What Do You Mean "We," White Man?

Something about Thursdays makes the environmental students more productive. Today, they discovered the costs of shipping the recyclables out of Cambridge Bay via both airlines and sea can shipping companies (sea cans are big metal containers used to ship supplies on the bi-yearly barges). This means the students are much closer to being able to provide the hamlet council with a cost-analysis of each recycling program option. Option 1 is to fly the cans to Yellowknife, NWT on either Canadian North or First Air flights. This will cost $2.75 per kilogram, but if we can figure out a way to get the beverage containers to the Yellowknife Beverage Refund Program, we will receive $.10 per container! Option 2 is to ship the cans out on a barge. The cost of renting a sea can is $500 per can; to ship one costs about $5,000. However, the shipping companies that run the barges have been known to donate to charitable causes, so there is the possibility that these prices may be lowered if a negotiation is made. Option 3 is that Cambridge Bay would build its own recycling facility. I advised the students not to worry about a cost-analysis of this option; that is something for a professional to determine.

Pia phones Canadian North to ask about shipping costs

I may have mentioned this before, but it is very important that the students are the ones that present this to the hamlet council, not only because it was their idea in the first place, but because they are members of the Cambridge Bay community. It would mean nothing for yet another white person (me) to come in and tell these people how to live. They are (understandably) a little resentful of being told they need to change. However, if the youth of this community say that recycling is something they want to see happen, policymakers will be more inclined to listen and value their opinions.

Before BN Duke and Trinity scholars depart for our Summer of Service, we discuss this idea that one should not enter a community with the expectation of "changing" it him or herself, and that we will probably not be welcome if we attempt to do so. I feel this idea is even more relevant in aboriginal communities. After centuries of white people attempting to change their cultures and "better" their lives, they are taking back their communities. With the establishment of Nunavut in 1998, Inuit regained control of their lands, this time through the government. Still, a little resentment against outsiders persists. Though I have not encountered much of this sentiment, my boss Renee, a white person managing the Heritage Society, certainly has. Though her intentions are good, she occasionally receives criticism because she is not a longstanding member of the community. It makes me wonder at the impact I would have if I chose to serve in an aboriginal community in the future. Would I be able to contribute, or would I be unfairly criticized for my involvement?

Earlier this week, a woman from the community donated some dolls to the Heritage Society. These dolls, made of soapstone and caribou skins, come as a family set dressed in traditional clothing. More importantly, they were made by Mabel Angulalik! Stephen Angulalik was the first Inuk fur trader, and Mabel was known as a strong, dedicated and charitable woman. This afternoon, the kindergarten class taught by Emily Angulalik (Stephen and Mabel's daughter) came to the Heritage Society. After showing them traditional Inuit clothing, we pulled out the dolls to show the kids and surprise Emily. As Renee opened the lid to the box containing the dolls, Emily's eyes widened. She lifted her hands to cover her mouth, gaping in disbelief. Renee told the kids to ask Emily who made the dolls, and Emily answered that she remembered her mom making those dolls when she was the same age as her students. She held the dolls to her chest and began to cry, accusing Renee of showing her the dolls precisely to elicit such a reaction. : ) It was an extremely touching moment. I realized just how important the small pieces of history at the Heritage Society can be to members of the Cambridge Bay community. What was just a doll to me was a moving, cherished memory to Emily. As an outsider staying in this community for only a few weeks, I may not be able to fully appreciate or understand Inuit culture by the time I leave. I hope, though, that my efforts will enable Inuit to more appreciate and embrace their culture. That would be well worth the effort, indeed.

Emily fondly clutches the dolls

I want to share this article I found on CNN, entitled "Arctic may hold twice the oil previously found there," with all of you as well. Particularly interesting are the comments made towards the end of the article regarding the environmental impacts of drilling in the Arctic, which include leakage of contaminants into the ocean. On the other hand, communities in the Arctic may experience increased prosperity due if such oil reserves exist. This is just another example of an environmental issue with no clear right or wrong answer. I am looking forward to seeing how the debate over whether to drill for oil in the Arctic unfolds.

In (much) less serious news, I cut my hair by myself for the first time yesterday. I just did my bangs and they do not look too bad! There is no hairdresser in town, so I decided to just do it myself, against the advice of every hairdresser I have ever known. : )