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2022-mi ukiakkut Nuunoq Per Ole Frederiksen, aalisartoq piniartorlu Kalaallit Nunaata kitaani Attumi suliniaqatigiiffiup PISUNA-p aallartitaa, oqaluttaalu taamani Aasianni najugaqartoq Halfdan Pedersen, internetsikkut ungasissumit videokkut eqqartueqatigaagut. Arctic PASSION-ip PISUNA suleqatigaa, taamani Nuunoq aamma Halfdan pingaarnertut attavigisarlugit.

Issittumi isumalluutinik aqutsineq pillugu najukkani inoqarfiit killilersuinermik ilungersornartunillu atugaqarnerat eqqaavaat, aamma qangaaniilli ilisimasat aalajangerniartarnermi ilaatinneqartarnissaasa pisariaqavinnera ilanngullugu eqqaallugu. Unammillernartut tamakku, silaannaap allanngornerata sunniuteqarnerlutsitsinera pisortallu ingerlatsiviinik ingerlaqateqarnissamik unammillernartoqarnera tamatumuuna qaavatigut ilanngullugit, inuuniutaannut annertuumik sunniuteqarput taamaattorli allanngortoqarnissaa sulissutigiuarpaat.

PISUNA suliniutaavoq Kalaallit Nunaanni avatangiisinik pisuussutinillu uumasunik takussutissaqartitsinermi aqutsinermilu najukkani inunnik ilanngutititsisoq. Nunat Avannarliit Siunnersuisoqatigiiffiata 2018-imi Avatangiisit pillugit Nersornaasiuttagaa Kalaallit Nunaanni Attumi Pisuussutit Pillugit Isumalioqatigiissitanut tunniuppaa, taakku najukkap eqqaani aalisartunit piniartunillu paasissutissanik takusanillu katersuinissamik suliaqarput. PISUNA pillugu aamma Attumi Aasiannilu Arctic PASSION-ip Nunap Inoqqaavisa inoqarfiinik suleqateqarnera Halfdan Pedersenip allaatigalugulu katersorsimasaani annertunerusumik atuagaqarit.

Nuunup nunaqarfimmi eqqaani suleriaaseq PISUNA najoqqutaralugu najukkami ilisimasat tunngavigalugit imaani uumassusillit ataqatigiiaarneranni allannguutinik takusimasanik nalunaarsuineq siuttuuffigisimavaa, PISUNA tassaalluni “Piniakkanik sumiiffinni nalunaarsuineq”-up naalisarnera. Nuunup pilersitseqatigiinnissap pingaaruteqarnera, tassa najukkani inoqarfiit, Nunat Inoqqaavisa ilisimasaannik nalunnginnittut aamma pisuussutinik aqutsinissamut ilisimatusaatitigut immikkut ilisimasallit suleqatigiittariaqarnerat naqissuserpaa. Pakatsinarnerarpaa ilisimatusaatitigut immikkut ilisimasalinnik iluatsittumik pilersitseqataaffigisimasanik assersuutissaqannginnera pillugu, aammalumi kommunip iluani nunallu immikkoortuini allani.

"Misigisimapput ilisimasaat iluarineqanngitsut, akuerineqanngitsut. Qaangiinnarneqarsimapput, Kalaallit Nunaanni kiinneraanngitsumik aamma nikassaarpaluttumik pineqartarsimapput," nunaqqatigiit misilittagaat pillugit Nuunup oqaasii Halfdanip nutserpai.

 

Eqqartuinermi Kalaallit inoqarfiini unammillernartut assigiinngitsut erseqqissarneqarput, ilanngullugit qangaaniilli piliniartarnermi periaatsit killilersugaanerat, aalisakkat ilaannik aamma ukiup ilaani pisassatigut killilersuineq, aammalu selskabit aalisakkanik nioqqutissiortut naalagaanerat. Nuunup sumiiffinni inoqarfiit aaliangiisarnermilu ingerlasarnerit imminnut ataqatigiinngittarnerat erseqqissarpaa, selskabit angisuut aningaasaqarnikkut soqutigisaat sumiffinni najugallit atugarissaarnissaannik atajuaannarnissaannillu pingaarnerutinneqakkajuttarmata.

