Thursday, October 9, 2025 — Walrus management in a changing Arctic
Description
An Indigenous anthropologist is embarking on a years-long process to document how Alaska Native hunters are changing their hunting patterns in the face of climate change. To complicate things, the war in Ukraine is preventing Native researchers from sharing information with their counterparts in Russia, which plays a role in the overall health of walrus herds. In addition to food and other uses, walrus ivory is a significant part of a traditional Native artform. We’ll talk with Indigenous people who have a stake in Pacific walruses and are working to protect them.
GUESTS
Vera Metcalf (Yu’pik), director of the Eskimo Walrus Commission
Eduard Kergytagyn Zdor (Chukchi), cultural anthropologist and postdoctoral fellow at the University of Alaska’s Arctic Leadership Initiative
Leon Misak Kinneeveauk (Iñupiaq), artist and director of the Alaska Art Alliance
Break 1 Music: Kaukuarjuk (song) Silla (artist) Inua (album)
Break 2 Music: Gumshoe (song) Samantha Crain (artist) Gumshoe (album)
United States
