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How to assess the Arctic from an Inuit perspective.
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INUIT CIRCUMPOLAR COUNCIL-ALASKA ALASKAN INUIT FOOD SECURITY CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK: HOW TO ASSESS THE ARCTIC FROM AN INUIT PERSPECTIVE SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS REPORT
All information and concepts within this report are the product of a collaborative effort among 146 contributing authors (all Indigenous Knowledge (IK) holders), the project’s Food Security Advisory Committee and the Inuit Circumpolar Council-Alaska. This project has been managed and facilitated by the Inuit Circumpolar Council-Alaska’s Indigenous Knowledge/Science Advisor Carolina Behe. The final report was prepared by Carolina Behe in collaboration with the project’s Food Security Advisory Committee members and contributing authors. Information and concepts from this report should be cited as: Inuit Circumpolar Council-Alaska 2015. Alaskan Inuit Food Security Conceptual Framework: How to Assess the Arctic From an Inuit Perspective: Summary Report and Recommendations Report. Anchorage, AK.
This report and associated materials can be downloaded for free at iccalaska.org.
Graphic design/layout by Northwest Strategies.
Food Security Project advisory Committee members:
Myron Naneng, Indigenous Knowledge Holder, Julie Raymond-Yakoubian, Cultural Denali Whiting, Youth Representative for the President of the Association of Village Council Anthropologist, Social Science Program Director Northwest Arctic region. Her home community is Presidents. His home community is Hooper Bay, for Kawerak, Inc. She resides in Nome, Alaska. Kotzebue, Alaska. Alaska, and he resides in Bethel, Alaska. Malorie Johnson, Youth Representative for the Qaiyaan Harcharek, Iñupiaq Hunter and Cultural Tim Andrew, Indigenous Knowledge Holder, Bering Strait region. Her home community is Anthropologist for the North Slope Borough Natural Resource Director for the Association Unalakleet, Alaska. Department of Wildlife Management. His home of Village Council Presidents. His home community is Barrow, Alaska. community is Marshall, Alaska, and he resides in Percy Ballot, Indigenous Knowledge Holder, Bethel, Alaska. Buckland Tribal Council President, Maniilaq Nicole Kanayurak, Youth Representative for the Association. His home community is North Slope Arctic region. Her home community Vivian Korthuis, Indigenoust Knowledge Holder, Buckland, Alaska. is Barrow, Alaska. Vice President of Community Development for the Association of Village Council Presidents. John Goodwin Sr., Indigenous Knowledge Holder. Her home community is Emmonak, Alaska, and His home community is Kotzebue, Alaska. she resides in Bethel, Alaska. Austin Swan Sr., Indigenous Knowledge Suzanne Heckman, Youth Representative for the Holder. His home community is Kivalina, Alaska. Yukon-Kuskokwim region. Her home community is Pilot Station, Alaska.
Inuit Circumpolar Council-Alaska Tel. +907 274 9058 3900 Arctic Blvd., Suite 203 Fax +907 274 3861 Anchorage, AK 99503
Photo courtesy of Chris Danner
George J. Berry Walter A. Johnson Benjamin Payenna Nancy Walunga Julia Bill Alice Grace Julius Frances Pete Sr. Willis Walunga Mildred Black Rose Julius Fred Pete Sr. Raymonds Waska Sr. Annie Cleveland John A. Lamont Leslie O. Sampson John J. Evan Peter P. Martin Sr. Elmer Seetot Jr.
AC K N OW L E D G M E N TS Department of Health and Social Services, North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management, Northwest Inuit Circumpolar Council-Alaska is grateful to the Tribal Strategies, Pilot Station Tribal Council, Shungnak Tribal Councils for providing feedback, logistical planning and Council and Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center. support throughout this project and to the contributing authors listed. We are also grateful to those individuals who chose not to be listed but continued to provide information Thank you to the note-takers, language interpreters and and review of the project. photographers: Angie Whitman, Alvira Downey, Barbara Inuit Circumpolar Council-Alaska wishes to thank the Diane Wasuli-Dock, Doris Mute, Elizabeth Cravalho, project’s Food Security Advisory Committee for their Freida Moon-Kimoktoak, Grant Ballot, Heather Dingman, guidance and information provided throughout the project Jeffrey Egoak, Joann S. Andrew, Josaphine Sampson, Julie and for the contributions provided to this report. Raymond-Yakoubian, Kevin Bartley, Kevin Jernigan, Maija Thank you to the funders of this project: Alaska Native Fund Michelle Durant, Millie Stalker, Nicole Kanayurak, Nicole at Alaska Conservation Foundation, Arctic Slope Regional Ranklin, Pauline Harvey, Robert Suvlu, Sharon Rodgers Corporation, Calista Corporation, ConocoPhillips, and Virginia Charlie. Regional Corporation, North Slope Borough, Northwest Thank you to everyone who provided photographs for this Arctic Borough, Norton Sound Economic Development report. Your photos assist in demonstrating what Alaskan Corporation, Oak Foundation and World Wildlife Fund. Inuit food security is: Amos Oxereok, Jackie Cleveland, Maija Lukin, Mary Sage and the North Slope Borough. Thank you to the organizations that provided important, invaluable in-kind contributions: Alaska Commercial During this project we lost three Elders who served as Company, Alaska Native Fund at Alaska Conserative contributing authors and/or provided invaluable guidance Foundation, Association of Village Council Presidents, during the project. We are humbled by their knowledge and Atmautluak Traditional Council, Bering Air, City of thankful for their generosity in sharing information. Quyana, Emmonak, Hanson Trading Company (Safeway), Iñupiat Chief Paul John, John J. Evan and Mike Andrew Sr.. Heritage Center, Kawerak, Inc., Kobuk Clinic, Lower Kalskag Tribal Council, National Park Service, North Slope Borough
Photo courtesy of Jacki Cleveland
List of Figures Figure 2. Changes in sea ice coverage, thickness and formation: cumulative impacts on Figure 3. Interconnecting drivers surrounding walrus within a given time
“Food is a lifeline to the community.” “We have a duty and responsibility to “We should have the right to take care take care of what is around us. When we of ourselves.” “All of the plants, all of the animals, no longer use these things, they are no the water, the air, the land is all of what longer available.” “How can we let the state (Alaska) or feds we are. … It is who we are. This is our (federal government) know that we are understanding. People making decisions “If we don’t take care of our food to share capable of regulating our food source?” have a different understanding.” with widows and Elders that cannot hunt, we will lose it all.” “The animals are searching for food, just “It is all connected. … You cannot know like we are.” what is happening within a community, “There are so many regulations up here, without knowing what is happening to the and we have our own regulations. To come “When you look at the value of food, seal, or the ice. …” in here with disregard (our regulations) there is a spiritual connection. … This is not right. They need to work with us connection is to respect our life, land, “ The ice connects us all. … Upriver to under our laws and our culture. When water and animals. This is a big part. the coast.” outside agencies don’t work with us, Think of the respect for our animals and they are breaking our rules/laws. Our how they are handled and how there are knowledge pre-dates them.” feasts for our first catch and how women handle the preservation. … This is all done with respect.”
