the business of a New York fashion designer. Who benefits? Unfortunately, I know that, in this case, Inuit have received no benefit, but beyond that may have been exposed to a grave risk of appropriation and exploitation of our traditional and contemporary culture and identity. This brings me to the major focus of my presentation. Currently, our designs are not protected legally. Existing legal protections such as copyright, trademark and industrial property do not recognize and protect the collective nature of Inuit ownership of our designs, including the amauti. These are legal mechanisms that were designed to protect the property of individuals within a Western legal system. The Arctic adaptation of Inuit has inspired some remarkable innovations and technologies. The modern world, however, has appropriated many elements of Inuit material culture without due recognition or compensation for the original creators. The parka and qajaq are obvious examples. The traditional boot, the kamiik, is now a trademark brand of outdoor footwear made by Genfoot. The "history" of the company makes no reference to Inuit even though they use an inukshuk as a logo. This exploitation of traditional knowledge, and the intellectual property that it encompasses, is not unusual among indigenous peoples around the world. It is now critical that we develop the tools and skills to protect our heritage and ensure that we benefit from any use of our traditional knowledge and cultural and intellectual property. The introduction of the wage economy is relatively recent in the North and the rhythm of life for many communities still revolves around traditional harvesting activities. There are many opportunities in the fashion and clothing industry and many Inuit women are very interested in business and employment opportunities related to Inuit clothing. But pro-active methods must be taken immediately to demonstrate and protect the links between traditional culture, modern commercial applications, traditional harvesting and utilization of resources and financial self-sufficiency. Wage labour and the market economy has introduced the alien concepts of privatization and commercialization to communally-owned property. The issue of prior informed consent for the ethical use of this property becomes critical. Indigenous people have the right to own and control their cultural heritage and utilize environmental resources in a holistic and sustainable manner. It is important that the participation of Inuit women in the modern economy be actively promoted and protected. For several years Pauktuutit has promoted traditional Inuit clothing designs and artistry. In 1995 Inuit fashion and clothing was showcased at the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Ottawa during the Winterlude festival and at the Toronto CNE. Southern consumers expressed great interest in the clothing and accessories at these two events. An economic development project entitled "The Road to Independence" has recently been completed. The objective was to assist Inuit women to take advantage of opportunities in the fashion and clothing industry by developing skills related to the design and production of traditional and contemporary garments intended for sale to southern consumers. The idea was to return ownership and benefits of the production of these garments to Inuit by cultivating an appreciation for handcrafted Inuit clothing. This can provide viable economic opportunities and financial independence for women that do not undermine the cultural integrity of Inuit communities. The project promoted employment through practical applications of traditional knowledge and skills as well as training to compete in retail markets that extend beyond their communities. Underlying principles included the transfer of skills to younger women by the Elders, community development and ownership and control of the benefits. The success of the project, however, can have a negative impact. Without clarification of the intellectual property rights involved, the amauti may go the way of the qajaq, parka and kamiik. Pauktuutit has been an active member of the Executive Committee and the Aboriginal Caucus of the open-ended working group on the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity in Canada. The Convention on Biological Diversity, and specifically Article 8(j) of the convention, offer an opportunity for indigenous peoples to better exercise their rights to control, manage and share the benefits derived from the ideas and innovations they have developed. Article 8(j) of the Convention calls for contracting parties to: . . . Respect, preserve and maintain the knowledge and innovations of indigenous peoples that are relevant to the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity; promote the wider application of such knowledge, innovations and practices with the approval and involvement of the holders of such knowledge and encourage the equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the use of such knowledge, innovations and practices. The convention will therefore serve as the cornerstone for Pauktuutit's work to protect the amauti. In that regard, we have recently achieved some success in obtaining funding to hold the first consultation with Inuit in Canada on how we wish to protect our cultural and intellectual property. We wish to consult with Inuit experts on the nature of collectively-owned property, and to explore the concept of the appropriate custodian for such a protection on behalf of all Inuit. Other questions we wish to discuss and obtain direction on include access and benefit sharing by individuals while respecting the collective ownership of cultural and intellectual property. I know personally of some Inuit designers who are currently struggling with the