At UNESCO, we value sharing the inspirational stories of young people who are positively impacting the world or shedding light on important issues. We want to amplify powerful youth voices by giving them the space and platform to express themselves to have a greater impact on the world. This is why we are collaborating with Tamara by following her incredible journey overwintering in the Arctic in this web story series.
On the day of the solstice, the sea ice surrounded the sailboat. This means of travel has become only a habitat. I haven’t seen the sun for a long time, and daylight is just a dark shadow that does not last. Time is countless and nights are long. Sometimes the winds get wildly strong and I wonder where the ptarmigans, foxes and arctic hares find shelter. The full moon shines on the boat and a fox hides in the shadows of the mast on the ice. When he sees me, he runs ashore, waits a while, and comes back. Light, agile and clever.
My human condition hasn't given me the sensitivity to judge the thickness of the pack ice or any resistance to the cold. Nor do I possess the physical aptitude to jump the floes between sea ice and land like the arctic foxes. I keep an eye on the barometer, rationalize my feelings, assess the risks, remember past advice, measure the ice with the tooq (an Inuit tool consisting of a long wood stick with a sharp blade) dress well for the conditions and think before I do anything. Heavy, slow, much less clever.
Any climatic variation is promptly visible. Warm days (0ºC to 7ºC) reduced the surface of the ice and melted the snow on the mountains, uncovering rocks and plants, and setting a brown landscape. Beyond being a means of transport and shelter for animals, the snow and the sea ice work as sunlight reflectors in the local and global climate. With fewer snow and shorter periods of sea ice, the dark liquid water and rocks absorb more radiation (Ice-Albedo Feedback). As the world gets warmer every year, less radiation is reflected away from the Earth’s surface. Meanwhile, ice melts, the sea level rises and glaciers retreat as an ancient heritage becomes ruins that the warming winters won’t rebuild.
It's impressive to think that, in such a hostile environment, with few available materials, people have thrived for at least eight centuries. Before colonization, Inuit went beyond simply using plants and animals to manage biodiversity. Greenland today is not a land untouched by humans, but rather built by its inhabitants.
Unlike the folklores that have been part of the collective imagination since colonization, Greenlanders do not have a homogeneous, fixed and unchanging identity. This should be obvious: as in all human settlements, values and habits evolve with time, life experience, changes in the environment and, especially, desires. The colonization narratives are unfortunately still widespread in popular culture, scientific works and tourist guides. In publications, Inuit are more often described by foreigners than by themselves. This contributes to the perpetuation of a fictitious image of these individuals and make foreign tourists nostalgic for a stereotyped, exotic and false vision of a group.
In a consumerist approach to travel and self-promotion on social networks, tourists themselves feed stereotypes into their stories, reinforcing an oppressive, backward-looking myth. Tourist books don't hesitate to publish photos of smiling, anonymous Inuk children's faces with no image rights - something hardly conceivable among privileged, white European or American children.
In the last few years, some Greenlanders have been independently sharing their own narratives with a growing worldwide audience on social media, opposing the dominant discourse.
The people I met in harbors did not always understand why I planned to be isolated. A hunter tried to persuade me to go a village, saying I was too fragile for the winter and not prepared enough, for his standards. Experience and physical strength have not prevented many lives to be lost for the sea, the ice and the cold. Moreover, he saw loneliness as a punishment.
His reaction made me realize the impact of sailing stories on my choices. When I read Le Grand Hiver, isolation was a way of putting beliefs in perspective, recognizing the essential from the superfluous and - provided I was as well prepared as Sally and Jérôme Poncet - experiencing pleasure. Thanks to stories and the generous support of many people that helped me on the way, that's how I experience it today.
Real life is very different from imagination. A simple promenade can become dangerous if the blizzard sets, if a bear appears, if I misread the sea ice. But I also find immense freedom and pleasure as I chose my time zone, forget etiquette and invent my own laws and holidays. I name rocks and open streets following the foxes’ footprints. I am the sole artist and listener, people and prefect of my little floating city. I am aware my life is vulnerable. And I’m glad to be alive as I listen to the song of the icebergs rubbing against each other on the beach.
Several months lie ahead. I have a lot to learn, and the wilderness doesn't promise shelter. But as I finish this text, I have the feeling that I couldn't be happier.
For this New Year's Eve, no fireworks, but auroras and shooting stars. My fox neighbor stole the dinner from the "fridge" (the sidewalk in front of the window, at -35ºC). I'm less lonely than I thought I would be. I'll have to get used to visitors in this new terrestrial life.
UNESCO and Youth
For over 20 years, UNESCO has been working actively to ensure that youth voices are heard because they matter.
By following Tamara’s journey to the Arctic, UNESCO aims to provide her with a space to raise her concerns about climate change and to amplify her voice. Her powerful actions to increase awareness about the damages of the climate crisis show how youth are major partners in tackling this issue.
Stay tuned for more inspiring stories from Tamara.
The ideas and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of UNESCO. The designations employed and the presentation of material throughout the article do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNESCO concerning the legal status of any country, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning its frontiers or boundaries.
