Protectors of Aqviqtuuq
January 31, 2025 at 01:06AMTaloyoak is a hamlet on the coast of Aqviqtuuq, located on the nothernmost tip of mainland Canada. The remote area is currently a wildlife haven untouched by industry—but not for long. Mining companies have 19 claims there, but the residents are determined to protect the land, sea, air, and their water supply from pollution and contamination. They’ve established the Aqviqtuuq Inuit Protected and Conserved Area, which is “the first Inuit-led conservation model of its kind in the world.” Under the program, full-time guardians will patrol 90,000 square kilometers (~35,000 square miles) to protect the community’s fragile ecosystems.
Ullikatalik’s feelings for his home are echoed throughout the community, passed down from the generations before, who, he says, “put Taloyoak on the map so I could live here.” But when he tries to picture his great-grandchildren enjoying the land the same way he does, doubt enters his mind. For the last 50 years, this paradise of muskox, polar bears, foxes, seals, whales and Arctic char has been under mounting threat. The thinning ice of the nearby Northwest Passage means increased shipping is on the way, and with it the threat of wildlife disruption and oil spills. The mining industry also covets the peninsula and already owns 19 mineral claims — including for diamond. And while mining companies promise residents a quick road to prosperity, Ullikatalik says they conveniently leave out the potential social, cultural and environmental costs.
“Our land and our caribou are healthy at this point,” says Ullikatalik, his voice rising. “We want to keep it that way.”
from Longreads https://longreads.com/2025/01/30/protectors-of-aqviqtuuq/
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