All quotes provided by contributing authors during semi-directive interviews, community meetings, and/or regional food security workshops.
“Without whales where would we be? We “The beavers have put dams all the way “All of this is important, but I don’t see would be nothing.” along the river. They are controlling the anything changing unless the nations “Without seals we would be nothing.” water pulls and controlling where fresh change their behavior first. With all “Without fish we are nothing.” water comes in, impacting where the of the stuff going into the atmosphere, Imangaq lay its eggs. it is becoming too warm. Our berries “I want my son to have that first catch, are cooking around the village and to be able to give to the Elders, to The beaver has come in and changed the becoming skimpy. Our food sources are become a provider.” migration and cut off all the fish, the white becoming inconsistent.” fish, the pike, and so on. This is also killing “Emmonak is a slough leading to the the trees. Because the plants and trees “Tradition and culture is important from Bering Sea. This is one little river that has that line the river are being flooded out or the very beginning that we come into been drastically altered due to the increase not being fed. In this area there was once this world. We start with a month of in beaver. This one little river is of huge many, many rabbits, but no more, because celebrating. We gather and share. This importance to the people of Emmonak they have no food. The ptarmigan also is part of our religion, our spirituality. It
streams are made that lead to the river. no longer there. The renewable resources consuming food] is our religion. We This is how Imangaq (Can’giiq) [black fish] that have been there for many years are no have to do it. We must continue. It is a make their way into the river to lay longer there.” culture we have to pass from generation its eggs.” to generation. We need it without “The beavers are increasing across the interference from outside.” “Here, Imangaq are very important to coastline. Their predators are forgotten. us, and when a child first catches their We no longer hunt them for their fur. We first Imangaq, they give it to their Elders. no longer have a right to choose what we They know of sharing, of respect, of who hunt and how to use the parts of animals. they are.” When we lost the beaver fur market, the era of food stamps came in and the role of man changed.”
Photo courtesy of North Slope Borough
E X E C U T I V E S U M M A RY The objectives for the project were clear from the beginning – define food security, identify what the drivers (or causes) of Drastic changes are occurring within our world. We are on food (in)security are, create a conceptual framework and the forefront of these changes. We have lived here for provide an assessment process to determine Alaskan Inuit millennia and have grown and changed with all that is food security. What resulted is something much more. As we around us. All that is around us physically and spiritually came together through community meetings, one-on-one and nourishes us, and our culture reflects the Arctic because we group interviews, regional workshops and numerous are part of this ecosystem. conversations, we realized that the drivers of our food security are all the same and that what make up food security within With these rapid changes comes the need for holistic each of our identities, villages and regions is the same. information based on Indigenous Knowledge (IK) and science. With this understanding, we brought our concerns A Project Led by Alaskan Inuit regarding the impact of Arctic changes on our food security to forums throughout the Arctic. Through these Over a three-and-a-half-year period, a group of IK holders, conversations, it quickly became evident that we were regional youth representatives and two cultural anthropologists referring to something different than those we were holding acted as the Food Security Advisory Committee. The Committee the discussions with. guided ICC-Alaska through the development, implementation and analysis of information gathered. The final products of the We have often heard people within academia, policy and project are the result of 146 Inuit contributing authors – a title management speak to us of nutritional value, calories and fitting for those who provided all concepts, philosophies and money needed to purchase food. All of this is important, but recommendations that have come out of this project. not what we are talking about when we say food security. We are speaking about the entire Arctic ecosystem and the relationships between all components within; we are talking about how our language teaches us when, where and how to obtain, process, store and consume food; we are talking about the importance of dancing and potlucks to share foods and how our economic system is tied to this; we are talking about our rights to govern how we obtain, process, store and consume food; about our IK and how it will aid in illuminating the changes that are occurring. We are talking about what food security means to us, to our people, to our environment and how we see this environment; we are talking about our culture.
