Singing to the Scientists

Today was a whirlwind of climate scientist, policy geniuses and generally just loads of people who are out of my league.

But I just first want to tell you about one person. Right in the middle of a bunch of gray-haired white dudes giving wild climate change lectures, they had one presentation from a Caribou woman.

She talked about the history of her people and their beliefs. Their conviction that the creator gave them their little piece of Alaskan arctic to protect. She talked about sliding down snowy hills in a caribou skin snowsuit. And then she sang.

For about three seconds I watched the too-serious about some kinds of things audience not take her seriously. There were half smiles and averted eyes all over the place. But when she finished her prayer song for us the applause was more enthusiastic than for any lecture. Then she told us about the here and now first hand effects of climate change that her people are already feeling in incredibly tangible and painful ways.

My colleague, a librarian, turned to me afterwards and said, "you know, in five years, she's the one that I'll remember."