What's in Arctic Circle:

SPRING - 2003

When people refer to arctic literature, they often think of courageous tales involving exploration, hardship, and isolation. That, of course, is at least partially true. However, for those more knowledgable about the North, including many viewers of 'Arctic Circle,' such stories are only a minor part of a far more complex journey. This spring, we undertake our own literary exploration of the Circumpolar North and review some of the memoirs, fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and journals that comprise the creativity of northern writers. You can find this portrayal in our Other Resources directory under Literature. One such book is Im Bannkreis des Nordens, a strikingly beautiful volume on the Arctic with contributions by internationally known historians and ethnographers along with 250 photographs and 120 historical illustrations.

Increased technical sophistication of the World Wide Web has also stimulated another kind of creativity -- multimedia presentations. One recent presentation is titled Ikumajaq. The storyline concerns an Innu man in the high arctic 5000 years ago. Offered in a flash animation with a mp3 soundtrack, it is a little under five minutes in length. A link to this site [including further information] is also available in the Other Resources directory under Media.

Enjoy!

Norman Chance, Convener, Arctic Circle

WINTER 2002-2003

Do many of you read the Nunatsiaq News? Recent articles from "Around the Arctic" include 'Supiaq Inuit usher in 2003 with a Big Bash,' and 'Qaanaaq [Greenland] Won't Help Hunters Anymore.' There is lots more as well. You can find those articles along with many more in Other Resources under Media.

And speaking of media, I hope a large number of 'Arctic Circle' viewers have seen Zacharias Kunuk's outstanding feature film, The Runner. Are you interested in knowing how this film has been viewed in its local, Nunavut context? And, as the reviewer, Hugh Brody, adds: "What impact might it have on an anglophone Canada whose own stories are both enriched and provoked by the linguistic worlds to its north?" If so [thanks to the 'Open Democracy' web site], the review is available on the same Media site.

As the world continues to focus on Iraq and its biological and chemical warfare history, new information is emerging regarding the U.S.'s own past biological and chemical warfare tests in Alaska. One striking illustration is the 15th Field Artillery Association's web site entitled Gerstle River Test Site. Drawing on recently declassified US military documents, it appears that troops of the 15th Artillery Battalion were test subjects in the 'Elk Hunt' chemical warfare tests during the 1960s. More detailed information is available from National Missile Defense; The Arctic Dimension in the section on 'Environmental Contamination' under Fort Greely, Alaska.

Norman Chance, Convener