5.12. From community-engaged and Indigenous-led research to meaningful knowledge dissemination: experiences informed by Indigenous homelands

27 March 2025 | 10:30 - 12:00 and 16:00 - 18:00 (MDT)

Open Session - HYBRID

Room:  UMC Third Floor - 384

Organisers:  Tatiana Degai (University of Victoria, Canada); Vera Kuklina (George Washington University, USA); James Tempte (Alaska Pacific University, USA)

Session Description:

Knowledge mobilization practices in the Arctic are undergoing transformations guided by Indigenous communities. One of the major ways of the resulting change in research practices is blurring the line between knowledge production and knowledge dissemination, between arts and sciences. By widening the ways how the knowledge is shared by knowledge keepers and offering more spaces for Indigenous perspectives, scholars can build more meaningful collaboration with Indigenous communities, support capacity building, and strengthen community well-being. Such an approach implies that a variety of tools, methods and creative practices are used for knowledge co-creation, sharing and representation, and as a result, have more meaningful impact. Meaningful knowledge dissemination is important as it can have an impact on decision making, support language revitalization, community economic growth, and address sustainability issues as viewed by the communities.

From the Indigenous perspective knowledge dissemination implies knowledge sharing and knowledge transfer on the terms of the People whose lands this knowledge is from. This sharing circle will bring together diverse experiences from community-engaged and Indigenous-led research that center Indigenous ways of knowledge sharing and offer ideas around meaningful knowledge dissemination.

Instructions for Speakers:  Oral presentations in this session should be at most 10-minutes in length, with an additional 2-3 minutes for questions (unless more detailed instructions are provided by session conveners). See more detailed presenter instructions here.

Oral Presentations - Part 1 (10:30 - 12:00): 

• unfold_moreEngaging Alaska Native Languages in the Co-Production of Knowledge — Beth Leonard 

  Beth Leonard ¹; Polly Hyslop ^{1 
  1} Alaska Pacific University

  Format: Oral in-person

  Abstract:

  Co-production of knowledge in hard science disciplines often relies on concepts and themes from non-Indigenous languages. This work builds on a model initiated by Annauk Olin and Rochelle Adams through the Alaska Public Interest Research Group Language Access Program, that documents scientific evidence inherent in Alaska Native languages: https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/2024/03/26/project-seeks-to-gather-alaska-environmental-knowledge-embedded-in-indigenous-languages/

  Beth Leonard and Polly Hyslop – are learners/speakers of Deg Xinag Dene' and Upper Tanana Dineh (Athabascan). These are small language areas with few first language speakers remaining, however there are a number of available publications that document scientific observations from Indigenous perspectives. For example, a 2005 report published by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (Brown et al.) – “Contemporary subsistence uses and population distribution of non-salmon fish in Grayling, Anvik, Shageluk, and Holy Cross” illustrates an example of fish behavior observed by Deg Xit’an people in the term for the humpback whitefish which literally translates as ‘by and by tomorrow’. The name reflects empirical knowledge in that the humpback whitefish “do not eat the little fish…[while] other species…become uncontrollably hungry. Living in their kashims, they see their little ones swim out from underneath the benches…and devour them. The humpbacks will not do this. They say, ‘by and by tomorrow’ we will find something to eat (Osgood, 1959, p. 25).

  In this presentation, Beth Leonard and Polly Hyslop will discuss specific terms from Deg Xinag and Upper Tanana and invite participants to share strategies for engaging with Indigenous languages in the co-production of knowledge.

• unfold_moreCo-creating for language revitalization — Tatiana Degai 

  Tatiana Degai ¹; Maïté Agopian ²; Eli Hirtle ³; Liam Campbell ¹; Jonathan Bobaljik ^{4
  1} University of Victoria; ² CHAK Puppetry; ³ Voices on the Rise; ⁴ Harvard University

  Format: Oral in-person

  Abstract:

  This talk is a reflection on the work that brought together diverse knowledge systems, academic disciplines, and skill sets to support Itelmen language revitalization and culture reclamation in Kamchatka, Russia. Through Indigenous-led multimedia storytelling our team has worked to bring back the Story of Elvel - an exceptional example of Itelmen storytelling traditions and an important source of Itelmen knowledge. In working on this project, we relied on Itelmen ontologies and epistemologies, anthropological and linguistic research, and the art of puppetry and movie making. We focus on the following areas that closely intersect within our project: theatre as a way to animate the Itelmen language, foster conversations in the language, and a space that provides louder voice to the language and culture; film as a way to bring a long standing narrative of the original story from the land and People; art as a way to reconstruct the traditional ways of living and rematriate Indigenous knowledge from the archival collections; and Indigenized mapping as a way to challenge colonial cartographic narratives. We bring these diverse ways of storytelling as an example of holistic approach where language, land, culture, and people coincide together and are inseparable.

