Iñupiaq Values in Subsistence Harvesting: Applying the Community Voice Method in Northwest Alaska

Abstract

Our study applied the Community Voice Method, a film-based community engagement approach, in a primarily Indigenous Arctic community to amplify voices of hunters regarding management of subsistence resources. Over a 30-month period we applied transdisciplinary methods to collaborate with the community of Kotzebue in northwestern Alaska on an original film. The goals of the film were to illustrate how Iñupiaq values and knowledge guide subsistence hunting practices through stories, educate youth and foster intergenerational dialog, and initiate discussions about inclusion of Indigenous values and knowledge in resource management. Here, we describe our application of this method and reflect on our successes and challenges, in hope that other practitioners can use this methodology to proactively identify community issues around natural resource management and, through an audiovisual medium, facilitate stakeholder empowerment in Indigenous communities.