Unammillernartut taamaattut nunaqqatigiikkuutaanut annertuumik sunniuteqartumik silaannaap allanngorneranik amerlisarneqartutut ipput. Nuunup artit assigiinngitsut ingerlaartarnerisa allanngorsimanerat eqqaavaa, qerisarnerup aattarnerullu allanngorsimanerat, tamarmik inatsisitigut aalisarfiusartut piniarfiusartullu allanngortinneqartariaqarnerannik tikkuussisut. Kisianni malittarisassat atuuttut pissutsinut taama allanngorsimatigisunut nikerartillugit naleqqussartinneqarsinnaannginnerat nikallornarnerarpaat. Ukiup ingerlarnani piffissat piniarfiusartut aalisarfiusartullu piaartumik naleqqussarneqartariaqarnerat tunngavilersuutigaat, silaannaap allanngorneranik peqquteqartumik allanngornernut nalunaarsorsimasunut tulluarsarlugit.

 

"Assersuutigalugu piffissaq una [piniarfiusartoq] sivitsornagu uunga nuullugu [ullulli] piniarfiusinnaasut nuuginnarlugit, taamaaliornissarlu ajornanngilaq. Ilaa, sapaatit akunneri piniarfiusinnaasut uanngaanniit uunga nuunnissaat pisariitsunnguuvoq," Halfdan nutserivoq.

 

Tamanna inoqarfinni nerisassaqarniarnikkut isumannaarinninniarnerinnaanngilaq, kulturikkut aamma sunniuteqarpoq. Assersuut ataaseq Nuunup Halfdanillu eqqaasaat tassaavoq timmissat ingerlaartartut ilaat, appa, piniagaasarnera Naalakkersuisunit sapaatit akunnerinik arfinilinnik sivisussusilerneqarsimasoq. Naak timmissat taakku amerlagaluaqisut silaannaap allanngornera pissutigalugu Attup eqqaanut piffissakkut allakkut takkuttalersimapput piniagaaffiusullu nalaani tamaani pissarsiassaasaratik. Inuusuttut ilaqarput inuunerminni appanniarsimanngitsunik appamillu suli ussiisimanngitsunik.

 

"Tamatuma kingunerisaanik Nuunoq oqarpoq ingammik inuusuttut amerlasuut timmissamik nererusukkaangamik kukkukuuaqqanik Danmarkimit eqqussanik pisiniartartut," Halfdani nutserivoq.

Pisuussutinik uumasunik aqutsinermi ilanngussinerusumik atajuartitsinerusumillu periaaseqarnissap ujartornerani Nuunup aamma Halfdanip misilittakkamik nunap avataaniittunik avitseqateqartarnissap pingaaruteqassusia erseqqissarpaat. Isumaqarput inissisimanertik ilisimatuunut, malittarisassiortartunut suliniaqatigiiffinnullu Kalaallit Nunaata avataaniittunut saqqummiuttarunikku paasineqarnerunermut siuarsaataajumaartoq anguniakkaminnullu tapersersorneqarnermik kinguneqarluni. Europa Kommissionip siornaakkunni Nunat Inoqqaavisa Ilisimasaasa aamma Najukkani Ilisimasat ilisimatusaatitigut ilisimalikkatulli naleqartiginerannik akuersisimanera erseqqissaatigaat, pitsaanerusumut allannguuteqarnissamik neriunartoqalersillugu.

