Recap – Inuit Traditional Wisdom and Climate Advocacy with Siila Watt-Cloutier

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Published on July 15, 2024

On Thursday, May 23, 2024, a joint seminar was hosted by the SeeChange Initiative, the Centre for Indigenous Knowledges and Languages, and the Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research. Carol Devine from SeeChange and a Dahdaleh community fellow hosted the talk featuring Siila Watt-Cloutier, a celebrated Inuk advocate and Officer of the Order of Canada, who delivered an enlightening talk on human trauma and climate trauma.

Naomi Tatty, the Intercultural Health Lead for the SeeChange Initiative based in Nunavut, introduced the keynote speaker, Siila Watt-Cloutier. Siila began her talk with a detailed historical context of the Inuit people’s struggles, beginning in the 1920s when hunters were coerced into becoming fur traders, which led to significant economic and cultural shifts. The collapse of the fur market in the 1940s resulted in starvation and hardship until the arrival of the United State military during World War II, which temporarily alleviated these issues by creating jobs and supplies.

In the 1950s, the construction of residential schools and forced relocations further eroded the Inuit way of life, creating dependencies on government policies and processed foods, leading to numerous health issues. The 1960s brought more trauma with residential schools, forced relocations for sovereignty reasons, and the slaughter of dogs, which were critical for the Inuit's traditional lifestyle.

Siila highlighted the persistent challenges faced by the Inuit, including the impact of climate change and environmental toxins. She explained how Inuit communities have been poisoned by pollutants from distant industries, which has had severe health consequences. She also discussed the international advocacy work she has done, including her role in the negotiations leading to the Stockholm Convention, which aimed to eliminate persistent organic pollutants.

Throughout her talk, Siila emphasized the importance of addressing historical trauma and building back the spirit of the Inuit people. She argued for the need to create dependency-liberating programs that focus on healing and restoring the resourcefulness of the community. She also highlighted the cultural, educational, emotional, spiritual, and economic values of traditional Inuit practices,particularly the importance of food. She called for a shift from bureaucratic processes to empathetic and trust-based relationships, emphasizing personal transformation as a key to global change.

The event concluded with a brief question and answer session, where participants expressed their appreciation for Siila’s insights and discussed the role of youth and community in addressing these pressing challenges. She encouraged the audience to imagine new ways forward and to foster partnerships that respect and integrate Indigenous knowledge and values.

Connect with Siila Watt-Cloutier

Read more about the seminar on the SeeChange Initiative's substack

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