Inuit Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), Subsistence Hunting and Adaptation to Climate Change in the Canadian Arctic

Tristan Pearce; James Ford; Ashlee Cunsolo Willox; Barry Smit

doi:10.14430/arctic4475

Back

Inuit Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), Subsistence Hunting and Adaptation to Climate Change in the Canadian Arctic

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Inuit Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), Subsistence Hunting and Adaptation to Climate Change in the Canadian Arctic

Tristan Pearce, James Ford, Ashlee Cunsolo Willox and Barry Smit

Arctic, Vol.68(2), pp.233-245

2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.14430/arctic4475

Files and links (2)

pdf

PDF - Published Version1.25 MBDownload View

Published VersionPDF - Published Version Open Access

url

https://doi.org/10.14430/arctic4475View

Published Version

Abstract

adaptation

Inuit

Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ)

resilience

traditional ecological knowledge (TEK)

subsistence hunting

vulnerability

This paper examines the role of Inuit traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) in adaptation to climate change in the Canadian Arctic. It focuses on Inuit relationships with the Arctic environment, including hunting knowledge and land skills, and examines their roles in adaptation to biophysical changes that affect subsistence hunting. In several instances, TEK underpins competency in subsistence and adaptations to changing conditions, which includes flexibility with regard to seasonal cycles of hunting and resource use, hazard avoidance through detailed knowledge of the environment and understanding of ecosystem processes, and emergency preparedness, e.g., knowing what supplies to take when traveling and how to respond in emergency situations. Despite the documented importance of TEK in adaptation and in maintaining a level of competency in subsistence, the relationships between TEK and adaptation to climate change are not well defined in the scholarly literature. This paper aims to conceptualize the relationships between TEK and adaptation to climate change by drawing on case study research with Inuit in the Canadian Arctic. TEK is considered an element of adaptive capacity (or resilience) that is expressed as adaptation if TEK is drawn upon to adapt to changing conditions. This capacity depends on the development, accumulation, and transmission of TEK within and among generations.

Details

Title: Inuit Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), Subsistence Hunting and Adaptation to Climate Change in the Canadian Arctic
Authors: Tristan Pearce (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Arts and Business
James Ford (Author) - McGill University, Canada
Ashlee Cunsolo Willox (Author) - Cape Breton University, Canada
Barry Smit (Author) - University of Guelph, Canada
Publication details: Arctic, Vol.68(2), pp.233-245
Publisher: Arctic Institute of North America
Date published: 2015
DOI: 10.14430/arctic4475
ISSN: 0004-0843
Copyright note: Copyright © 2015 Arctic Institute of North America. The published version is reproduced here in accordance with the publisher's copyright policy.
Organisation Unit: University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Science, Technology and Engineering; Sustainability Research Cluster
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99449554502621
Output Type: Journal article

Metrics

1432 File views/ downloads

1520 Record Views

184 Times Cited - Web of Science

InCites Highlights

These are selected metrics from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool, related to this output

Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Web Of Science research areas: Environmental Sciences; Geography, Physical

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

Source: InCites