From the realization that we need to fully share what our food security means within the Alaska Arctic, this project was born. There has been a lot of positive work completed and ongoing to increase academic and governmental Photo courtesy of Jacki Cleveland understanding of food security. The outcomes of this project come directly from us, Alaskan Inuit, to share what our food security is, how to assess changes occurring and how to move forward in a way that will strengthen our food security.
Alaskan Inuit food security is the natural right of all Inuit to be part of the ecosystem, to access food and to care-take, protect and respect all of life, land, water and air. It allows for all Inuit to obtain, process, store and consume sufficient amounts of healthy and nutritious preferred food – foods physically and spiritually craved and needed from the land, air and water, which provide for families and future generations through the practice of Inuit customs and spirituality, languages, knowledge, policies, management practices and self-governance. It includes the responsibility and ability to pass on knowledge to younger generations, the taste of traditional foods rooted in place and season, knowledge of how to safely obtain and prepare traditional foods for medicinal use, clothing, housing, nutrients and, overall, how to be within one’s environment. It means understanding that food is a lifeline and a connection between the past and today’s self and cultural identity. Inuit food security is characterized by environmental health and is made up of six interconnecting dimensions: 1) Availability, 2) Inuit Culture, 3) Decision-Making Power and Management, 4) Health and Wellness, 5) Stability and 6) Accessibility. This definition holds the understanding that without food sovereignty, food security will not exist.
From here on, this is what we are discussing when we say food security.
A summary report and technical report have been created from this project. The summary report was created for those who are looking for a quick glimpse at what food security means to us, what it means to apply a food security lens to assessments and recommendations for strengthening food security. For a deeper understanding and more in-depth discussion, a technical report has been created. Within both reports you will find: 1) recommendations, 2) key barriers, 3) the Food Security Conceptual Framework, and 4) drivers of food security and insecurity.
Photo courtesy of Jacki Cleveland ALASKAN INUIT FOOD SECURITY CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
Following the introduction of this report, we present the project. The recommendations may include components that are Alaskan Inuit Food Security Conceptual Framework. The familiar – points that we have made for many years. Through framework is the product of semi-directive interviews and this report, we have another opportunity to express the need for analysis of information conducted through community particular actions, to define how we are involved in research, meetings, regional workshops and at times with assistance of management and policymaking and to lay out what is needed to computer software to pull out themes. These themes were support our culture and overall food security. further analyzed and evaluated through regional meetings. During this process, IK holders and the project’s Food Security We expect the results of this project to be useful to multiple Advisory Committee provided continuous guidance, feedback audiences, such as national decision-makers developing policies and direct involvement in the development of the conceptual and programs to ensure community-level food security and framework. The framework provides an understanding of all the the support of ecosystem resiliency through disturbances; components that make up our food security and further begins local Indigenous organizations in communicating with outside to demonstrate the relationships that exist between all that is in interests, such as mining companies or environmental the Arctic. organizations; and international institutions, such as the Arctic Council, that are interested in understanding the Arctic and the To discuss Alaskan Inuit food security, it is important to changes that are occurring. Though this report is the product of understand the connected nature of the Arctic. To aid in Alaskan Inuit, it is hoped that Indigenous Peoples from across illustrating this point, we provide two conceptual maps that the Arctic will find it of use. demonstrate connectivity, cumulative impacts and shows how to apply a food security lens to understanding the Arctic.
The report ends with recommendations to strengthen different parts of our food security. Additionally, we provide a list of key barriers identified throughout the process of completing this
Photo courtesy of Maija Lukin
Photo courtesy of Jacki Cleveland
Indigenous Knowledge Indigenous Knowledge (IK) is a systematic way of thinking applied to phenomena across biological, physical, cultural and spiritual systems. It includes insights based on evidence acquired through direct and long-term experiences and extensive and multigenerational observations, lessons and skills. It has developed over millennia and is still developing in a living process, including knowledge acquired today and in the future, and it is passed on from generation to generation.
Under this definition, IK goes beyond observations and ecological knowledge, offering a unique “way of knowing.” This knowledge can identify research needs and be applied to them, which will ultimately inform decision-makers. There is a need to utilize both, Indigenous and scientific knowledge. Both ways of knowing will benefit the people, land and animals within the Arctic.
*Note: Inuit at times may refer to their knowledge as Indigenous Knowledge, Inuit Knowledge or Traditional Knowledge. The definition provided above is understood by ICC to apply to all three terms.