• unfold_moreDesigning a board game for environmental awareness: lessons from Frozen Commons project — Stanislav Podusenko 

  Stanislav Podusenko ¹; Vera Kuklina ²; Mariia Kuklina ³; Andrey Petrov ^{3
  1} design=future; ² Department of Geography, George Washington University; ³ ARCTICenter of Geography Department of Universitty of Northern Iowa

  Format: Oral virtual

  Abstract:

  Governance of frozen commons, which is snow, ice, and permafrost-dependent landscapes and livelihoods managed by communities and stakeholders, is historically hindered by lack of trust and communication. Addressing these complexities in a playful manner could facilitate achieving better understanding of the phenomenon and reflecting on possible negotiations. This paper presents a prototype of a board game designed to educate children and everyone interested in better understanding governance of frozen phenomena. It could facilitate the teaching of environmental responsibility, policy choices, resource management and eco-friendly habits in an enjoyable and engaging manner. The objective of the game is to engage players in real-world environmental challenges, encouraging critical thinking, collaboration and resource management. Through the application of gamification, it is hoped that sustainability concepts will become more accessible. The intention is to design a game that combines simple but easily learned game mechanics and educates players on key sustainability issues related to use of frozen commons in communities of herders.

  The presentation will include a concise overview of the game concept, an examination of the design process from initial concept to prototype, and a demonstration of the prototype. The target audience for the game is K-12 and undergraduate students, educators, game designers, and sustainability advocates interested in novel approaches to environmental awareness.

• unfold_moreCatalyzing meaningful knowledge mobilization in the North: Insights from collaborations fostered by Canada’s ArcticNet — Melody Lynch 

  Melody Lynch ¹; Philippe Archambault ¹; Christine Barnard ^{1
  1} ArcticNet

  Format: Oral in-person

  Abstract:

  Knowledge mobilization practices that create meaningful and locally-relevant applications of diverse knowledge are required for fostering equitable polar futures. Genuine partnerships and collaborations between Indigenous knowledge holders, researchers, policymakers and other stakeholders are imperative for this endeavour. In this paper, we ask: Which tools, methods, and approaches can help us better catalyze meaningful mobilizations of diverse knowledge from and about the North? We unpack the successes and challenges of our efforts to mobilize knowledge to support capacity building, policymaking, and social innovation in the Canadian Arctic. We share insights from 20 years of Canada’s ArcticNet, and investigate potential future pathways under our transition towards a shared governance model with Indigenous partners.

  ArcticNet is a network of northern research in Canada that uses a collaborative approach to knowledge creation and sharing, with the aim of supporting the development of adaptation strategies and effective policies in the Arctic. We bring together partners from across Indigenous organizations, academia, government, and NGOs to develop new and innovative ways to work together and leverage our forces. Our knowledge mobilization strategy encompasses the use of audio, visual, and textual methods of communication to amplify diverse knowledge about the North. This paper builds upon, and continues, conversations about meaningful knowledge mobilization cultivated at international meetings including Arctic Change in Ottawa, Canada (December 2024) and Arctic Frontiers in Tromsø, Norway (January 2025). We look forward to continuing to learn from others about their experiences and share ideas on best practices for meaningful knowledge mobilization in the North.

• unfold_moreIndigenous-led Monitoring and Knowledge Mobilization Using SIKU: The Indigenous Knowledge Social Network — Jordan Hoffman 

  Jordan Hoffman ¹; Lucassie Arragutainaq ¹; Joel Heath ^{1  
  1} Arctic Eider Society

  Format: Oral in-person

  Abstract:

  The Arctic Eider Society (AES) is an Indigenous-led charity based in Sanikiluaq, Nunavut, that facilitates Indigenous self-determination in research, education, and environmental stewardship. AES developed SIKU: The Indigenous Knowledge Social Network, a mobile and app platform with more than 30,000 users providing tools and services for travel safety, language preservation, and environmental monitoring to more than 125 communities across Inuit Nunangat and the circumpolar Arctic in Alaska and Greenland, including guardian programs and community-led projects. SIKU supports Indigenous communities to use their knowledge systems, languages, and indicators for systematically and quantitatively documenting biodiversity and ecosystem changes towards Indigenous-led research and monitoring, stewardship, and equity in decision making. We present two case studies on knowledge dissemination and mobilization: First, the Qikqitait protected area, an Inuit-led protected area for the Belcher Islands Archipelago where 200+ community members have been crowdsourcing a resource inventory and baseline data for a new protected area using the SIKU app, including fish, mammals, birds, invertebrates and plants. Second, Ice Watch, which shares knowledge across communities to support ice safety and climate change action across the North. AES develops and implements approaches for knowledge sharing and dissemination by focusing on the use of Indigenous knowledge systems, language, and accessibility that is broadly applicable to Indigenous communities, organizations, decision-makers, and governments. AES also focuses on developing new tools and services, including project management features to support analysis and decision-making at broader scales; and facilitates knowledge transfer throughout the monitoring process within and across Indigenous communities for decision-making processes.

• unfold_moreNational Museums and Indigenous Peoples of Eastern Siberia: Collaborations for Knowledge Preservation, Production and Dissemination — Olga Shaglanova 

  Olga Shaglanova ¹; Elena Shaglanova ^{2 
  1} Independent Researcher; ² Buryat State University, Republic of Buryatia, Deaprtment of Foreign Languages, Associate Professor

  Format: Oral in-person

  Abstract:

  Indigenous peoples of Eastern Siberia have extensive experience in successfully adapting to various climatic and cultural-political conditions. However, in the context of the homogenizing culture of modern society and the levelling of ethnic characteristics, the task of preserving the traditional cultures and languages ​​of local peoples is becoming increasingly paramount every year. The case study depicts the role of the national museums of Eastern Siberia, which have become one of the main social institutions that not only preserve physical material artefacts but support the collective historical memory that forms the ethnic identity of Indigenous peoples living around Lake Baikal. The presentation will show the approaches of the national museums of Eastern Siberia in collaboration with Indigenous representatives to preserve, produce and popularize knowledge from the Indigenous peoples' perspective.

Oral Presentations - Part 2 (16:00 - 18:00 MDT):

• unfold_morePreservation and dissemination of traditional knowledge in the Ulchi community — Oxana Lopatina 

  Natalia Kuchekta ¹; Aleksandr Kuchekta ²; Oxana Lopatina ^{2
  1} Ulchi Nation; ² University of Ferrara

  Format: Oral in-person

  Abstract:

  The Ulchi are one of the Indigenous Nations living in the Khabarovsk Region, in the Far East of Russia. As a small-numbered nation of approximately 3,000 people, today the Ulchi community and its knowledge keepers face significant challenges in the preservation of the culture and, particularly, in reaching the younger generation. Over the course of the 20th century, the continuity of traditional Ulchi knowledge and practices, including the use of the Ulchi language, was to a great extent disrupted. Today the situation is further exacerbated by the lack of funding and the community’s limited capacity to carry out such work as research, documentation and dissemination of traditional knowledge. As a result, the younger generation has few opportunities to learn about their culture in a consistent manner and becomes ever more disconnected from the tradition. Usually, the task of preserving the remaining knowledge falls on the shoulders of a small number of knowledge keepers. The objective of this presentation is to discuss what the work of documenting, preserving and disseminating traditional knowledge looks like from the perspective of Ulchi knowledge keepers, what solutions can be found in such frugal conditions, how such work impacts the life of the community, and what kind of support is needed. We are also looking to reflect on how the collaboration between local knowledge keepers and external researchers in such a context can be organised and how it affects the life of the community.

• unfold_moreArts-enabled knowledge co-creation with remote and Indigenous communities for studies of frozen commons to address climate change — Vera Kuklina 

  Vera Kuklina ¹; Mariia Kuklina ²; Olga Lo ³; Andrey Petrov ²; Khadbaatar Sandag ⁴; Enkh-Amgalan Sandag ⁵; Alexander Shiklomanov ⁶; Nikolay Shiklomanov ^{1
  1} The George Washington University; ² University of Northern Iowa; ³ Independent artist; ⁴ Mongolian National University of Education; ⁵ Institute of Geography and Geoecology MAS; ⁶ University of New Hampshire

  Format: Oral in-person

  Abstract:

