Our Ice Is Vanishing / Sikuvut Nunguliqtuq: A History of Inuit, Newcomers, and Climate Change (Volume 75)

by Shelley Wright

The Arctic is ruled by ice. For Inuit, it is a highway, a hunting ground, and the platform on which life is lived. While the international community argues about sovereignty, security, and resource development at the top of the world, the Inuit remind us that they are the original inhabitants of this magnificent place - and that it is undergoing a dangerous transformation. The Arctic ice is melting at an alarming rate and Inuit have become the direct witnesses and messengers of climate change. Through an examination of Inuit history and culture, alongside the experiences of newcomers to the Arctic seeking land, wealth, adventure, and power, Our Ice Is Vanishing describes the legacies of exploration, intervention, and resilience. Combining scientific and legal information with political and individual perspectives, Shelley Wright follows the history of the Canadian presence in the Arctic and shares her own journey in recollections and photographs, presenting the far North as few people have seen it. Climate change is redrawing the boundaries of what Inuit and non-Inuit have learned to expect from our world. Our Ice Is Vanishing demonstrates that we must engage with the knowledge of the Inuit in order to understand and negotiate issues of climate change and sovereignty claims in the region.

Genres: Nonfiction, Indigenous, Climate Change, History, Science, Environment

420 pages, Hardcover

First published August 15, 2014

Reviews

[Marcella · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is far outside my usual comfort zone, but I found it to be an educational read. It is, at its core, a history book of the Inuit people in Canada, through a lens of colonialism and climate change. I thought the history and legal sections were well done. I enjoyed reading the ancient legends of the Inuit and enjoyed the transition from the 'early years' introduction to Inuit life into the colonialism and legal aggression by Europeans and southern Canadians of the 19th and 20th centuries.

I did think the climate change sections were a little bit weaker. They did a good job of presenting case studies and interpretations of potential effects and futures. But I didn't come away with a strong message of what's to come. Perhaps this speaks to the monumental size of the problem. But while the author is convinced that melting ice is a major sign of impending doom, there's a mix of perspectives on how it will affect the Inuit, whether the Inuit believe it's happening, how we should approach development in the Arctic, and so on. I also felt there was a fair amount of repetition in the last few chapters—certain phrases jumped out at me repeatedly.

Overall, I'm glad I read it, even though the content varied from upsetting to tragic. Would recommend to anyone with a long commute.

(Note to self: +1 star because this book doesn't have many ratings and my system is skewed)

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having recently completed a journey from Greenland and through the North West Passage I found the book a valuable compliment to what I saw and experienced. I added a lot of depth, perspective, and history which very much enriched my experience. The section on climate change and its effects is already out of date given my experience in 2024. We traversed the NWP in the beginning of September and saw almost no ice! This change is happening more rapidly than I think most imagined.
A good and a thought provoking read about the Inuit and their Arctic homeland.

[Priyanka Srinivasa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lyrically written and with deep humility and understanding in describing climate change and the challenges and successes Inuit people face. What I loved about Dr. Shelley's work is her perspective as an active participant and observer of life in Nunavut, never claiming to be an expert of indigenous experiences. As we live in the anthropocene, we can not ignore or diminish the vital voices of indigenous people and Sikuvut Nunguliqtuq was a powerful reminder.

[Marc · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author summarizes the state of affairs in the Canadian North to the present. As such it's got a lot in it. The author is a lawyer and somewhat out of her realm with a lot of the material. I was especially annoyed that at least two different maps place Igloolik incorrectly and she claims to have been there several times. The sections/chapters are cursory on some matters. Toward the end of the book it's just plain long-winded and not that interesting. It's a good reference book.

[Diana H · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, educational and worth a read, but the narrative lacks clarity and flow at times.

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this an interesting read and recommend it to anyone concerned about climate change or traditional ways of life being lost. The focus is on the Canadian Arctic where the author, a Canadian, went in the past to teach law to students in a Native town. She writes this book from a ship sailing unimpeded through the Northwest Passage.

By comparisons with historical exploration the author shows us that in the 19th century a northwest passage was not feasible, though the Inuit lived on the ice which supported small numbers. As the world has been warming ever more rapidly, a passage was eventually attained by Amundsen who took three years to do it, staying to live with Inuit and learn their skills for 18 months.

We are told about various kinds of ice, from glaciers to pack ice, and warned of the speed of melting. While some might say this is not itself bad, the ice would reflect sunlight back into space but dark water and rock absorb heat in a feedback loop.

I would have liked a little more on the effect on nature of the melting. We are not told that the polar bear feeds on seals lying up with pups in ice caves, and the seal mother may have to abandon her pup and rush out the back tunnel to the sea when the bear starts digging. No ice, no seal, no bear. Nor are we told that the orca has now mastered the Arctic ocean, previously closed to them by ice for part of the year, and hunts in packs, killing every narwhal in a nursery inlet in one recently filmed hunt.

However if the author's focus was on the Inuit people that is her choice and the Arctic Council which she mentions, comprising the countries within the Arctic Circle and their indigenous inhabitants, should know whether the ice is melting if anyone does.

Also recommended: Future Arctic: Field Notes from a World on the Edge
by Edward Struzik.

[Bryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent introduction to the challenges the Inuit of Nunavut are facing in our modern world.