To help uphold Indigenous data sovereignty, Noor Johnson and Matt Druckenmiller from the Exchange for Local Observations of the Arctic (ELOKA) met with community observers, advisors, and staff from the Alaska Arctic Observatory & Knowledge Hub (AAOKH) to discuss best practices.
The AAOKH annual meeting, held at the International Arctic Research Center at the University of Alaska Fairbanks on March 5, 2022, focused on how to update the use agreement on the AAOKH online database. ELOKA worked with members of AAOKH and its precursor program, the Seasonal Ice Zone Observing Network (SIZONet), to develop the database to host and share observations from coastal observers dating back to 2006. Observers at the meeting considered whether the current level of data access was sufficient for public availability while reflecting on how best to acknowledge their observations.
AAOKH provides resources for collaborations between Indigenous Knowledge holders and scientific measurements of Arctic sea ice, wildlife, and the Alaskan coastal environment. Observations of coastal conditions provide a broad-scale view of changes and their impact on local communities.
ELOKA will continue to work with AAOKH to update the use agreement based on feedback voiced at the meeting and from those unable to attend. This meeting reflects a major focus of ELOKA V’s mission to enhance data management products while also upholding Indigenous data sovereignty.