Welcome to Our Arctic Presence, a podcast series created by Indigenous Youth from throughout the circumpolar north in celebration of 25 years of the Arctic Council. Over the course of six episodes, you will learn about the Arctic Council and who the Permanent Participants are, hear stories from Arctic Indigenous Elders and Youth, and tune into crucial conversations taking place regarding Northern lands and waters.

The Arctic. It has always held its allure. Often known as the “Last Frontier,” the tundra and taiga that defines the topmost part of the northern hemisphere have been the subject of many an explorer’s daydream. This place, this frozen expanse technically known as a “desert” due to the low levels of precipitation that fall each year, is also known as home.

For millennia, the Arctic has been home to the Indigenous Peoples of the North. From Sápmi to Inuit Nunat, Gwichyaa Zhee’ to Denendeh, Tanax to Yakutia, stories ring from these lands. Though the Peoples have always been meeting and engaged in trade and ceremony with one another, Arctic cooperation was strengthened 25 years ago when the Indigenous Peoples joined the Arctic States of Iceland, Finland, Sweden, the Russian Federation, the Kingdom of Denmark, The United States of America, Norway, and Canada in forming the Arctic Council.

“This is our Story.”

Episode 1 dropping on Saturday, December 18th, speaks to the story of how the Permanent Participant organizations were developed and became involved with the Arctic Council.

 Listen here.

Credits 

Published and produced by: On The Land Media – a multimedia organism created to center Indigenous voices and our relationships to the land and water.

In Collaboration with: The Indigenous Peoples’ Secretariat, Arctic Athabaskan Council, Aleut International Association, Gwich’in Council International, Inuit Circumpolar Council, Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Saami Council, the Permanent Participant Youth Network.

Sponsored by:  The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Iceland, The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland

Cover art by: Halux Markings by Dustin Newman, Aleut International Association Youth Representative.

Theme Music: Maani Nunamteni by Uqill’aq Byron Nicholai 

This project was undertaken as an approved project of the Permanent Participant Youth Network. The podcast and written content was prepared by the project team and do not necessarily reflect the policy or positions of any Arctic State, Permanent Participant, or Observer of the Arctic Council.