Arctic Indigenous Peoples

Indigenous peoples are considered the original inhabitants of the Arctic region. Although there is no commonly agreed definition of the indigenous peoples, most literature cites a working definition by Jose R. Martinez who, in the 1980s, was the Special Rapporteur of the United Nations Sub-Commission on the Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities. Known as the Cobo definition, it describes the indigenous people as having lived in the territories since time immemorial, long before they were invaded and colonised by the settlers. They are distinct from the other sectors in the prevailing society in their way of life, culture, language and livelihood. At present, they form non-dominant groups of population on the territory at which they inhabit and are being increasingly assimilated into the Arctic nations. However, they are determined to maintain their distinct identities by preserving, developing and transmitting their cultural identity to future generations.

 

Because of their pre-historic presence in the Arctic region and its colonisation over past centuries, the indigenous people have been gradually, but rapidly, marginalised in many countries. Consequently, their existence as distinct groups is threatened because they generally lack control over the lands and resources they traditionally owned, occupied and used as collective entitlements. Their continued existence depends on socio-culturally developed norms, known as indigenous customary law, linked to the management of their lands and resources, and the practices established in their social institutions. The indigenous people are identified by many different terms: such as native peoples, first nations, aboriginal populations, tribal people, and ethnic small numerical minorities.

The number of indigenous people globally is approximately 370 million. In the Arctic, the number is about 400,000, representing 10 per cent of the total four million inhabitants of the region. They are distributed among seven of the eight Arctic countries including Canada, Denmark (Greenland), Finland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States (Alaska). Iceland is the only Arctic state without indigenous peoples. In the Arctic, indigenous peoples represent minorities in all nations except Canada and Greenland. In Greenland, indigenous populations represent a majority (88%) of the population. In the Canadian Arctic, over half of the population is indigenous.

While there is no precise information on how long indigenous peoples have inhabited the Arctic, estimates are that the first people arrived in the region 12,000 years ago. There are approximately 40 groups of indigenous peoples in the Arctic, most of which have a distinct language. Among the other dominant languages they speak are English, Russian, and the Scandinavian languages (Danish, Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish). Some groups live trans-nationally in more than one country. For example, the Inuit people live in four countries: Canada, Denmark (Greenland), Russia and the United States. Similarly, the Sámi people live in northern Finland, Norway, and Sweden, and Russia's Kola peninsula. Other Arctic indigenous peoples include the Nenets, Khanty, Evenk and Chukchi in Russia; Aleut, Yupik and Inupiat in the US; Inuit representing the Inuvialuit in Canada; and Inuit representing Kalaallit in Greenland.

The livelihoods of Arctic indigenous peoples include fishing, hunting, herding (caribou in North America and reindeer in Scandinavia and Russia) and the production of handicrafts. Today, many indigenous peoples have adapted their traditional livelihoods to the modern economy. For example, the Sámi indigenous people combine their traditional activities with small businesses, such as tourism.

The Arctic indigenous peoples are engaged in numerous political undertakings through which they can make their voices heard and promote their involvement in decision-making processes. The most important political institution through which they can influence the future of the region is the Arctic Council.

The Council is a high-level intergovernmental forum that covers the eight Arctic states. Indigenous peoples' participation in the Arctic Council is through six representative bodies from across the circumpolar Arctic known as permanent participants. The permanent participants sit with the eight Arctic states and are engaged in decision-making processes affecting the entire region as well as their native lands.

The Arctic Council is unique in terms of having indigenous peoples accommodated in an inter-state political process as active participants. Recognition and accommodation of indigenous peoples' participation offer an example of how the indigenous peoples can be politically empowered and influence decisions that span the boundaries of the member nations.

Similar political processes are found in the Barents Euro-Arctic Council, a cooperative approach among the Arctic states of Europe. Arctic indigenous peoples have their own organisations, such as the Saami Council (representing the Sámi of the four countries from Scandinavia and northwest Russia), and the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC) representing 180,000 Inuit people from four countries including Canada, Denmark (Greenland), Russia and the United States (Alaska). Many Arctic indigenous peoples also have their own institutions at the national level. An example is the Sámi Parliaments in three Nordic countries. Their representatives take part in international treaty negotiations concerning issues that affect them. The Nordic Sámi Convention (Draft) is an example of an international law-making process involving the Sámi from three countries.