The Innu Nation Uinipekᵁ Ocean Expedition: Leg 3 Recap

The end of Leg 3 also marks the end of the Innu Nation Uinipekᵁ  Ocean expedition. What an incredible and successful experience for everyone over these past three very full weeks. We are grateful for our partnership with Innu Nation and to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) for making the Innu Nation Uinipekᵁ Ocean Expedition a reality. 

As with all our expeditions, the end is really just a beginning, and there is no doubt that the success of this expedition will lead to many positive outcomes, initiatives, next steps and impacts.  

As a People of place, the Innu are strongly connected to the lands and waters of Nitassinan – the Innu homelands.  One such example of this connection was related by Mark Nui, former Grand Chief of the Innu Nation and member of the community of Natuashish; he shared with the expedition participants an adage that he heard from an Elder, “when the land cannot provide, the sea will.”  The Innu Nation Ocean Expedition has been a great opportunity to help young and old to learn and understand much more about the Ocean around them, what it means to life, health and happiness.

This leg has continued with the marine science activities led by the Innu Nation, DFO, the Canadian Museum of Nature, the Huntsman Marine Science Centre, and the Canadian Hydrographic Service. Innu Youth have been working hand in hand gathering data with the science team on board.

Participant Keshkun shared how grateful she is to be out on the land and the sea. She said she feels that it’s important to her culture. Through this experience she has learned new things about her culture and history.

We were fortunate to have Scott Neilsen, an archeologist from the Labrador Campus of Memorial University, accompany us on our Leg 3 excursions. The Innu Marine zone has a deep history of occupation by Innu and Inuit, and their ancestors. On these excursions we’ve had the privilege of seeing many ancient boulder caches (aka food freezers) and tent rings. Scott and the team have been photographing these and recording their locations. This information will become part of the archaeological sites database for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Innu Nation, and will be used to help protect these important heritage sites into the future.

We have continued to be ‘bird nerds’ with Regina Wells, Wildlife Technician with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). Regina has been collecting data on migratory birds and marine wildlife we have spotted, and the youth are often found up on the bridge with their binoculars helping her out. Part of the importance of the bird survey is to enhance capacity to respond to wildlife environmental emergencies and collect baseline data on migratory birds within the Innu Nation Marine Zone and do some training on conducting these surveys.

Leg 3 finished with two days at sea as we headed back down to the Sheshatshiu Marine Zone. Time at sea is special. When we are together on the ship it’s a great opportunity for lots of deck time and community time. During these final sea days the leg 3 youth completed the Innu Nation Uinipekᵁ Ocean Expedition mural, adding to the many other murals of expeditions gone by in the hangar. We also did a seaweed art activity with Amanda Savoie from the Canadian Museum of Nature with seaweed collected by the dive team. One of the most exciting activities was the first ever Uinipekᵁ edition of the Amazing Race! Participants raced through the ship from station to station completing challenges with each of the educators. Once all of the challenges were complete they were awarded a special sounding of the ship’s horn!

This expedition has been filled with learning opportunities about the Ocean, Land, Flora, Fauna and the People. It has also provided opportunities to connect with ourselves. Participant Annette summed it up beautifully, “Since I’ve been on this expedition, I’ve been feeling like more of myself than I have ever been. And it’s, it’s amazing. There’s no judgments at all. You can just be yourself. I want to hold on to that when I go back home.”

As we wrap up the Innu Nation Uinipekᵁ Ocean Expedition we are excited to welcome 23 new youth alumni to our SOI family and we look forward to where the life journeys will take them next.  We also begin the process of gathering, analyzing and sharing all of the data, specimens, stories, images, and footage collected by the team over the past three weeks. 

More updates to come, but for now view the full gallery here.