arctic connections

a storytelling expedition…

It’s 1981 and a young Aili Keskitalo is glued to the TV as the drama unfolded. 

Indigenous Sami people, her own people, are chained to the site where a proposed hydroelectric power plant is to be built on the Alta river - in Sápmi, an area in Arctic Norway.

Flooding from the dam would completely cover the Sami village of Maze.

Streets and homes all destined to be left forever, abandoned at the bottom of a new artificial lake.

everyone has a line

Normally peaceful, the Sami now came together and joined forces with environmentalists to protest and stand up for what they believed in.

This was known as the Alta Conflict.

Young Aili watched on, feeling the deep injustice that came with having her rights threatened.

A few decades later, she would be feeling that same deep injustice at a proposed copper mine, but this time as President of the Sami Parliament in Norway.

understanding impact

Arctic Connections is a story of endurance, resilience and respect - and a unique symbiotic relationship…

In April 2019, we undertook a four-week ski and filming expedition, in Sápmi, high above the Arctic circle in the Finnmark area of northern Norway.

Through this expedition, we sought to understand the impact that the climate breakdown and industrial development is having in this region of the Arctic, by focusing on the complex array of challenges - and opportunities - these issues bring to those who live there.

We interviewed members of the indigenous Sámi community, including the President of the Sámi Parliament in Norway, Ms. Aili Keskitalo, young Sami reindeer herders and activists and the CEO of the proposed new copper mine, to better understand the pressures that the people, and in particular the ancient practice of reindeer husbandry, face.

spring reindeer migration

The annual spring migration of Arctic reindeer from feeding grounds in South Finnmark to birthing grounds in the northern tip of Scandinavia is one of nature’s greatest events. Many Sámi are reliant on the reindeer for the existence of their culture and livelihood - but this is under threat.

The expedition also included a long distance ski expedition following in the hooves of the reindeer. Here, with our daily lives stripped back to basics, we made our own connection with the natural world as we crossed the Finnmarksvidda - Norway’s largest plateau.

When travelling long distances on these frozen expanses, success is dependent on shared goals. This was true as much for us, as for the Sámi, and their reindeer.

The Arctic is changing - and the Sámi are determined not to be left behind.

sharing stories and lessons

The interviews, as well as the ski expedition itself forms the basis for a documentary film to help diffuse knowledge, experiences and stories from this Arctic region with others.

We are hugely grateful for the support we received from the Arctic Connections Expedition partners, below, and will continue to share stories from the far north.

expedition partners

The Royal Scottish Geographical Society

Hazel and Luke are honoured and humbled to be Explorers in Residence for the Royal Scottish Geographical Society. The society is one the UK’s most dynamic small charities, which aims to advance the subject of geography (in its widest sense) worldwide, inspire people to learn more about the world around them and provide a source of reliable and impartial geographical information. Hazel and Luke regularly provide talks, expedition training and blogs for the society.

Scottish Arctic Club

We’re both members of the Scottish Arctic Club and are extremely grateful to have been supported by them for this expedition. The Club contains a group of enthusiasts with a common interest in the Arctic and was founded in 1970.

The club encourages younger members, and in 1995 it set up an Expedition Fund to provide grants to young people wishing to travel in the Arctic. We shared stories from our expedition at the 2019 Annual Gathering and Supper.

In November 2019 Luke was made a trustee of the Expedition Fund.

Jamie Gardiner Award

We are honoured and completely humbled to be the first recipients of the Jamie Gardiner Award, awarded by the Trustees of the Andrew Croft Memorial Fund.

The Jamie Gardiner Award was created to honour the memory and achievements of a young man of outstanding potential, whose life was tragically cut short at the age of 22 in the mountains of Norway in January 2017. Jamie was the recipient of two grants from the Trustees of the Andrew Croft Memorial Fund, including the prestigious Swithinbank Award, made to the Oxford University team, of which he was an important part, which in 2016 retraced the steps of the University’s 1923 Spitsbergen expedition.

The award will be given to an individual (or, occasionally duo) headed for the Arctic (or, more rarely, the Antarctic) whose application displays the attributes associated with Jamie’s character: a combination of ambition, enterprise and endeavour, coupled to a commitment to science and/or research to be shared with those who come after him.

Gino Watkins Memorial Fund

We are hugely appreciative of support for this expedition from the Arctic Club, through the Gino Watkins Memorial Fund, under the joint trusteeship of the University of Cambridge (through the Scott Polar Research Institute) and the Royal Geographical Society.

The Fund gives grants towards expeditions that meet its objectives of guiding and inspiring enterprising young people towards scientific research and exploration in the polar regions.

The Fund endeavours to increase our knowledge of one of the least known, but most important parts, of our planet, and also to stimulate the lasting qualities of enterprise, endurance and leadership gained in this uniquely arduous environment.

The Fund was set up in 1933 in the memory of Henry George ("Gino") Watkins who had drowned, whilst kayaking, off the coast of East Greenland the previous summer. Its purpose is to inspire and guide enterprising, particularly young, people towards exploration and research in the polar regions.

The Polar Academy

We’re Arctic Guides for The Polar Academy, which identifies ‘invisible’ 14-17 years old secondary school children, crushed by a lack of self-esteem and gives them the chance to redefine their physical and mental limits.

Participants are put through a rigorous ten-month training programme before being immersed in the wilds of Greenland, navigating through some of the world’s remotest terrain for ten days.  Their confidence soars with every step. On their return to Scotland, each pupil shares their experiences with their peer groups, speaking to more than 20,000 school children in their region. 

The Polar Academy has been very generous in their support of our expedition through lending of equipment.

TentMeals

We’ve used TentMeals on expeditions ever since we discovered them in 2016. Delicious, vegan, lightweight, nutritious and with minimal packaging, these high energy expedition foods are designed for ultimate endurance and recovery and fuelled us on our Arctic Connections expedition.

expedition research

Research into Human Factors in Extreme Environments

Through our Arctic Connections expedition we helped a research study related to psychology in challenging and demanding expedition environments. A team from Aberdeen University and Manchester University analysed our daily progress throughout our expedition and followed our responses to the various physical and psychological challenges that the environment presented.

This research aims to help recognise the potential impact of psychological challenges to further develop support in maintaining wellbeing of people working or travelling in environmental extremes.

More information on the project can be found here.

we offer