Point of Beginning (Pre-)workshops

This is one of three case studies conducted as part of my research that seeks to explore how ethical knowledge conciliation may come to matter within community-based polar bear research. This particular case study cuts across the preparation and the activities that were part of the final BearWatch workshops in both Gjoa Haven and Coral Harbour.

"Keep going" to trace the aesthetic actions that were part of Gjoa Haven gathering. You can cut across the Coral Harbour workshop after.

Design Consultation Pre-workshop & Workshop GH

One of the most helpful interviews I conducted in Gjoa Haven during the Spring of 2022, was with Elder Jimmy Qirqut.

I asked him how to organize the final workshops of the BearWatch project in a way that it could co-constitute an Ethical Space of Engagement.

Jimmy made it clear that decisions towards such design would need to be derived by consensus.

He advised me, if I wanted to incorporate the input of multiple voices and input from the community - also those from outside of the Gjoa Haven HTA board- to organize a (multiple day) meeting with several elders and youth of different genders.

He instructed me to see if I could rent the elder-youth cabin from the hamlet office, and organize transport to bring people up to the cabin.

He also advised me to advertise this meeting over the radio, to see if people would be interested.

Finally, I should make sure the cabin would be warm enough and comfortable for everyone to spend time in.

" Keep going"

2 day Preworkshop GH

As the agenda for the three-day final workshop had already been decided on by the BearWatch project PI's and the Gjoa Haven HTA, the pre-workshop was to draft workshop guidelines and suggested terms of engagement to inform processes like appropriate formatting of sessions, and the optimal conditions for community members to participate.

You are "invited" to tag along this pre-workshop. Accept the invitation to honour the important role that preparation plays in any kind of research in the north,

Alternatively,

"Keep Going" to skip this, and move straight ahead to the terms of engagements that we drafted together over the course of two days.

Invitation: set-up the pre-workshop

Terms of Engagement

After two-days in the elder-youth cabin, we had drafted a comprehensive set of guidelines and terms of engagement for the final workshops.

These guidelines were divided in general "good practices", and guidelines particular to the agenda that was set for the final workshop.

Terms of engagement (photograph by de Wildt, 2022)

These are the general guidelines:

General good practice:

1. Be human first, before any type of position

2. Leave your pride on the plane

3. Include the community before, during and after your research.

Hold space:

- Presenting/sharing your knowledge. (This is your gift to the community)

- Make time/space for people to ask you questions (so they can learn from you)

- Don’t speak over someone that is already speaking.

General Guidelines:

-Include the middle-age group; The working people, 40/50 year olds, not just youth and elders.

-At the end of each session each of the speakers should be individually named and explicitly thanked.

-Prepare well.

-Specifically during events there should be space for elders and youth to have dialogue, discussions.

-We should look out for ALL youth! Including the youth that are looked down on a bit.

-It is very important to have and keep set times.

The pre-workshop was a success. These guidelines will help shape the final workshop in Gjoa haven. Keep an eye out for them, as I will return to them as we move forward.

You start packing up. However

You have run into an "Ice-Pressure Ridge". Percy got stuck in a snowbank, on his way with the truck to pick people up and give them rides home.

Lookout for Percy