Springfield News-Sun

Columbus Day, Indigenous Peoples’ Day & climate change

- By Thomas Martin Thomas P. Martin, PH.D., Professor Emeritus of Health, Fitness, and Sport at Wittenberg University. This column was edited for our print edition. You can read the full-length version on our website.

The Inupiat, part of the Inuit ethnic group, are an indigenous people who live in Utqiagvik, Alaska. In 2016, residents voted to change the name of their village from Barrow back to the Inupiat name, Utqiagvik. This was one part of a local effort at “decoloniza­tion.”

Two years ago, while walking through Utqiagvik, I met Captain Frederick Brower, a native whaling captain. His family have been leaders in this community for generation­s. He was processing his allotted parts of a whale he and his crew had caught a few days earlier off Point Barrow, the northernmo­st point of the U.S. He was preparing the meat and making oil from the fat. Three seal skins were drying on a line. In addition, he had a stack of other whale parts, such as bones and baleen, that he was giving to native artists for their various crafts. He explained that the crew and community also shared in the catch with all receiving portions of the whale. Further, he said he could have pursued another whale, but it was the custom to help other whalers after an individual catch was made.

We discussed climate change, the resultant loss of ice in the Arctic Ocean, sea level rise, and the melting of the permafrost causing structures in this area to fail. Global warming is seriously affecting the wildlife in this area, as well as the Inupiat and their way of life. At the projected rate of coastal deteriorat­ion, sea water will cover the land on which we were standing. They have attempted to slow the erosion by building a berm and placing large blocks of tundra wrapped in plastic on shore, but waves continuous­ly wash them out to sea.

Last month, I returned to Utqiagvik and spoke with whaling Captain C. Eugene Brower, Frederick’s father. He said that sea level in that area had risen significan­tly since my last visit just two years ago. In short, the community will have to adapt to these changes or move from this area. How would you and your family feel if you had to move from your home, after living for thousands of years as a subsistenc­e community in tune with nature, because of global warming produced by others?

This warming not only affects our indigenous people, it affects all of us. We need to recognize what is happening and work toward solutions.

One piece of the solution is to protect what remains of our natural environmen­t, including its indigenous people. We must oppose the destructiv­e policies that are championed by the fossil fuel industry, mining companies and the lumber industry. Through lobbying and political contributi­ons, they have excessive influence on our laws and regulation­s.

History has demonstrat­ed that these industries have been unable to act in a socially conscious way. We need to demand that our government representa­tives support protection and preservati­on of our incredible natural resources.

Congress establishe­d the second Monday of October as Columbus Day, a national holiday, in 1937. It celebrates the anniversar­y of Christophe­r Columbus’ arrival in the Americas on Oct. 12, 1492. This year, Columbus Day/ Indigenous Peoples’ Day falls on Monday, Oct. 10.

Indigenous Peoples’

Day originated in Berkeley, California, in 1992 as a counter-celebratio­n to Columbus Day and to emphasize the violent colonizati­on of the Americas at the expense of native population­s. In 2021, President Biden signed a presidenti­al proclamati­on declaring Indigenous Peoples’ Day to be a national holiday to honor the cultures and histories of Native Americans.

This Indigenous Peoples’ Day, think about how we can play our part in this battle. It is not only necessary for the preservati­on of indigenous population­s, but also for our own personal health and that of future generation­s.

 ?? CONTRIBUTE­D ?? Captain Frederick Brower processes his parts of the whale he and his crew caught off Point Barrow, Alaska.
CONTRIBUTE­D Captain Frederick Brower processes his parts of the whale he and his crew caught off Point Barrow, Alaska.
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