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This perspective presents a statement of the 10th International Congress of Arctic Social Sciences Indigenous Knowledge and knowledge co-production panel and discussion group, 20 July 2021. The statement is designed to serve as a characterization of the state-of-the-art and guidance for further advancement of Indigenous Knowledge and knowledge co-production in the Arctic. It identifies existing challenges and provides specific recommendations for researchers, Indigenous communities, and funding agencies on meaningful recognition and engagement of Indigenous Knowledge systems.

One hundred and thirty years ago, Fridtjof Nansen, the Norwegian polar explorer and scientist, set off on a bold three-year journey to investigate the unknown Arctic Ocean. The expedition relied on a critical technological development: a small, strong, and maneuverable vessel, powered by sail and an engine, with an endurance of five years for twelve men. His intellectual curiosity and careful observations led to an early glimpse of the Arctic Ocean’s circulation and its unique ecosystem. Some of Nansen’s findings on sea ice and the penetration of Atlantic Water into the Arctic Ocean established a benchmark against which we have measured profound changes over the past few decades. In contrast, little was known about the Arctic Ocean’s ecosystem processes prior to the onset of anthropogenic climate change. Nansen’s successes, which paved the way for subsequent research, were gained in part from Indigenous Greenlanders who taught him how to survive in this harsh environment.

New advances in spatial technology enable ethnographic data and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to be integrated in innovative ways. These include mapping and virtual reconstruction of buildings no longer standing, of routes used for transportation and hunting, and other spatial ethnographic data, visualized in three dimensions (3D). Representation in 3D allows for a more complete understanding of landscape relationships, and can be used as a learning tool to convey information quickly. This article applies these techniques to the reconstruction of the now-abandoned village of Belkofski, Alaska, for presentation in a video ethnography produced by the Aleutian Pribilof Island Association in coordination with the Belkofski Tribe.SEAN MACK is an Aleut tribal member born in King Cove, Alaska. He received his B.A. majoring in History and Anthropology from the University of Washington and his M.S. in Anthropology and a post-baccalaureat certificate in geotechnology from Idaho State University. He is currently the Geospatial Analyst for the Geographic Information Network of Alaska based at