  The urgency to address climate change is highlighted by an increasing number of hazards that people and infrastructure are facing today. It pushes decision makers to look for adaptation strategies and prompt solutions, including such as geoengineering interventions that if conducted without proper consultations with communities under impact can exacerbate climate injustice and colonial legacies. Many communities that are living on permafrost have historically been colonized or in other ways excluded from decision making and direct consultations about this frozen phenomenon. Research conducted by scholars who rarely have long-term observations remains incomplete and lacking detailed knowledge of environmental processes and human-permafrost interactions there. Meanwhile, knowledge sharing traditions of these communities quite often differ from conventional scientific methods and involve storytelling and other practices based on different vocabulary. In this presentation, we will share our work-in-progress of bridging gaps between communities and researchers using artistic methods (photo documentation, drawing, and digital imaginaries) and visitation that lead to actualization of place-based research in studies of frozen commons in Northern Mongolia. Preliminary results include detailed account of human-permafrost interactions in daily lives of local and Indigenous communities including vocabulary on and images of permafrost related phenomena such as different forms of icings and development of visualization instruments for climate adaptation planning and strategies of dealing with permafrost-related hazards. Creating protocols for mutually beneficial and accessible co-creation of knowledge involving Indigenous and local communities, artists and scholars is necessary for Arctic research oriented towards just and equitable future.

• unfold_moreQaspeq Memorial Project: MMIWG2S+, Data Protection and Indigenous-led Responsibility in Data — Amber Webb 

  Amber Webb ^{1 
  1} Curyung Tribe

  Format: Oral in-person

  Abstract:

  The qaspeq project is a series of ink drawn portraits by Amber Webb (Curyung Tribe,Yup'ik) depicting 250+ murdered and missing indigenous womxn and girls (MMIWG2S+) from Canada and the Northern United States on a 13 ft white cotton qaspeq, a Yupik style garment similar to garment designs across inuit communities. It was designed to communicate the magnitude of continuing genocide experienced by indigenous people in the US and Canada and the love that guides us back to each other in every lifetime. It is an acknowledgement of the sacredness of every womxn and the decades of advocacy by indigenous women across North America for our own sovereign right to health and safety. The work was done over 2 years and remains incomplete. This work is a part of a larger movement to assert safety for indigenous people, but it became a study of the intergenerational experience of violence by native women through story, the root of colonial violence, and indigenous ways of greiving, knowing and healing. The qaspeq is a pathway to understanding the responsibility to community in any indigenous research and the relationships that form in arctic communities.

• unfold_moreHow can the digital humanities advance community goals for knowledge production and dissemination?: Lessons from the Hivumuuniaqtugut Oral History Project — Mark Stoller 

  Mark Stoller ^{1 
  1} Queen's University

  Format: Oral in-person

  Abstract:

  This paper reflects on a multi-year community-based research project in Uqsuqtuuq/Gjoa Haven, Nunavut, with an eye to effective and meaningful methods that bridge academic and community research. The Hivumuuniaqtugut Oral History project - “We are going to go forward” - centres on youth-Elder collaborations to document and share the oral history of Uqsuqtuuq using methods and techniques from the digital humanities. The project, based out of the Nattilik Heritage Centre in Uqsuqtuuq, has gathered a large collection of stories and histories told by Uqsuquuqmiut Elders. The results of interviews with more than 50 Elders are currentlly being compiled into a digital oral history archive that will become part of the Centre’s permanent collections.

  In the paper, we reflect upon the experiences of youth participants who have worked closely with Elders to document their stories. We discuss how acts of interviewing Elders, and how recording this stories, cultivates a sense of cultural connectivity amongst youth and a sense of empowerment. We also examine the uses of digital film as a medium of youth-Elder engagement, highlighting the value of film as a medium for documenting stories. In our findings, we discuss the importance of creating spaces through research processes for Elder-youth engagement, and the role of non-Indigenous academic researchers in contributing towards the long term objectives of northern communities.

• unfold_moreTahltan-led research and knowledge dissemination: Sharing experiences from Tū’desē’cho Wholistic Indigenous Leadership Development (TWILD) — Curtis Rattray 

  Curtis Rattray ¹; Noor Johnson ^{2  
  1} Tū’desē’cho Wholistic Indigenous Leadership Development (TWILD); ² University of Colorado Boulder

  Format: Oral in-person

  Abstract:

  Tū’desē’cho Wholistic Indigenous Leadership Development (TWILD) is a not-for-profit Tahltan NGO. We were founded by concerned Tahltans about many issues in Tahltan Nation and the territory we belong to. The Tahltan Nation belongs to the land in northwestern North America in the Stikine River watershed and all the surrounding headwaters. This presentation will describe our approach to Tahltan-led research and knowledge dissemination by outlining the projects we are engaged in and sharing how we apply Tahltan ways of knowing. As Indigenous community researchers, we are conducting our own research and sharing knowledge in Tahltan territory through documenting Tahltan Knowledge, community-led monitoring, and Tene Mehodihi programs. We are also co-producing and disseminating knowledge with other institutions and organizations including with ELOKA (the Tahltan Cultural Atlas project); School District 87 (Kuwegānh and Celebration Ceremony project); and with Snowchange (Tahltan Events Database project). Our research approach is multi-dimensional, in that we blend social and physical sciences, Tahltan science and knowledge and Western science and knowledge. Tahltan ways of knowing are foundational to Tahltan/Indigenous Research Methodology, which we apply to all the research and co-production of knowledge which we do. Key to this methodology is the need to move towards sovereignty, relationships, and reciprocity. Our goal is to support the Tahltan Nation exercise our sovereign rights. All research must create and maintain relationships between the human and non-human communities; and the research must be reciprocal and provide tangible benefits to Tahltan Nation and communities. Our presentation will highlight key approaches to how we center Indigenous ways of knowledge sharing from our research projects.

• unfold_moreIndigenous-led research leads to meaningful knowledge: Experiences from Kamchatka — Victoria Sharakhmatova 

  Victoria Sharakhmatova ¹; Mariya Belyaeva ^{2 
  1} University of Northern Iowa, ARCTICenter, University of Northern Iowa; ² Regional State Budgetary Institution «Kamchatka Center of Fork Art»

  Format: Oral in-person

  Abstract:

  The remote national settlements of Kamchatka have preserved their culture, distinctive traditions, rituals, and ceremonies. In recent decades, there has been a notable resurgence of interest among the Indigenous Peoples of Kamchatka in their ceremonies, traditional ceremonies, and ritual practices. The principal functions of ceremonies were to regulate the relations between humans and the natural world, and to prescribe the rules of behavior within society. The traditional rites associated with the economic and domestic cycles, as they were observed in the past, are no longer in practice today. Such ceremonies have undergone a process of transformation, often retaining the fundamental elements while adopting a more expansive format. In the present era, the organization and implementation of ritual festivals in rural communities and district centers are typically undertaken by personnel from cultural institutions, such as cultural houses and ethno-cultural centers, as well as artists from national ensembles and representatives from Indigenous communities. In accordance with tradition, the rituals are conducted by elders, who are custodians of traditional knowledge. In this study, we examine the current state of traditional ritual culture among the Indigenous Peoples of the Kamchatka region, specifically the Koryaks and Itelmens. Our analysis is based on the materials gathered from field expeditions conducted by the Kamchatka Folk Art Center between 2009 and 2024. The objective of our study was to ascertain the current state of ritual festivals in the national villages, both in terms of their historical evolution and the extent to which they have persisted in the present.

• unfold_moreMy Atiq's Favorite — Aaluk Edwardson 

  Aaluk Edwardson ¹; Hillary King ²; Eric Collins ^{3
  1} Creative Decolonization LLC; ² hillaryking.com; ³ University of Manitoba

  Format: Oral in-person

  Abstract:

  "My Atiq's Favorite" is the story of a little boy who wants to be just like his Aapa (and namesake) -- a whaler. It is also a story of collaboration, learning, unlearning, and decolonization work on the parts of Iñupiaq/Norwegian author Aaluk Edwardson, settler/Minnesotan illustrator Hillary King and settler/Washingtonian researcher Eric Collins. What started as a "simple" idea to make a children's book about microbes in the waters of Alaska became a story about the past, present, and future of community in the Arctic. Through years of regular meetings and brainstorming, the story and art have evolved along with the participants. Microbes still play a role in the form of mikigaq (fermented whale meat and blubber served at a community feast), but rather than focusing on the microbial life as an end in itself, the thriving culture that supports those microbes becomes the central thread instead. This frame shift advances the goals of knowledge dissemination and decolonization by supporting Iñupiaq storytelling designed for Iñupiaq children in Iñupiaq communities.

  Born and raised on the shores of the Arctic Ocean, Aaluk Edwardson is a multidisciplinary artist, purposeful educator and the founder and director of Creative Decolonization, LLC (https://creativedecolonization.org). Hillary King is a farmer and artist living in Winnipeg, Manitoba (https://hillaryking.com). Eric Collins is an Assistant Professor in Environment and Geography at the University of Manitoba (https://cryomics.org).