NUNAVUT
A new book, The Caribou Taste Different Now, is helping Nunavut Arctic College spread information about the Arctic beyond its walls.

Cover of the new book published by Nunavut Arctic College Media ... The Caribou Taste Different Now: Inuit Elders Observe Climate Change Paperback ­ May 31 2016 by Mary Simon (Foreword), Jose Gerin-Lajoie (Editor), Alain Cuerrier (Editor), Laura Siegwart Collier (Editor)

The 314-page book, complete with illustrations of the land and photos of the 145 elders who took part in interviews, exposes the changes that have taken place during the elders' lifetimes. Specifically, the researchers - Jose Gerin-Lajoie, Alain Cuerrier and Laura Siegwart Collier - sought to understand "how environmental changes across the Canadian Arctic are affecting tundra vegetation."

In particular, they focused on berries, "because of the importance of berries to wildlife, human health and traditional ways of life in the North."

Gerin-Lajoie said the research began as an International Polar Year project in 2007 which saw thousands of scientists and researchers from more than 60 nations around the world participating in Arctic and Antarctic research.

"(Our project) was about studying climate change and impacts on vegetation but also the impact on Inuit, if they were seeing any evidence of climate change," said Gerin-Lajoie, who was involved in all interviews except those held in Nain.

The researchers, from four universities from the west to the east coast, spread out across the North travelling from Kugluktuk in western Nunavut, eastward to Baker Lake, Pond Inlet and Pangnirtung, into three communities in Nunavik, and finally to Nain in Nunatsiavut.

"After all these years we're very happy the book came out, finally," said Gerin-Lajoie.

Mary Simon, recently appointed as a special representative on Arctic issues to Indigenous and Northern Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett, wrote the forward for the book.

A self-described "passionate berry picker," Simon stated: "We all know that climate change continues to be a threat in the Arctic and around the world. For many years now, Inuit have stated that our traditional knowledge and ancient practices are extremely relevant and need to be considered in the discussion on climate change mitigation and adaptation.

"This research puts that idea into practice."

Simon calls the book a "very useful guide."

"And I hope it is the beginning of recognizing the contribution Inuit have made and continue to make to the science of climate change," she stated.

And what did the researchers learn?

"We learned there were common trends across the three different regions. Surprisingly some observations were quite homogenous across this big range of territory but, also some things are happening very locally - so some things are very different from the east coast of Nunatsiavut and the western part of Nunavut, around Kugluktuk," said Gerin-Lajoie, adding it was very rewarding to hear the elders, with the help of interpreters, talking about their observations.

She's grateful for their participation and for what they shared of their traditional ways.

"New species coming in, that can be observed all across the Canadian Arctic. Also, it's happening over the last 20 years. The pace of the change is accelerating, that was also seen across the three regions. They all said that over the last 20 years the changes are going faster."

Gerin-Lajoie says community-based monitoring programs are ongoing in most of the communities which took part in the research collected in The Caribou .

"We have very nice data now and we can study the trends of how the berries are producing and what are the factors influencing the productivity of the berries," said Gerin-Lajoie.

The book, in English and Inuktitut, is available through Nunavut Arctic College and amazon.ca

The publishers plan future editions to reflect the various dialects of the regions.

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.