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To celebrate Earth Day, we wanted to give you
a sneak peek of our new cultural workspace...
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Today, we are excited to unveil:
KUUGALAK
The final blueprints and 3D rendering for our game-changing new cultural workspace lay out the vision of a future where our values and connection to the land, our language, and our culture, are restored.
Since 2019, we have been reimagining the future of culturally rooted Arctic infrastructure through this 1,200 square foot building. Our partnership with the Green Building Technologies Access Centre (GBTAC) at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT), renewable energy researchers and professionals from across the country, and local industry partners Qillaq Innovations, CHOU Consulting and Development, and Aurora Energy Solutions is allowing us to explore the challenges of developing long-term, sustainable infrastructure for the Canadian Arctic that both draws from traditional knowledge and uses experimental materials and technologies, envisioning a better world for future generations.
Living in a landscape that has been facing the dangerous effects of climate change for decades, we recognize that action must be taken now. We’re working to preserve, protect and renew our language and culture, at a time when our very lifestyle, how we have lived, and who we have been for millennia, is at risk. With 25 years of experience in Inuit-driven programming, we see an opportunity and the necessity to take a position of leadership in the movement towards sustainability.
Even deeper than this decades-long history as a cultural organization, is our responsibility to maintain the balance between humans and the land, which has been long upheld by our ancestors.
The name of our new workspace, Kuugalak, references the waterway adjacent to the building; one that local Elders say used to run wide and deep, but which has been reduced to a small creek due to climate change. As we focus on climate adaptation and cultural revitalization, our aim is for Kuugalak to be both a symbol and a place where our knowledge and our connection to the landscape runs deep through the community once again.
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“This building will be utilized for our future generations to come and to learn and remember the importance of Inuit traditional knowledge..."
— Bessie Omilgoetok, PI/KHS Honourary Chair
Once completed in Fall 2022, this cultural workspace will become the hub for linguistic and cultural revitalization in Cambridge Bay, informing future sustainable infrastructure across the Canadian Arctic.
Kuugalak has been carefully designed to work with the landscape within our newly purchased property on Okalik Street in Cambridge Bay. The Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency’s Canada Community Revitalization Fund has confirmed $766,018 towards the construction of the building. The building is expected to cost $1.7 million to complete, which includes design, building materials, labour, and ongoing performance monitoring in the year following the build. This builds on previous and ongoing funding from Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., the Government of Nunavut, Crown-Indigenous Relations & Northern Affairs Canada, and Indigenous Clean Energy, all of whom have supported the feasibility and pre-construction phases.
“Culturally-relevant spaces where Nunavummiut can gather for cultural and educational activities improve the overall health and resiliency of local communities. Our government is working in partnership in support of the construction of a workshop space that will meet these goals by providing a forum where traditional Inuit skills can be shared, learned, and practiced. This workshop, located within an eco-friendly structure, will contribute to the protection of the Arctic for future generations.”
— The Honourable Daniel Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs, Minister for PrairiesCan and Minister for CanNor
“We are grateful to have support. This building will be our place to reconnect and carry out our Inuit language and culture through cultural programming.”
— Annie Atighioyak, PI/KHS Board President
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Read the full press release here. |
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“Canada’s Arctic is an important part of our history and a major barometer for environmental health. This project exemplifies how we need to refocus on collaboration, to find solutions to critical environmental issues together, and share our knowledge far and wide to the benefit of all.”
— Melanie Ross, Scientific Lead, GBTAC
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We're committed to sharing everything we have learned and continue to learn about green energy solutions and building in the Arctic.
If we've learned anything on this journey, it's that we are only part of the solution. Behind the blueprints, we have spent countless hours over many years meeting with an incredible team of industry experts to problem-solve some of our greatest challenges.
For a glimpse into all of the work that has gone into our research and thinking, please take a look at our new booklet, Nunamiutuqaq / Building from the Land, or visit www.nunamiutuqaq.ca. | |
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| Understanding climate change in a deeper way
We've been working with Brightspot Climate to answer a few big questions frequently asked by our community.
|  | Why is the Arctic warming 3x faster than any other region on Earth? What impact is climate change having in the Arctic?
Why does an average global temperature increase of a couple degrees matter so much? This short and simple read explains Arctic Climate Change 101. | |  | What is the carbon cycle? What does it mean that permafrost and the Arctic Ocean are "carbon sinks"?
Learn all things Carbon Cycle 101. | |  | When it comes to using renewable sources of energy, there is no one-size-fits-all approach for every community around the world. Being a fly-in only community in the Arctic poses many challenges to the kind of energy we are able to use right now. Explore Wind Power 101 and Wind Power in the Arctic, Solar Power 101 and Solar Power in the Arctic, and Hydrogen Power 101. | |  | One of the challenges with renewable technologies is that they are sometimes not available during peak demand. Battery storage systems are helping to solve this issue.
How does a battery work? What kinds of batteries exist right now? Get the low down.
| | Still have a climate change question after reading these? We've got you covered. Brightspot is ready for any questions you have... whether you need advice on what kind of renewable energy sources you could add to your cabin, or how you could reduce your environmental footprint....
Head to this link, scroll down to the bottom of the page, and type in your question. |
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With our big news, we thought it was fitting to share a few other good news stories we read this past month about Inuit leadership and involvement in climate research and adaptation...
"How Inuit are reshaping Arctic climate science."
"Inuit conservation is transforming life and work in the Arctic."
"Cree and Inuit are joining forces to produce clean energy is Northern Quebec."
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We're a leader for culture and heritage in Nunavut, guided by an Inuinnaq Executive Director and Inuinnait Board. We address projects of critical importance to the revival of Inuit culture, language and history. We focus on the critical needs of Inuinnait—a distinct regional group of Inuit living in the Central Canadian Arctic.
Our mission is to preserve and renew Inuinnait knowledge, language and culture for the benefit of all Inuit.
Our vision is to concentrate and connect the resources, expertise and technology critical to Inuinnait cultural and linguistic survival.
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