ALASKAN INUIT FOOD SECURITY CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK 7
INTRODUCTION The Arctic environment is changing at an unprecedented rate. Where ice and cold temperatures once acted as a barrier, today, Food security is a term being used more often in research, shifts in sea ice coverage and thickness, increasing temperatures politics and media to describe the associated consequences and other factors are issuing in a new Arctic, one filled with of food insecurity and whether a group of people is possibilities. How we react to these changes will influence obtaining enough food. There is a growing appreciation for levels of adaptability, resiliency and health in our communities. the complexities of the concept of food security, and the To understand the rapidly occurring changes, there is a need hundreds of definitions developed in the last 40-plus years are to apply a food security lens. Doing so will provide a deeper evolving to account for this understanding. Today, the multiple understanding of the interconnections and relationships between food security definitions and assessment mechanisms do not all within the Arctic ecosystem and reveal the cumulative necessarily match the Arctic ecosystem or our culture. For impacts occurring. example, most of the world considers food security in terms of purchasing power, nutrients, caloric intake and access to food The following summary report focuses on sharing the collective and a lot of research has concentrated on land use changes in efforts of ICC-Alaska, 146 Inuit contributing authors, an agricultural development. 1 12-member Food Security Advisory Committee and many other Inuit, who provided input and guidance. Here we aim to There is a deep connection between our Alaskan Inuit food illuminate what food (in)security through our way of knowing. systems and the understanding of the Arctic. We have developed a rich culture, shaped by the dynamic environment This project has been ongoing for three-and-a-half years. Since in which we live and centered on the obtaining, processing, the beginning of the project in 2012, the impacts resulting storing and consumption of Arctic flora and fauna. from rapid changes have escalated. Where before we discussed Traditional foods, such as caribou, waterfowl, salmon, seal, changes that had never seen, today, these changes are persistent, salmonberries and sura (diamond-leaf willow), provide and inconsistency is becoming a new norm. For example, before spiritual, cultural and traditional values, shelter, medicines, people mentioned having less meat to dry, and today some have energy, identity and more. Over time immemorial, the no meat to dry. obtaining, processing, storing and consuming of these foods have involved storytelling, dancing, drumming, art, education, There is no time to waste; we must begin to make changes today, language, traditions and ceremonies. All of these components not just for the sake of our culture but also for the sake of the entire play a part in defining our food security. After all, our Arctic ecosystem. Using a food security lens, the tools provided traditional foods are much more than calories or nutrients; through this project and applying the recommendations will help us they are a lifeline throughout our culture and reflect the be able to make the changes needed. health of the entire Arctic ecosystem.
Today there is a growing number of initiatives that expand upon previous work conducted. For example, work done by the Council of Canadian Academies, Tebtebba Indigenous Peoples’ International Centre for Policy Research and Education, Nunavut Food Security Coalition, Alaska Food Policy Council and academic researchers, such as Michael Carolan and Philip Loring, seeks to expand the understaning or address the complexities of food security. This work is important and has a lot to offer. The products of this project come directly from us, Alaskan Inuit, to explain and share our own conclusions and our way of knowing. It is important to also acknowledge that our regional organizations, Kawerak, Inc., Bering Straits Native Corporation, Maniilaq Association, NANA Corporation, Northwest Arctic Borough, North Slope Borough, Inupiat Community of the Arctic Slope, Association of Village Council Presidents, Arctic Slope Regional Corporation and Caslista Corporation have historically all addressed food security through various avenues on a daily basis.
Barrow Beaufort Sea Chukchi Sea Point Lay NORTH SLOPE Kaktovik
Kivalina NORTHWEST ARCTIC Kotzebue Kobuk Selawik BERING STRAIT
YUKON-KUSKOKWIM Pilot Station Lower Kalskag Bethel The four Alaska regions that ICC-Alaska advocates on behalf of and the 15 villages and hub communities visited throughout this project. Bering Sea
Since July 2012, ICC-Alaska has visited 15 Alaskan Inuit villages to collect information from IK holders on the topic of food security through semi-directive interviews and community meetings. The information gathered was then compiled and analyzed to obtain a greater understanding of food security and to identify drivers of food security and insecurity. Preliminary findings from the interviews were presented at four regional workshops held in Barrow, Kotzebue, Nome and Bethel. The workshops were part of the evaluation and validation process. Those attending the workshop (chosen by their respective Tribal Councils), analyzed, validated and approved information that had been provided by IK holders within villages. Additionally, they offered information that had been missing and provided further guidance on what needed to be communicated through this project. This process followed an IK methodology. Additional information on the project methodology and IK is in the project technical report.
ALASKAN INUIT FOOD SECURITY CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK 9
Photo courtesy of Jacki Cleveland
The Alaskan Inuit food security definition is provided on page 5. The definition states that food security is characterized by environmental health. We understand the Arctic environment to encompass all. As an Elder explains, the Arctic environment is like a puzzle, with all pieces having a place and all pieces necessary to make up the entire picture. These pieces include Inuit languages, retention of IK, animal health, oceans and rivers, etc. This description of the environment helps explain how the Arctic ecosystem is made up of multiple parts. Scientists may also understand this explanation in terms of systems. Each puzzle piece can be envisioned as a system that together makes up the entire ecosystem. The Inuit culture is a system within this larger ecosystem, just as the hydrologic system is part of the same ecosystem. And just as the Arctic ice system is interlinked within that system, so is the Inuit culture interconnected with all aspects of the larger ecosystem.
Figure 1. Image of (systems). Note that the puzzle pieces may have multiple systems nested within one piece and that all demonstrate an social and natural phenomena.
ALASKAN INUIT FOOD SECURITY CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK 11
Availability
Accessibility
Stability FOOD SECURITY Inuit Culture
y Decision-Making ign Power and Management
ALASKAN INUIT FO OD SECURITY CON- The conceptual framework is provided through an image of a drum C E P T UA L F R A M EWO R K and explains that food security is characterized by environmental health; environmental health is achieved with the stability of six The development of a conceptual framework provides a platform dimensions: 1) Availability, 2) Inuit Culture, 3) Decision-Making for understanding the pieces that make up the Arctic ecosystem Power and Management, 4) Health and Wellness, 5) Stability and and the interconnections between the many pieces that make 6) Accessibility. Three tools support the stability of the six dimensions: up food security. The framework provides direction for what policy, knowledge sources2 and co-management. All of this is held information is needed and how to interpret that information in together by the spirit of everything3 (Cillam Cua, Eslam Yuga, Iñua order to assess food security. and Ellam Yua). The drum is held up by food sovereignty – a requirement for food security.
Both IK and science are needed. The spirit of all spoken in all four of our languages. Cillam Cua is from the Cup’ik language, Eslam Yuga is from the St. Lawrence Island Yupik language, Iñua is from the Iñupiaq language and Ellam Yua is from the Yup’ik language.
The six dimensions of food security are defined as follows: protections for the environment against harm caused by pollutants. Mental security is also in reference to legal protection Inuit Culture – Food is the cornerstone of our culture and against forced assimilation, which allows for the maintenance of a self- and shared identity. Harvesting of traditional foods is how level of cultural confidence and hope. cultural values, skills and spirituality are learned – this is how all learn to be within their environments and to be part of the Decision-Making Power and Management – The Alaskan ecosystem. The relationship between Inuit and all else that Inuit ability to use and value IK to manage daily activities; to makes up the Arctic environment aids in the maintenance of build and rely on self-governance across space and time; for cultural and environmental integrity. Alaskan Inuit to use their knowledge system in synergy with other knowledge systems, such as Western science, to equitably Availability – The ability of the Arctic ecosystem to maintain a manage human activities within the Arctic environment and high variety of life (biodiversity), allowing adequate transfer of to better understand changes occurring; to apply holistic nutrients and energy. It is the knowledge of seasons and how to knowledge to understanding the Arctic environment through collect, process, store and consume traditional foods, allowing for IK philosophies and methodologies; to manage activities within Inuit to eat what has been gathered from the previous season and the Arctic in a way that ensures younger generations will have harvest a variety of medicines. healthy and nutritious foods to harvest; for Alaskan Inuit to have control over their own fate and to use their cultural value system. Accessibility – The ability to live off the land, ocean and air and to obtain sufficient access to a diverse source of healthy Food Sovereignty – The right of Alaskan Inuit to define food, water, animals, plants, fish, ice, etc. The ability to maintain their own hunting, gathering, fishing, land and water policies; Inuit traditional economic practices, such as trading, sharing the right to define what is sustainable, socially, economically and providing foods and medicines. It is the ability to access and and culturally appropriate for the distribution of food and to maintain an economic system based on cash in connection to maintain ecological health; the right to obtain and maintain an Inuit traditional economic system. It is the ability to obtain practices that ensure access to tools needed to obtain, process, skills, tools and technologies needed to collect, process and store store and consume traditional foods. Within the Alaskan Inuit traditional foods. Food Security Conceptual Framework, food sovereignty4 is a necessity to supporting and maintaining the six dimensions of Health and Wellness – Physical health of all life within the food security. Arctic and of the land, water and air; adequate passage and absorption of nutrients throughout the Arctic ecosystem; mental health related to community and household relations and self- and cultural identity; environmental integrity and productivity to withstand pollution, habitat destruction and
Stability – The ability of the puzzle pieces (systems) to adjust 4 The food sovereignty definition presented here accounts for all points to each other as shifts within the ecosystem occur. The ability identified by Alaskan Inuit and has been adapted from the definition to maintain sustainability through the management of human written by Hamm and Bellows in First Nations Development Institute’s Food Sovereignty Assessment Tool, 2004 and in addition to the definition actions that support and ensure younger generations will provided in the Declaration of Nyéléni (2007). have sufficient healthy food to harvest and that all pieces of the puzzle maintain connected. Stability is obtained through a level of Alaskan Inuit mental security and is in reference to the legal
ALASKAN INUIT FOOD SECURITY CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK 13
DRIVERS OF FO OD ( IN)SECURITY Decision-Making Power and Management 1. Ability to manage lands, waters and resources (FS) The conceptual framework aids us in seeing the underlying 2. Power dynamics – self-regulation (FS) issues. We describe these issues as drivers. The term driver 3. Perceived and actual reality of control over fate (FS) is used to communicate actions, components or causes of 4. Strength of co-management structures (FS and FI) food (in)security because they are pushing food security in a 5. Loss of resource benefits and income (FI) particular direction. The six dimensions of food security are 6. Federal and state regulations/jurisdiction (FS and FI) made up of a total of 58 drivers (Behe, 2013. Inuit 7. User conflict (FI) Circumpolar Council-Alaska). Below the drivers are linked to 8. Burden of conservation (FI) food security (FS), food insecurity (FI) or both. 9. Increase in competition (FI) 10. Taxation without representation and representation with low Inuit Culture understanding of Inuit culture and Inuit ecological regions (FI) 1. Value of food (FS) 11. Respect for and equality of knowledge systems (IK and 3. Language and terminology (FS) 12. Preparedness for large disturbances, such as preparedness 4. Education and transfer of knowledge (FS) for oil and emergency response (FS) 5. Sharing systems (FS) 13. Meaningful, equitable involvement in research (FS) 6. Respect (FS) 14. Institutional racism (FI) 8. Social interaction (FS) Health and Wellness 9. Dance, art and music (FS) 1. Environmental integrity and productivity to withstand 10. Self- and cultural identity (FS) pollution (noise and light pollution, garbage, contaminants, 11. Clothing and tools (FS) wastewater, etc.), erosion, habitat destruction, etc. (FS) 12. Maintaining Inuit leadership and knowledge holders (FS) 2. Increased vulnerability throughout the food chain (FI) 13. How to be within the environment (cosmology) (FS) 3. Degradation of healthy food systems and overall health (e.g., 14. Time constraints (FI) increases in chronic diseases such as cancer) (FI) 15. Gathering, processing, storing and consuming traditional 4. Nutrition – ability to access and absorb (FS) foods (FS) 5. Accessibility to traditional medicines and healers (FS) 16. Physical safety (e.g., navigation skills) (FS) 6. Accessibility to Western medicine and health care 17. Knowledge of food systems of yesterday and today (FS) professionals (FS) 18. Relationship with animals (socio-ecological system) (FS) 7. Landfill system (FS and FI) 8. Sanitation system (FS and FI) Availability 9. Mental health (FS and FI) 1. Variety – number of different animals and plants in the area 10. Housing structures (FS and FI) (may also be referred to as biodiversity (FS) 11. Mixed diet of traditional and non-traditional foods (FI 2. Knowledge of how to obtain, process, store and consume and FS) traditional foods (FS) 4. Being able to eat what has been gathered from last season (FS)
Stability 1. Adapt to changes (FS) 2. Rapid speed of change (FI) 3. Inuit mental security – confidence in the legal protections for the environment from harmful actions, such as those that result from pollution. Legal protection for the Inuit 4. Integrity of interconnection systems – marine, terrestrial, cultural, etc. (FS and FI) 5. Change in sea ice thickness, timing of formation and break-up (FI) 6. Hope (FS)
Accessibility 1. Access to traditional territories (FS) 2. Ability to live off the resources of the land, water and air (FS) 3. Economics – (Inuit economy, cash [market] economy, government subsidies (FS and FI) 4. Water sources (e.g., multi-year ice, river ice, etc.) (FS and FI) 5. Access to tools and possessing the ability to access healthy animals, plants, fish, ice, water, etc. (FS)
Most of the drivers of food security may quickly become drivers of food insecurity when not adequately supported. For example, access to traditional territories is a driver of food security. However, lack of access to traditional territories is a driver of food insecurity. There are 37 drivers linked to food security; 11 drivers are directly linked to food insecurity; 10 drivers are linked to either food security or food insecurity.
