The Right to Be Cold
CBC Books | CBC | Posted: February 6, 2017 10:07 PM | Last Updated: July 24, 2017
Sheila Watt-Cloutier
The Arctic ice is receding each year, but just as irreplaceable is the culture, the wisdom that has allowed the Inuit to thrive in the Far North for so long. And it's not just the Arctic. The whole world is changing in dangerous, unpredictable ways. Sheila Watt-Cloutier has devoted her life to protecting what is threatened and nurturing what has been wounded.
In this culmination of Watt-Cloutier's regional, national, and international work over the last twenty-five years, The Right to Be Cold explores the parallels between safeguarding the Arctic and the survival of Inuit culture, of which her own background is such an extraordinary example. This is a human story of resilience, commitment, and survival told from the unique vantage point of an Inuk woman who, in spite of many obstacles, rose from humble beginnings in the Arctic to become one of the most influential and decorated environmental, cultural, and human rights advocates in the world. (From Penguin Canada)
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From the book
The environment and climate I grew up in was indeed rich in lessons, and not just those that build character or help us on a hunt. Our intense affinity with the land and with wildlife taught us how to live in harmony with the natural world. Our traditional hunting and fishing practices do not destroy habitat. Nor do our practices deplete animal populations, or create waste. We use every part of the animals that we harvest. In other words, for thousands of years, Inuit have lived sustainably in our environment.
From The Right to Be Cold by Sheila Watt-Cloutier @2015. Published by Penguin Canada.