Monitoring environmental change using Inuit Qaujimajatuqanjit in Cape Dorset, Nunavut

Inuit in the Canadian Arctic have generations of experience traveling, hunting and living in close relationship with the land. The land is critical to the health and wellbeing of Inuit. Connections to the land go far beyond the physical, but rather extend into the spiritual, emotional, social and cultural realms of health and wellbeing. Inuit are witnessing dramatic changes in the Arctic environment upon which they depend. As the characteristics of the land change, so too will the relationship of Inuit with the land. Understanding the relationship between health and the land in the context of environmental change is poorly understood. However, the implications of environmental change for Inuit physical, emotional, spiritual and cultural health are significant. Monitoring culturally significant aspects of the environment, such as sea ice and the health of ringed seals, provides a greater understanding of the role that the land plays in Inuit health and wellbeing.