 

"[Nuunup] ilanngullugu eqqaaqquaa Europa Kommissionip atorfilittaata siorna Helsingørimi [Arctic PASSIONip Ataatsimeersuarnerani] oqaatigimmagu najukkani ilisimasat aamma nunat inoqqaavisa ilisimasaat kiisalu aamma qangaaniilli ilisimasat maanna Europa Kommissionip ataani suliniutini tamani akuerineqarmata," Halfdan nangippoq.

 

"[Akuerinninneq] taamaattoq tassaavoq [suliniaqatigiiffiup PISUNAp] aallaqqaataaniilli anguniarsimasaa. Maannalu tullinnguuppoq tamatumap Kalaallit Nunaanni piviusumik atortinneqarnissaa."

Naak nunaqqatigiikkuutaat kalaallit ingerlatsiviinik suleqateqarniarnerat unammillernartoqaraluartoq Attumi suliniaqatigiiffik PISUNA naammassisaqarusuttumik suleriaaseqartuarsinnarpoq takuneqarsimasunillu nalunaarsuiuarluni, ilisimatuunillu pisortallu ingerlatsiviinik suleqateqarnissamik ilungersuuteqarnertik nangiinnarlugu, upperigamikku kinguaariit tulliusut eqqarsaatigalugit iliornerusoq eqqortoq.

"Misigisimavugut kinguaariit tullinnguuttut iluaqutigissagunikku, atugaat uagut atukkatsinnit pitsaanerussappata, taava tunngavissanik qiviarsinnaasaannik qimatsivigisariaqarigut. Tassuunakkullu aamma aqqut taanna atuarlugu suliuaannarnissaannik kaammattorlugit, najukkani aamma qangaaniilli namminneq ilisimasatik tunngavigalugit. Inuuniuteqarsinnaaniassagamik neriunartumillu siunissami ajunnginnerusumik inuuneqalerlutik," Nuunoq oqarpoq. "Tamakkuuku ingerlatsiinnarnitsinnut peqqutaasut."

 

Nuunup paasisimasaqarluarnera Issittumi inoqarfinni pisuussutinik aqutsinermi unammillernartut suunerannik erseqqissaavoq. Pilersitseqatigiittarnissamik siunnerfeqarnerat, qangaaniilli ilisimasat akuerineqarnissaannik siunnerfeqarnerat, piffissanik piniarfiusunik aalisarfiusunillu nikerartitsisinnaaneq aamma nunanik assigiinngitsunik suleqateqarneq malittarisassiortunut, ilisimatuutut misissuisartunut kiisalu aamma suliniaqatigiiffinnut Issittumi suliaqartunut pingaarutilinnik unamminartoqartitsinngittoorsinnaanngillat.

 

Isiginnittaatsit misilittakkallu najukkanit aallaavillit ilanngutitinnerisigut Issittumi inoqarfinnut siunissap atajuartitsinerusup naapertuilluarnerusullu pilersinnissaa ajornanngilaq, ilutigalugulu kulturikkut kingornussimasaat pisuussutaallu uumasut attatiinnarlugit.

In the photo above: Nuunoq Per Ole Frederiksen.

In the fall of 2022, Nuunoq Per Ole Frederiksen, a fisher and representative of the PISUNA organization in Attu, Western Greenland, with his interpreter Halfdan Pedersen, who was based in Aasiaat, joined us for a remote video discussion. Arctic PASSION collaborates with PISUNA, at the time with Nuunoq and Halfdan as the main contacts. 

They shared the limitations and struggles faced by local communities in Arctic resource management, and the urgent need to include traditional knowledge in decision making. These challenges, coupled with the adverse impacts of climate change and challenges navigating bureaucracy, has a profound impact on their livelihoods, yet they continue to push for change. 

PISUNA is a project that involves local people in the documentation and management of the environment and living resources in Greenland. The Nordic Council Environment Prize in 2018 was awarded to the Natural Resource Council of Attu, West Greenland, who is tasked with collecting information and observations from fishers and hunters in the community. Read more about PISUNA and the Arctic PASSION Indigenous Peoples’ community partners in Attu and Aasiaat in the article written and collected by Halfdan Pedersen.

