Introduction to the Blog Series: Valued Components in QIA’s Tusaqtavut Studies
To understand the potential impacts of the Mary River Project (including both existing impacts and possible future impacts of the Phase 2 proposal) on land use and the Inuit way of life, Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA) worked with the communities of Pond Inlet, Iglulik, Sanirajak, Arctic Bay, and Clyde River to conduct a series of studies (the Tusaqtavut Studies) of Inuit land use. Between 2019 and 2021, 137 community members from these five communities were interviewed. These interviews were used to create three reports that were submitted to Nunavut Impact Review Board, highlighting the concerns and potential impacts to communities and community members.
These three reports describe key issues related to traditional resources and the Inuit way of life in the area around the Mary River Project that were identified by the Inuit of Pond Inlet, Iglulik, Sanirajak, Arctic Bay, and Clyde River. The interviews and mapped information collected, were recorded and analysed by consultants and QIA researchers, who identified themes in what Inuit said was important to them and how the Mary River Mine could impact the things that matter to Inuit people and communities. We found that there were several themes that came up again and again during interviews, including the importance of harvesting on the land and water, fishing, freshwater, the ability to travel and stay out on the land, and the importance of Inuit culture and passing on this knowledge to future generations. The reports are organized according to these key themes (referred to as Valued Components) important to Inuit, and they included both quotes from participants as well as maps of important Inuit resources and values. The reports also describe some of the potential impacts between the Mary River Project, as identified by Inuit. These reports can be found on QIA’s website here, and on the NIRB website here.
The Tusaqtavut Valued Components are:
