A fellow QUB Geography student, Emma Denton, had the privilege of joining an expedition to the Arctic with the Students on Ice Foundation (SOI). She recently spoke to an audience at the Royal Geographic Society about her experience, and now, is providing The Graticule with an account of her journey and escapade to Greenland and Nunavut, Canada.
In the summer of 2019, I was lucky enough to join an expedition to the Arctic with the Students on Ice Foundation (SOI). SOI is an organisation offering unique educational expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic. Their mandate is to educate the world’s youth about the importance of the polar regions and catalyse initiative that contribute to global sustainability. The foundation is dedicated to making its programmes accessible to all high school and university students, regardless of their socio-economic or cultural background. Thanks to the organisation’s fantastic base of partners, sponsors, and supporters, SOI have been able to offer scholarships to 80% of participants on recent Arctic expeditions.
My expedition was funded by the Canada-UK foundation, with whom I am now a member of a growing alumni association. Following an SOI expedition, you do not return the same person. The journey allows you to develop new vision, new opinions, and new perspectives, with which to see the world, that you did not have before. The experiential learning opportunities received from a landscape steeped in spiritual history, combined with the generosity and knowledge of Inuit people; create ripples which resonate through all of your future decisions, and make you more mindful of the world around you. The 2019 expedition brought together 131 high school and university students from around the world. 50% of these students were indigenous, such as Inuit, Métis, First Nations, Sami, and Inupiaq. We were also joined by scientists, elders, artists, and musicians. Such an inclusive and diverse mix of individuals gave rise to a creative and expressive environment, which generated rich learning experiences.
Our expedition began in Ottawa with a welcoming celebration organised by the Inuit elders. Holding tobacco leaves in our left hands, they said a blessing; hoping we had a safe journey filled with self-growth and learning. Here, we also saw Inuit drum-dancing and throat-singing for the first time. The sounds ricocheted across the walls, and even though I could not understand the words, it was clear that the room was filled with love and hope for the journey ahead.
[25th July] We arrived in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. Excitement was building as anticipation rolled through the team, once we caught sight of our floating home for the next two weeks, the MS Ocean Endeavour. The rest of the day was spent attempting to memorise the pathways to our cabins within the vast ship. Also making sure to make a mental note the most important locations, such as the best viewing platforms, and dining hall. Engines rumbled beneath the lower decks and soft waves emerged from the ship’s steel sides, as we gradually made our way northwards along the west coast of Greenland.
[26th July] Itelleq fjord was our first stop. The early hours drifted by as we familiarised ourselves with the tundra, eating wild crowberries and learning about the ancient geology. Atlantic cod were fished by students from the still waters surrounding zodiac rigid inflatable boats (RIBs). The ship chef later cooked those fish for the students that landed them. After reboarding the Ocean Endeavour, whales and seals could be seen through the windows of the dining hall. Their breath drifted by, as dark backs submerged beneath the water. Each evening, all students would participate in ‘Isuma’ workshops. ‘Isuma,’ meaning ‘to think,’ or ‘a state of thoughtfulness,’ in Inuktitut. This was time allocated to us in order to allow reflection on the day by making art, music, or journal writing. I never really kept a journal before, but I do now. It’s beautiful to stir through pages of time and read what you saw on a particular day, or once again feel what you felt back then.
[27th July] Now in deep iceberg territory. The first one I saw was through the port-hole window of my cabin. A huge chunk of white ice floating against the watery horizon. The further into Disco Bay we travelled, the more icebergs there were. Jumping into the zodiacs, we bee-lined around the large structures bobbing around in the ocean, scooping up brack ice with cold fingers. Two humpback whales joined us. Turning off the engines, we watched them for a while. After surveying us with curiosity for a few minutes, both whales submerged beneath the sheet ice where they could not be followed. The sound of their breathing still echoed in our ears long after their departure. Ilulissat was our next landing. Here we explored the town and UNESCO world heritage ice fjord. The Ilulissat fjord calves 35 cubic kilometres of ice per year - more than any other glacier outside of Antarctica.
By the [31st July], the Ocean Endeavour had crossed the Davis Strait (with quite a few passengers suffering from sea sickness). After traversing a glacier and drinking water that had been frozen for up to 12,000 years, we found ourselves at an Inuit living relic site. This place is known as, ‘Coutt’s Inlet,’ or, ‘Kinngaarjuk.’ The Inuit elders went ashore first to bless the land, as this is a historic and spiritual location. It was an honour to be one of the few people to see it. The sun was shining all day, glistening on the coastal waters, and shadowing the mountains. We hiked up through the tundra and baked traditional bannock on a flat stone at the beach.
During the next few days, we experienced the launch of a marine protected region, ‘Tallurutiup Imanga,’ went swimming in 5°C waters, and glimpsed a few distant polar bears and walruses. The SOI closing ceremony occurred on 7th August. By this stage, everyone was mentally and physically exhausted. Reminiscing about our memories brought most people to tears, and saying goodbye was difficult. Even though we’d only known each other for two weeks, it’s astounding how quickly bonds can grow between those sharing a common purpose, and under uncommon circumstances.
Final Thoughts:
Indigenous ways of knowing remain profound and relevant. Despite modern influences, peoples of the Arctic (and elsewhere) have retained their language, core knowledge, and beliefs. Indigenous knowledge contributes to the advancement of a sustainable Arctic and a sustainable planet. Few people realise that 80% of the world’s biodiversity is found within indigenous lands. Therefore, it is essential that this knowledge is utilised to inform decision making, as these communities are agents of environmental conservation.
Our relationship with the ocean is threatened by pollution and exploitation. Eight million tonnes of plastic enter the ocean annually, but only 1% is shown on the surface. This plastic will circulate throughout the five major gyres for centuries and can bio-accumulate across food chains. It is essential that single-use plastics and harmful disposal practices become obsolete. It does not require much effort to purchase a reusable water bottle or change what you eat. The IPCC states that a change of diet could free up many square kilometres of land by 2050. This in turn would cut CO2 emissions up to 8 billion tonnes per year, and thus make space for tree-planting.
The most important lesson gained from this expedition, is that we need to once again learn how to work in harmony with nature, rather than against it. The youth engagement encouraged by SOI expeditions welcomes imagination and innovation to decision making. This will help to shape a better future and create positive change, with young minds at the forefront of global change.
"We can’t save the world by playing by the rules, because the rules have to be changed. Everything needs to change – and it has to start today," (Greta Thunberg).
All photographs by the author.
If you would like to learn more about Students on Ice, you can take a look here.
