Inuk activist Ashley Cummings explains why indigenous voices on climate need to be heard now more than ever

When Ashley Cummings thinks of home, she envisions beautiful mountains. The majestic guy covered in snow, from where he grew up in Pangnirtung, Nunavut.

“They have always been a really important part of the land to me because of their beauty and how majestic and comforting they are,” he said.

The 23-year-old Inuk activist now resides in Whitehorse, where she is a student at Yukon University and studies indigenous governance. Cummings has served in many roles as an advocate while serving on the Prime Minister’s Youth Council, as co-chair of the Kids Help Phone Indigenous Advisory Council, and as a former board member of Apathy is boring, a charity that educates young people about democracy.

Climate change has been more on his radar lately, especially in the context of how it intersects with other parts of his activism, such as indigenous mental health. So much so that in September, Cummings delivered his first keynote address at the Global Forum on Climate Justice at Glasgow’s Caledonian University, highlighting how climate change affects Inuit and other indigenous communities, and why greater inclusion of indigenous peoples Indigenous voices are vital in helping the climate crisis. .

National Observer of Canada He met with Cummings to ask him about his speech and how he wants the climate change talks to be more inclusive.

You have been an advocate in many different spaces, but say that climate change is relatively new to you. What made you interested?

It is so tied to the well-being of indigenous peoples. Living here in Whitehorse and being quite active in the community, I have come to realize how deeply shocking the climate is for the people here, as well as those in my home community. Much of our well-being is related to the land, spending time on it and also learning from the stories that have happened on it, whether they are myths and legends or hunting stories of relatives.

It feels like a huge responsibility: to make sure that we are taking care of the environment, so that we can start taking care of people. Because frankly, indigenous groups in Canada don’t have the support they should. Tackling climate change is a good place to start supporting them.

In his speech, he talks about how climate change has disproportionately affected indigenous communities, especially those in the north. What examples stand out?

This spring in Whitehorse, we had horrible floods that led to many people being evacuated from their homes. We usually have a dry climate, and last winter we had huge amounts of snow, especially in the mountains, and then all the snowmelt fell and flooded.

And then in Nunavut, there is so much instability from climate change. Growing up in Pangnirtung, there was an incredible storm that melted a lot of permafrost around the river, causing it to collapse in on itself. He broke the bridge and divided our city into two parts. I still remember that day when I saw the landslide and heard rocks roll in the river because it sounded like thunder. But of course there were none.

[email protected] delivered his first keynote address at the Global Forum on Climate Justice at Glasgow’s Caledonian University, highlighting how climate change affects Inuit and other indigenous communities.

A fjord in Pangnirtung. Photo courtesy of Saw that via Flickr

What impacts do these events have?

It has the same impacts as non-indigenous communities facing a disaster: it is just horrible to see their house destroyed and not be able to do anything about it.

And then in terms of culture, here in Whitehorse, for example, many of the First Nations around this area do fishing camps every year. They go down, they smoke a lot of salmon and they process it. That part of the culture in Whitehorse is having to change a lot due to declining numbers of salmon; Salmon can’t always be counted on to run, even though it’s such an important part of the identity and day-to-day experience here. .

With COP26 on the horizon, there has been a lot of conversation around equity and inclusion at climate conferences. In your eyes, what is the status of indigenous participation in these spaces?

We need a lot more representation. We are people who live so intimately with and on the earth, and we have these huge stakeholder voices that are included rather than our own, and who are not receptive to the suggestions we have, even though there is no shortage of climate activists. natives.

It all feels exhausting, seeing the same things. For example, the Inuit Circumpolar Council has been calling for efforts on climate change and climate change representation since its initial document in 1977. We are asking for those same things now, because clearly what we are doing is not working. We need to take drastic measures to save the planet, and indigenous voices have a lot of perspective and knowledge to give in terms of climate solutions.

What was your conclusion from the talk? With what feeling did you leave?

I was so relieved that I gave this talk that I have been preparing for months and months. That was definitely the initial feeling.

But also, I left feeling quite hopeful, because I made some meaningful connections with the people involved. And I also felt hopeful that these indigenous voices, no matter where they come from, will be included more in these discussions, and that tougher and more uncomfortable conversations will take place. I was certainly relieved to have finished the talk, but also very proud that there are concrete ways we are moving forward.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Reference-www.nationalobserver.com

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