The Meaning of Ice
People and Sea Ice in Three Arctic Communities
Edited by Shari Fox Gearheard, Lene Kielsen Holm, Henry Huntington, Joe Mello Leavitt, Andrew R. Mahoney, Margaret Opie, Toku Oshima and Joelie Sanguya
$50.00 cloth
412 pages, illustrated throughout
ISBN 9780982170397
Available in paperback, July 2017
ISBN 978-0-9961938-5-6
$30
Inuktitut edition
translated by Jukeepa Hainnu
Available in July 2017
ISBN 978-0-9961938-8-7
$30
Inupiaq edition
translated by Leona Simmonds Okakok
Available in July 2017
ISBN 978-0-9961938-7-0
$30
Greenlandic edition
translated by Kelly Berthelsen
Available in July 2017
ISBN 978-0-9961938-6-3
$30
The Meaning of Ice celebrates Arctic sea ice as it is seen and experienced by the Inuit, Iñupiat, and Inughuit, who for generations have lived with it and thrived on what it offers. With extensive details offered through their own drawings and writings, this book describes the great depth of Inuit, Iñupiat, and Inughuit knowledge of sea ice and the critical and complex role it plays in their relationships with their environment and with one another. Over forty Inuit, Iñupiat, and Inughuit from three different Arctic communities contributed stories, original artwork, hand-drawn illustrations, maps, family photos, and even recipes to this book. Professional and historical photographs, children’s artwork, and innovative graphics add more to the story of The Meaning of Ice.
The Meaning of Ice is an important contribution to understanding the Arctic and its people at a time when the region is undergoing profound change, not least in terms of sea ice. It takes readers beyond what sea ice is, to broaden our appreciation of what sea ice means.
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AWARDS:
The Meaning of Ice awarded inaugural Mohn Prize & MILLS PRIZE
The Mohn Prize was established in collaboration between Academia Borealis, The Academy of Sciences and Letters of Northern Norway (NNVA), the Tromsø Research Foundation (TFS) and UiT, The Arctic University of Norway (UiT).
The objective of the prize is to recognize research related to the Arctic. Furthermore, it aims to put issues of particular relevance to the future development of the Arctic on the national and international agenda.
About The Meaning of Ice
Excellent research and groundbreaking knowledge
An excerpt from the award justification states that: “This project made groundbreaking contribution to our understanding of Arctic ice-dominated systems via a highly innovative combination of natural science, social science and indigenous knowledge.”
A leader in his/her/their field
An excerpt from the award justification concludes that: “This project exemplifies a major development in Arctic science that will stimulate others to make use of similar procedures to address a wide range of topics in the coming years.”
Relevance to the future development of the Arctic
An excerpt from the award justification states that: “Changes in the Arctic environment are now verified independently by both scientific methods and observations of the Arctic residents. Inherent to a sustainable Arctic is resilient local communities continuing their use of ice-dominated environment based on established knowledge systems, culture-based values, and indigenous languages.”
Based on these three criteria, the Scientific Committee strongly recommended that The Meaning of Ice should be honored as one of the laureates because the consortium is a unique example of “collaboration between academics and indigenous experts which has given us new knowledge of and understanding about the Arctic, and has developed an advanced understanding of the dynamics of the Arctic sea ice.”
The Meaning of Ice wins Mills Prize
The Meaning of Ice Wins 2014 William Mills Prize for Non-Fiction Polar Books
August 25, 2014 - The Polar Libraries Colloquy is pleased to announce the winner of the 2014 William Mills Prize for Non-Fiction Polar Books is The Meaning of Ice: People and Sea Ice in Three Arctic Communities, published by International Polar Institute Press.
The prize winner was announced at an awards ceremony on July 3, 2014 in Cambridge, UK, at the Polar Library Colloquy's biennial conference. The Polar Libraries Colloquy is an international organization of librarians and others interested in the collection, preservation and dissemination of polar information.
The William Mills Book Prize is awarded every two years and honours the best Arctic or Antarctic non-fiction books published throughout the world. The prize includes a $300 US award and was first presented in 2006. It is named in honour of William Mills, a polar librarian and author, and a core member of the Polar Libraries Colloquy during its formative years.
The 2014 William Mills Prize winner was selected by a group of Polar Libraries Colloquy members from the United States and Canada. Seventeen nominations qualified for consideration this year, the most ever since the inception of the prize.
