Connecting Geographers to Siila Watt-Cloutier: Lessons from A Radical Act of Hope

“Everything is connected through our common atmosphere, not to mention our spirit and humanity … what affects one affects us all.”

-          Siila Watt-Cloutier in A Radical Act of Hope

Siila Watt-Cloutier is an Inuk woman, activist, and Nobel Peace Prize nominee. Born in Kuujjuaq, Nunavik in Northern Quebec, Siila spent the early days of her childhood following the traditional Inuit way of life. Hunting and travelling by dogsled are among the important traditional practices of Inuit peoples, practices that are threatened by the ever-growing climate crisis.

“The land and the ice teaches their character skills and their life skills”

Siila represents an incredible legacy of activism. In 1995 and again in 1998, Siila was elected president of the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC) then served as the International Chair on the same council from 2002-2006. Siila was influential in the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants of 2001, banning the “Dirty Dozen” POPs including DDT and PCBs that harm marine life, Inuit foodways and ultimately the health of her people.

Yet, she did not always identify as a climate activist. Siila’s first priority was her community. She describes how her mission became protecting the lifeways that sustained her and her people since time immemorial. Siila reflects on the incredible ingenuity of Inuit peoples, showcasing wisdom and extensive traditional knowledge through technology like the umiak and the huluk, the geometry of the igloo, navigation of the stars, and weather predicting skills. Tradition like this faces the risk of disappearing not only from the effects of settler-colonialism and residential schools, at whose hands Siila herself suffered, but as well the melting of ice caused by the climate crisis. Before the ICC, Siila worked in Nunavik education and later took up consulting on health and wellness in her community of Kuujjuaq. This lead to her joining the Inuit Circumpolar Council and connecting climate change to Inuit health and wellbeing.

“I’m not being nostalgic … it’s not history it’s continuing contemporary way of life. And it’s perfectly compatible with the modern world.”

Siila credits her mother and grandmother with teaching her strength, calmness, and resilience, attributes that have guided her and her incredible work that continues to this day. Siila was named the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (PICS) inaugural Indigenous Climate Fellow earlier this year, with a mandate to promote Indigenous leadership in climate change research and guide a new generation of climate leaders. In collaboration with PICS, Siila shares her life and incredible work through A Radical Act of Hope.

Siila Watt-Cloutier is the inaugural Indigenous Climate Fellow at UVIC’s PICS. Her podcast, “A Radical Act of Hope”, can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Her book “The Right to be Cold” published by the University of Minnesota Press in 2015 is available through the UVIC library and is an essential read for any geographer.

Mica Lynch is an undergraduate geography major with a special interest in journalism. Her goal is To inspire geographers at UVIC to become familiar with leading climate thinkers outside the department, fostering an interdisciplinary understanding climate change and activism. She is currently undertaking a directed study with Teresa Dawson, exploring improved communication around climate change issues and action.

You can reach Mica at m.lynch2003@outlook.com. She welcomes suggestions for new features in this series.

Mica Lynch © 2025