Nuunoq has been leading documentation of local knowledge observations of marine ecosystem change in his home region using the PISUNA method, which is an abbreviation of the Greenlandic “Piniakkanik sumiiffinni nalunaarsuineq” (Local documentation and management of living resources). Nuunoq stressed the importance of co-production, which involves the collaboration of local communities, Indigenous Knowledge holders, and scientific experts in resource management. He expressed disappointment at the lack of successful examples of co-production with scientific experts as well as within their community or other regions.

“They feel their knowledge has not been appreciated, has not been accepted. They have been you know, overlooked, talked down to, and patronized in Greenland,” Halfdan translated from Nuunoq’s words about the community’s experiences.

The discussion shed light on the hurdles faced by Greenlandic communities, including limitations on traditional harvesting practices, restrictions on fishing species and seasons, and the dominance of industrialized fishing industries. Nuunoq highlighted the disconnect between local communities and decision-making processes, where the economic interests of large corporations often take precedence over the well-being and sustainability of local populations.

The challenges are further multiplied by climate change, which has had a profound impact on their communities. Nuunoq mentioned changes in the migratory patterns of species, altered freezing and melting times, leading to a need to shift the legal fishing and hunting seasons. However, they expressed frustration with the lack of flexibility in existing regulations, which fail to adapt to these changing circumstances. They argued for the urgent need to modify the current hunting and fishing seasons to align with the observed shifts caused by climate change.“For example, shifting this [hunting] season without making it longer but just moving the [dates of the] period, which you could do. You know, it's so easy to move six weeks hunting season from there to there,” Halfdan translated.

This is not only a food security challenge for communities, but it has cultural significance too. One example Nuunoq and Halfdan shared is of a migratory bird species, thick-billed murre, that the government allows a six-week window for hunting. Although this bird population is abundant, due to climate change it arrives in the Attu area at a different time and is not available there during the permitted hunting period. Some youths have never had the opportunity to hunt or taste this bird in their lifetimes.

 Halfdan translated, “As a result of that, [Nuunoq] says, especially many youngsters, when they want to eat bird, they buy chicken imported from Denmark."

In their pursuit of a more inclusive and sustainable resource management approach, Nuunoq and Halfdan emphasized the importance of sharing their experiences with the international community. They believe that by presenting their situation to scientists, policymakers, and organizations outside of Greenland, they can foster greater understanding and garner support for their cause. They highlighted the European Commission's recent acceptance of Indigenous and Local Knowledge as equal to scientific knowledge, providing hope for positive changes.

“[Nuunoq] suggested that I add what the European Commission’s official in Helsingør [during Arctic PASSION General Assembly] stated, that local knowledge and indigenous knowledge and traditional knowledge is now acknowledged in all projects under the European Commission,” Halfdan continues.

“And this [recognition] is what [the PISUNA organization] has been working for ever since they started. But what remains is to see it in action in Greenland.”

Despite the challenges the communities face in collaborating with the Greenlandic administrative bodies, the PISUNA organization in Attu remain pragmatic and keep making observation records, and continue their efforts to work with scientists and administrative bodies because they believe it’s the right thing to do for the next generation.

“We feel that, if the next generation should benefit, have lives better than ours, then we should give them a base where they can look up things. And thereby encourage them also to keep working the same way, based on their own local and traditional knowledge. So that they can make a living and hopefully have a better life doing so in the future,” Nuunoq said. “That’s what keeps us going.”

Nuunoq's insights shed light on the challenges faced by Arctic communities in resource management. Their calls for co-production, recognition of traditional knowledge, flexibility in hunting and fishing regulations, and international collaboration carry significant implications for policymakers, researchers, and organizations working in the Arctic region.

By incorporating local perspectives and experiences, it is possible to build a more sustainable and equitable future for Arctic communities while preserving their cultural heritage and natural resources.