Photo courtesy of Jacki Cleveland ALASKAN INUIT FOOD SECURITY CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
C O N N E C T I V I T Y A N D C U M U L AT I V E I M - between the drivers. This IK methodology allows for a greater PAC TS understanding of cumulative impacts.
The connectivity of all food security dimensions, and Consider the rapid changes resulting from climate change and subsequently all drivers, are key to understanding the Arctic the many connections that may need to be considered when ecosystems. Within our IK the interconnections of these determining points of vulnerability. Within the physical world systems are an indication of resilience to disturbances. It there is a change in sea ice coverage, thickness and timing of is important to understand the components and resiliency of formation. There is a decrease in multi-year ice and melting each dimension. Of equal importance, our IK guides us to permafrost. Erosion is increasing freshwater lakes and ponds look closely at the relationship between the dimensions and drying up. There is a change in water and atmospheric
Figure 2. Changes in sea ice coverage, thickness and formation: cumulative impacts on interconnected dimensions of food security
Global warming - green Primary resulting from activity occuring Increase in mean Change in cryosphere house gas accumulation global temperature outside of the Arctic
Policies to decrease greenhouse Adaptation SEA ICE COVERAGE, SEA ICE THICKNESS AND gass emissions and Mitigation TIMING OF SEA ICE FORMATION AND BREAK-UP pays policies Can result in Decrease in sea increased wind ice coverage
Loss
Decrease in Decreased accessibility to Ice is pushed into pressure ridges infrastructure Protection from hunting areas against village shorelines and decreased storm surges accessibility to marine mammals and fish
Hunting strategies are Unsafe traveling Loss opportunity to pass changed because more on Indigenous If unable to access food sources conditions caused by time is required and rotten and thin ice Knowledge hunters have to travel farther distances, which Loss of opportunity for the social increases fuel use and Impact of Inuit culture aspects of obtaining, processing, other resources storing, and consumption of An increased risk of traditional foods knowledge if accessibility is impeded multiple times temperatures. Many areas are experiencing an increase in shallow result to changes in temperatures, salinity levels, precipitation waterways, narrowing and widening of streams, change in rates, snow coverage, erosion, ice coverage, etc. Such changes precipitation rates, an increase in storm surges and an increase in require adjustments in gathering, hunting and fishing strategies. flooding. There are changes in salinity levels, shifts in saltwater lines, changes in ocean micro-current and shifts in sandbars. Additionally, we face new dangers as we attempt to navigate Many of these changes are interlinked with each other. through storms, rotting ice, change in sea ice thickness and time of sea ice formation, and an overall shift season (Inuit Circumpolar These changes in land, air and water contribute to changes in Council-Alaska. 2014. Bering Strait). Many of these changes all of life found within the Arctic. For example, shifts in animal began to occur between 15 and 20 years ago. The rate and migration patterns and shifts in vegetation are occurring as a intensity of these changes have increased in recent years.
Changes in ocean circulation, Results in patterns of water flow in glacier coasts, lake-fed streams, changes in sea level rise
Adaptation Timing of ice Decrease in formation and Management of human activities Decrease in accessibility Decrease in Impact on Health to hunting areas multi-year ice and Wellness Early break-up
Seals utilize pressure ridges Thicker ice is now found Loss of Unsafe travel for denning–ice breaks and farther off shore - animals move freshwater conditions the dens open, leaving seal Decision Making Power foxes, polar bears and
Impact on Impact on health and wellness Availability of marine mammals Adjustment of IK and traditional management methods of hunting, Requires change in gathering and fishing in order to Marine mammals unable tools to obtain, store to locate thicker ice obtain traditional food and and process foods maintain security
ALASKAN INUIT FOOD SECURITY CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK 17
Photo courtesy of North Slope Borough
H OW W E S E E T H E A L A S K A N through the processing of the caught walrus, as community ARCTIC members come together to assist in the processing and storing of the food. Here again, education and language are passed to In the previous section we stressed the connective nature of the younger generations as youth learn how to make clothes and Alaska Arctic. The Food Security Conceptual Framework aids in art. The feasts, celebrations and games that follow build social seeing the connections and cumulative impacts. To further the cohesion. The connections runs through our economic system discussion, consider the relationship between humans and walrus and back to our ability to hunt. We rely on parts of this animal health and sea ice thickness. to make art. The art created is often sold, and the cash received supports the obtaining, processing and storing of foods through There is a strong link between sea ice thickness, walrus location the purchase of items such as, fuel, tools and bullets. and health; between benthic species distribution and health (a key food source for walrus); between a young person taken out The connections described includes the nutritional and overall to learn how to hunt for walrus, being taught his language, physical health of the community. Many of us rely heavily on accessing knowledge from older generations, and providing a walrus for physical and spiritual nourishment. The monitoring first catch to an Elder, becoming a provider. The connection of these connections helps inform an understanding of the continues between the self- and cultural identity rooted in environment, changes that are occurring through cumulative these practices and sea ice thickness (Behe, 2013). And impacts and decision-making.
