“We Don't Know anything about Whales:” Ecological Knowledge and Ways of Knowing in Ulukhaktok, NT, Canada

Abstract

This paper reports on interviews conducted during June and July 2015 to document ecological knowledge of beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) in Ulukhaktok, Northwest Territories. Beluga whales are not a traditionally available or important species for Ulukhaktomiut, but they have appeared in increasing numbers in the waters around the community, and hunters have actively pursued and taken them. We conducted interviews in English with 31 Inuit about their beluga knowledge. A Key Words in Context (KWIC) analysis of the word "know" in the narratives reveals different conceptions of what it means to know something about whales. "Know" variously references practical skill, concern and empathy for others, or the developing awareness of one's place in the world. Each of these meanings is coded uniquely in Inuinnaqtun, providing insights about the important differences between researchers and Inuit in how "ecological knowledge" is understood and activated.Key words: qualitative data analysis, traditional ecological knowledge, Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, beluga whales.Résumé : Cet article fait état des entrevues effectuées au cours des mois de juin et juillet 2015, afin de documenter les connaissances écologiques sur les bélugas (Delphinapterus leucas) à Ulukhaktok, Territoires du nord-ouest. Les bélugas ne sont pas une espèce traditionnellement présente ou d'importance pour les Ulukhaktomiut, mais ils sont apparus en nombres croissants dans les eaux autour de cette communauté et les chasseurs les ont activement poursuivis et capturés. Nous avons mené des entrevues en anglais avec 31 Inuits à propos de leur savoir au sujet des bélugas. Une analyse de mots-clés en contexte (« Key Words in Context (KWIC) » du mot « connaitre » (« know ») dans les récits révèle des conceptions différentes de ce que veut dire savoir quelque chose à propos des baleines. « Connaitre » fait référence aux habiletés ou aux compétences, à la préoccupation ou l'empathie pour autrui, ou au développement de la conscience de la place que l'on occupe dans le monde. Chacune de ces significations est codée de façon unique en Inuinnaqtun, apportant des perspectives à propos des différences importantes entre la façon dont les chercheurs et les Inuits comprennent et appliquent « les connaissances écologiques ». [Traduit par la Rédaction] Mots-clés : analyse de données qualitatives, connaissances écologiques traditionnelles, Inuit de Qaujimajatuqangit, bélugas.

Social-ecological changes and implications for understanding the declining beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) harvest in Aklavik, Northwest Territories

“…Even experienced hunters would not take full ownership for their knowledge or potential for leadership, and commented that they were "still learning" from Elders, and would always take guidance from those Elders if they were present at the harvest. This mentality and justification of what constitutes "knowledge" and "expertise" is shared among other Inuvialuit and Inuit, such as beluga harvesters in Ulukhaktok (Collings et al 2017). This finding is particularly timely given the few number of knowledgeable Elders who are able to travel to the whale camps.…”

“All the problems in the community are multifaceted and related to each other”: Inuit concerns in an era of climate change

“…A large proportion of responses (20, or 18.7%) for this question were coded as “do not know” or “no response.” These responses (often just a shrug, or the Inuktitut word "aatsuk") are not unusual when interviewing Inuit. This response reflects a tendency among Inuit to avoid speaking about issues before careful reflection, to avoid generalizations, or to avoid discussing issues they have not experienced directly (see Collings, Pearce, & Kann, 2018). "Aatsuk" may also reflect fatigue, as the questions came at the end of a long survey.…”

Inuvialuit traditional ecological knowledge of beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) under changing climatic conditions in Tuktoyaktuk, NT

“…The interviews lasted an average of 56 min, ranging from 23 to 95 min in length. The interview guide (Supplementary Data 2 ), consisting of 23 questions, addressed the three main topics of inquiry, including beluga behavior and ecology, hunting techniques, and subsistence food preparation, and was based on similar work conducted in Ulukhaktok (Collings et al 2018). Semi-directed interviews were utilized to allow participants to discuss other topics that they considered to be relevant and included information not covered by the initial interview guide ).…”