A group of young people from Tuktoyaktuk recently had the opportunity to share knowledge about their traditional beluga harvest while in Rome, Italy.
It was a “life-changing” experience, according to Natalie Noksana, one of four participants.
“The difference between all the cultures that I experienced during my time in Rome has opened my eyes so much,” the 28-year-old mother of two said after returning home to Tuktoyaktuk. “We are all very thankful for this trip, and it has given us many lessons that we will carry throughout the rest of our lives.”
Noksana and her three compatriots visited Rome for the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization’s Global Indigenous Youth Forum.
It was a whirlwind experience from beginning to end.
It began this summer, when the University of Alberta began looking for Tuktoyaktuk residents to lead some on-the-land programming surrounding the beluga harvest. Noksana, who identifies as “one of the first female beluga harvesters in the community,” needed some convincing from members of the local hunters and trappers committee, but ultimately decided to apply, and was soon accepted as an instructor for the program.
“We ran a beluga harvesting program where we took youth out to the island and they ran everything from harvesting the whale to sampling the whale, to learning to prepare the whale and store it for our traditional food for the winter, and when they were done, they shared with the Elders and the single moms in the community.”
In early October, after the program concluded, the university invited Noksana and fellow program participants Jeannie Gruben, Brianna Gruben, and Kyle Cockney to Edmonton to see a short film that had been recorded throughout the program.
It was in Edmonton that the four young people were invited to travel to Rome for the forum – but it was just five days away.
She admits she was “very scared” to leave her children, but after some consideration, was “very pleased to agree.” Her three compatriots did too, and while some within her group needed to scramble to get passports on short notice, they were all on a plane to Italy on Oct. 15.
The Tuktoyaktuk travellers struggled with some initial culture shock, Noksana said, particularly when faced with the eight hour time difference between their home community and Rome, but before long they were feasting on pasta and pizza with “no regrets,” she added with a laugh.
They also took in some of the city’s world famous attractions, and got particularly well acquainted with the Colosseum.
“Every morning we would scooter from the hotel to the forum,” Noksana said. “We picked a route where we’d go by the Colosseum every morning. We’d start off in the dark and by the time we got to the forum the sun was rising. It was a very beautiful experience.”
‘Shared goal’
The forum was, of course, the primary reason for their trip. It ran from Oct. 16-20, and provided a space for dialogue between Food and Agricultural Organization members, UN agencies, universities, research centres, and Indigenous youth from seven regions.
One of the primary topics of discourse was the future of Indigenous peoples’ food and knowledge systems in the face of climate change and other issues.
“Indigenous people all have a shared goal, which is to protect our land and animals,” Noksana said. “We all collaborated on issues we face in our everyday lives that are greatly affecting our traditional cultural ways.
“It has greatly sparked inspiration for us to continue to protect our land and animals for the years to come.”
The group arrived back in Tuktoyaktuk on Oct. 23 – two days after they left Italy, thanks to some inclement weather in the North. On Nov. 2, once they’d recovered from their jet lag, they met with local students to speak about the trip.
They also discussed the importance of the traditional beluga harvest, material that Noksana said will be “part of the curriculum now” at local schools.
“I just want to teach the youth that there’s so much more out there in the world,” said Noksana. “And I hope that the youth in our community really take what they’re gonna learn in the next semester or through the school with the beluga harvesting and carry on with our traditions. I would hate to see it die. That was the main goal of running the beluga harvesting program for the future leaders, making sure that our younger generation have the opportunity to get their hands in there and learn and continue our traditions.”