We are an Inuit led, grassroots organization that provides services to facilitate community-led environmental monitoring. We collaborate with government and academic stakeholders to advocate for community-based solutions for climate change, mental health and poverty reduction.
Our vision is to protect and ensure the long term health of marine mammals and Inuit in the face of climate change and economic development within the north Kivalliq region of Nunavut. Our Sapujiyiit Guardians program also provides land and water based search and rescue, towing, escorting, garbage collection, marine monitoring and are available for hire as field data collectors. We serve the communities of Chesterfield Inlet, Coral Harbour and Naujaat, Nunavut.
What are Guardians?
Our Guardians are local community members and hunters who actively patrol, monitor and demonstrate a presence on Inuit lands and waters. Some tasks our Guardians are responsible for:
Integrate local and traditional knowledge to manage and steward lands and waters.
Maintain and promote cultural continuity (youth elder mentorships, on-the-land youth programs, subsistence harvesting, language camps, etc.).
Monitor, research and collect data on priority issues
Assist southern researchers in data collection and guiding
Build relationships with and educate other resource users a
Advance and uphold Inuit authority to steward lands and waters.
“The ice used to break up in the first week of July. I can say the older men in Chesterfield Inlet would predict July 5, 6, 7 around that time for the ice to go. I never thought much about it until I got older. We used to char fish by skidoo right to the end of June but the past few years it seems like just till the end of May.”.”
-Jason Ippiak