Figure 3. Interconnecting drivers surrounding walrus within a given time and space
Dependent Availability Time, fuel, Stability equipment and bullets Accessibility
Requires Knowledge of how to Adaptability to change, collect, process and store for example, change in ice food sources Physical accessibility thickness to hunting grounds/ice Legal accessibility to hunting Ability to rely on food collected grounds/ice Shifts in from the year before migration and Passing of health knowledge
WALRUS Food Benthic source Hunting Decision-Making species strategy Power Relationship with Food systems of animals, plants, water, yesterday and today land and sky Traditional Health and Cultural management Wellness keystone schemes Collection of seafood, species Sharing systems, nutrition trading, feasts, etc.
Regulations Physical and mental Cultural and Transition from being Inuit Culture well-being of Inuit self-identity provided for to a provider
ALASKAN INUIT FOOD SECURITY CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK 19
R E C O M M E N DAT I O N S • Develop regional research protocols. Protocols may include pathways to generate community-driven research, Recommendations generated from this project are meant engagement of Inuit, involvement of Inuit in research to inform possible actions that should be taken by Inuit activities, such as collection and analysis of information organizations, state and federal agencies, environmental generated, and the development of a regional and/or Alaskan non-governmental organizations, policy-makers, resource Inuit review board. Through the review board proposed managers and all others who engage in the Alaska Arctic. Some research is reviewed, commented on and approved by recommendations address large-scale changes needed in Alaskan Inuit. decisionmaking processes or information needed to build • Increase understanding of food security through the baseline data, while others address issues of inequality. Each identification of combined variables. Allow for recommendation is categorized under baseline data and research community-level identification of interconnecting stressors needs or under the dimensions and tools that make up the Food and drivers to identify level of vulnerability. Security Conceptual Framework. • Document IK methodologies and evaluation processes, key questions that drive IK decisions and IK monitoring There are many positive examples throughout Alaska in which methodologies throughout all six dimensions of food security. IK holders are engaged in a respectful and positive way, where • Document health and wellness indicators based on IK (flora, equitable relationships lie between Inuit and those working with fauna and social) across scales (those addressing ecosystem, them to better understand the Arctic and address challenges national, regional and community scales). faced today. With these recommendations, we support such • Establish ecological baseline data rooted in IK. For example, relationships and actions and aim to make them the norm as there is a need to identify highly sensitive ecological areas opposed to the exception. All recommendations aim to through IK. Additionally, close attention needs to be given to strengthen food security. how such information is categorized and shared.
Suggested Actions Listed Under the Inuit Culture Dimension Suggested Actions Listed Under the Availability Dimension of Food Security of Food Security. Focus of the following recommendationsare on obtaining, Education System/Passage of Knowledge processing, storing and consumption.
Suggested Actions Listed Under the Accessibility Dimension Suggested Actions Listed Under Stability of Food Security Dimension of Food Security
ALASKAN INUIT FOOD SECURITY CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK 23
Suggested Actions Listed Under Tools That Support the Six research methods and analysis of information. Dimensions of Food Security • Adopt a co-production of knowledge approach to gathering information through research. Policy • Develop protocols for the storage and ethical use of information derived from IK holders to ensure that
The Food Security Conceptual Framework aids us in sharing what our food security is by identifying the underlying drivers of food (in)security and stresses the importance of connectivity. Our IK guides us to understand the importance of relationships among the pieces that make up the Alaska Arctic in order to see the environment through a holistic lens (Inuit Circumpolar Council-Alaska. 2014. Bering Strait). By applying a holistic lens, we take a food security approach to monitoring and gathering information and understanding this environment.