question of what their rights may be as an individual to personally benefit from the property and designs of all Inuit and our ancestors. Other questions we have identified and will be seeking answers for during the course of our project include: * What are the obligations of an individual who may benefit financially from using their own cultural and traditional knowledge as an Inuk, to their community and broader Inuit society? * Do Inuit currently have an informal customary intellectual property system in place? If so, what is the nature of the customary laws that relate to traditional knowledge and intellectual property and its appropriate use? * How does it relate to protecting the amauti as the collective cultural and intellectual property of all Inuit women in Canada? * Are there traditional rules about access and benefit sharing that can be applied in this contemporary context? As a result of our work over many years, we have been recognized as international experts by the World Intellectual Property Organization, which is beginning to address issues related to indigenous traditional knowledge and intellectual property rights. We participated in their second round table on the subject in 1999 and our work to protect the amauti is being looked at by indigenous peoples internationally as a precedent-setting project and is viewed as cutting-edge indigenous IPR work. Pauktuutit has also worked in association with the Indigenous Women of the Americas to develop a better understanding of the issues associated with craft commercialization and intellectual property. The Indigenous Women of the Americas is an association of likeminded indigenous women from throughout Latin and South America who come together when we can to address issues of mutual concern. In our early discussions with our colleagues in the Americas, we thought that issues of violence and personal and economic security would emerge as priorities for action. Instead, craft commercialization and the need to protect our traditional knowledge and intellectual property rights emerged as the first priority for indigenous women in the Western Hemisphere. As we began our work, we conducted a survey in 1997 among Aboriginal women in Canada to determine Canadian priorities and concerns. More recently, Pauktuutit helped organize an international training workshop on intellectual property rights and craft commercialization. The workshop was held in late April 1999 near Ottawa and was attended by indigenous women from throughout the Americas. The primary purpose of the workshop was to help women attain a legal understanding of the issues and to help them take economic control over commercialization of art designs. This is another example of Pauktuutit's commitment to promote the cultural heritage and economic conditions of women and positions Pauktuutit as the appropriate manager of a case study on the protection of traditional knowledge. In the spirit of Article 8(j), Inuit need the incentive to avoid an Arctic economy that exploits the environment. Our economy should respect our heritage and allow us to continue to use our traditional knowledge and resources in a sustainable manner. Protecting the intellectual property of our traditional knowledge will help achieve this end. Biological diversity can be conserved by conserving cultural diversity. As I said earlier, much of Inuit community life continues to revolve around traditional harvesting activities. Harvesting rights are guaranteed under the Nunavut, Inuvialuit and the James Bay and Northern Quebec agreements. An Inuit owned and controlled clothing and fashion industry that hinges on traditional knowledge, designs and motifs and the relationship to the harvesting and processing of furs and skins provide a multifaceted link to Article 8(j). I would also like to take this opportunity to inform you about events that are taking place even as I speak. In Ottawa, Canada, there is currently a hemispheric indigenous leadership summit. Indigenous traditional knowledge and intellectual property rights are being addressed as a priority issue within the context of globalization and the upcoming meeting in Canada of the Organization of American States (OAS). Inuit in Canada are determined that our rights must take precedence over hemispheric and international trade agreements that could negatively impact on our aboriginal rights. I understand delegates will be developing a resolution on the issue that will be presented to the member states of the OAS in April. Pauktuutit has also been actively involved in events leading to the World Conference Against Racism. We have been providing advice to the Canadian government as a member of their Aboriginal Advisory Committee and have also attended a recent intercessional meeting in Geneva that began negotiating the text of the declaration and plan of action that will be presented and discussed in Geneva. Traditional knowledge and intellectual property rights are priority issues for indigenous peoples around the world and it is no different for Inuit in Canada. Inuit have great things to offer the world. We are known internationally as diplomats and negotiators and have successfully negotiated three major land claim agreements in Canada. Inuit have a unique quality of harmony and consensus-building based on trust and mutual respect. We are more than willing to share these qualities with the non-Inuit world, as we are willing to share our unique culture with the world. But that relationship must be based on respect that is mutual and one that recognizes that we are the only owners of all the elements of our culture including our cultural heritage, traditional knowledge and our intellectual property. Thank you very much for your time. | |
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