In 2022, Indigenous youth from New England and the Arctic gathered in Maine, Wabanaki territory, for a first-of-its-kind gathering. With support from the National Science Foundation, and with the leadership of the Wabanaki Youth in Science program and Ikaarvik, they built relationships and trust while connecting to the land and waterways. They shared the impacts of settler colonialism and their values and traditions, finding similarities and differences.
Their UArctic Assembly session challenged Western norms—changing the space’s structure and emphasizing the need for respectful and reciprocal listening, silence, and discussion of colonialism’s impacts. These youth are leading an initiative to bring global Indigenous youth in summer 2023 to discuss environmental, climate, and cultural challenges. Speakers will debut a documentary film and share their experiences.
For more information, contact Holly Parker at h.parker@bowdoin.edu.