The state of our food security today holds both encouraging and concerning points. The decision-making power and management dimension of food security is unstable within Alaska and is directly influencing the strength of all other dimensions. We are lacking in our ability to make daily adaptive decisions due to policies, regulations and other intervening factors. On the other hand, food security drivers are still working to maintain the wellbeing of our people. Many of these drivers are found within the Inuit Culture dimension of food security. For example, there is a large focus on the use and preservation of our languages; sharing systems are evolving to account for new tools needed to acquire traditional foods; education programs are being developed to provide an increased use of IK and engagement with Elders to support the transfer of IK; Photo courtesy of Jacki Cleveland ways of obtaining, processing, storing and consuming traditional
ALASKAN INUIT FOOD SECURITY CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK 25
G LO S S A RY Fauna - All the animals that live in a particular area, time period Baseline - Reference for measurable quantities from which an alternative outcome can be measured, e.g., a non-intervention Flora - All the plants that live in a particular area, time, period or scenario used as a reference in the analysis of intervention environment (Merriam-Webster, 2015). scenarios (IPCC, 2007). Food Chain – All the pieces that make up a food system. The Biodiversity - The total diversity of all organisms and ecosystems Alaskan Inuit food system comprises multiple food chains at various spatial scales (from genes to entire biomes) operating at the global, national and local levels (Dictionary.com,
Conceptual Framework - A tool used for organizing and Food Insecurity – The Food and Agriculture Organization of representing knowledge (Flavel, Miller & Miller, 2002) and the United Nations defines food insecurity as the opposite of allows for a mental grouping of different entities into a single food security (Clay, 2002). This is also true for Alaskan Inuit category (a concept) on the basis of some underlying similarity. food security. Food insecurity will occur when instability to any of the six dimensions or a combination of overarching drivers Co-Production of Knowledge - The collaborative process of results in an accumulation of disturbances. bringing a plurality of knowledge sources and types together to address a defined problem and build an integrated or systems- Food Security Assessment - A tool to identify the areas faced oriented understanding of that problem (Armitage et al., 2011). with the greatest vulnerabilities and measures a level of food security. Traditionally food security measurements have been Cosmology - The branch of philosophy dealing with the origin based on ordinal scales (a scale on which data is shown in and general structure of the universe with its parts, elements and order of magnitude), such as those to gauge the level of hunger laws, and especially with such of its characteristics as space, time, as severe or less severe (FAO, 2003). Within this project, causality and freedom (Dictionary.com, 2015). contributing authors discuss what is needed in a food security assessment process that gauges level of strength across an Disturbance - A large force upon a given area, such as the food entire ecosystem. security system of the Arctic. Such forces may be large-scale changes within the system of a given area that results in impacts Food Systems – describes all that goes into the production, across scales and time. This definition is adapted from the processing, distributing and consumption of traditional definition of ecological disturbance (Encylopedia foods. An Inuit food system will be composed of items from Britannica.com, 2015). the local, natural environment that are culturally acceptable.
Ecosystem - A system of living organisms interacting with each other Vulnerability – The degree to which a system is susceptible to, and their physical environment. The boundaries of what could be or unable to cope with, the adverse effects of change (IPCC, called an ecosystem are somewhat arbitrary depending on the focus 2007). The IPCC (2012) has since changed the definition of of interest or study. Thus, the extent of an ecosystem may range from vulnerability to the propensity or predisposition to be very small spatial scales to, ultimately, the entire Earth (IPCC, 2007). adversely affected.
Erosion - The process of removal and transport of soil and rock by weathering, mass wasting and the action of streams, glaciers, waves, winds and underground water (IPCC, 2007).
Photo courtesy of Mary Sage
REFERENCES Flora. 2015. Merriam-Webster.com. Retrieved September 9, 2015, management and the co-production of knowledge: Learning change and food security. Philosophical Transactions of the to adapt in Canada’s Arctic. Global Environmental Change 21 Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 360(1463), 2139–2148.
Behe, Carolina. Inuit Circumpolar Council – Alaska. North Flora. 2015. Merriam-Webster.com. Retrieved September 9, Slope Regional Food Security Workshop: How to Assess 2015, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ Food Security from and Inuit Perspective: Building a disturbance Conceptual Framework on How to Assess Food Security in the Alaskan Arctic. 2013. Inuit Circumpolar Council-Alaska (2015). Alaskan Inuit Education Improvement Strategy, Anchorage, AK. Inuit Bell-Sheeter, Alicia, Food Sovereignty Assessment Tool, Circumpolar Council-Alaska. 2014. Bering Strait Regional Fredericksburg, VA: First Nations Development Institute, 2004 Food Security Workshop: How to Assess Food Security from an Inuit Perspective: Building a Conceptual Framework Clay, Edward. 2002. Of the Overseas Development Institute, on How to Assess Food Security in the Alaskan Arctic. London, UK, for the FAO Expert Consultation on Trade and Anchorage, AK. July 2002. Inuit Circumpolar Council-Alaska. 2014. Northwest Arctic Regional Food Security Workshop: How to Assess Food Cosmology. 2015. Dictionary.com. Retrieved June 8, 2015, Security from an Inuit Perspective: Building a Conceptual from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cosmology Framework on How to Assess Food Security in the Alaskan Arctic. Anchorage, AK. Retrieved June 8, 2015 from http://www.britannica.com/ IPCC. 2007. Climate Change 2007: Impacts, Adaptation science/ecological-disturbance and Vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on FAO. 2003. Focus on Food Insecurity and Vulnerability – A Climate Change, M.L. Parry, O.F. Canziani, J.P. Palutikof, P.J. review of the UN System Common Country Assessments van der Linden and C.E. Hanson, eds. Cambridge University and World Bank Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers. FIVIMS Press, Cambridge, UK, 976. www.fao.org/ Doi:10.1177/00380385030373002 IPCC. 2012. Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation. A Special Fauna. 2015. Merriam-Webster.com. Retrieved June 8, 2015, Report of Working Groups 1 and 11 of the Intergovernmental from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fauna Panel on Climate Change. Field, C.B., V. Barros, T.F. Stocker, development (4th ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall eds. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge and New York. Publishing. Food Chain. 2015. Dictionary.com. Retrieved on June 8, 2015 for Food Sovereignty. Available from: http://nyeleni.org/ from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/foodchain DOWNLOADS/Nyelni_EN.pdf [accessed March 3, 2015]
Photo courtesy of Mary Sage
Photo courtesy of Maija Lukin Photo courtesy of Jacki Cleveland