The project team is pleased to announce the launch of Arctic Life Stories, a major initiative bringing to light nearly 300 years of previously hidden Arctic heritage and exploring its relevance for Arctic societies today and in the future. 

Three interconnected projects - Arctic Life Stories, Arctic Maritime Knowledge, and Women’s Living Memory - share a common ambition: to learn from the past in order to strengthen the Arctic societies now and in the future. Together, they bring long-term expertise in Arctic humanities, archival research, Arctic data management including maritime and shipping data, digital humanities, Indigenous knowledge, and community engagement and outreach. 

The initiative brings together the Malaurie Institute of Arctic Research Monaco-UVSQ (MIARC) in France, Arctic Portal – Arctic Foundation in Iceland, working in collaboration with Indigenous communities, knowledge holders, archives, cultural and educational institutions across the Arctic. 

The projects build on a remarkable collection of previously unexplored handwritten historical sources, including up to 8 000 life stories of Indigenous people recorded by members of the Moravian Church who lived in the Arctic. By bringing these historical records to light, the projects make Indigenous and local knowledge more accessible, while contributing to Arctic cultural and maritime security, strengthening cultural identity and intergenerational knowledge transfer, and creating a lasting knowledge base for future generations and sustainable economic development and decision-making. 

Our ambition is more than simply preserving knowledge about the past. It is to make historical knowledge accessible, relevant and usable for future generations - ensuring that the experiences and knowledge of Arctic communities can continue to contribute to a safer, more resilient and culturally grounded Arctic future. 

ARCTIC LIFE STORIES 

The Arctic Life Stories explores the lives and experiences of Indigenous people across Greenland, Labrador and Alaska, creating new opportunities to understand cultural continuity, historical change and Indigenous identity.  

It gives opens access to a remarkable collection of up to 8000 handwritten historical materials the so-called “life stories” of Indigenous people recorded by members of the Moravian Church. By collecting, transcribing, translating, and interpreting these records, Arctic Life Stories highlights the importance of historical sources for understanding Indigenous histories, strengthening cultural identity, and preserving Indigenous knowledge and values.  

The manuscripts offer insights into many aspects of Arctic life, including family and community relations, health, food security, mobility, environmental change, and responses to changing climatic conditions. They also bring to light knowledge and experiences that have received limited attention in historical research, particularly Indigenous maritime knowledge and the experiences, roles, and contributions of women in Arctic communities. 

ARCTIC MARITIME KNOWLEDGE Uncovering 300 Years of Hidden Heritage 

Financially supported by the Lloyd’s Register Foundation Heritage Programme, Arctic Maritime Knowledge explores the maritime and environmental knowledge embedded in historical records. The project examines Indigenous knowledge and experience of navigation, safe travel routes, environmental observation, weather and sea conditions, hazards, and responses to maritime accidents and risks. 

Using AI-assisted tools, GIS, and digital mapping, the project transforms previously inaccessible archival materials into structured, searchable, and accessible resources. In collaboration with Indigenous and local communities, this long-term knowledge is connected with contemporary technologies and approaches to maritime safety, environmental change, and Arctic resilience. 

By bringing historical knowledge into dialogue with present-day expertise and technologies, Arctic Maritime Knowledge provides a long-term evidence base for safer, more informed, and more resilient Arctic maritime decision-making. 

Key partners include the Völkerkundemuseum Herrnhut in Germany.  

WOMEN’S LIVING MEMORY: Culture, Identity and Mental Health in the Arctic 

Financially supported by the Nordic Council of Ministers, Women’s Living Memory explores the experiences, knowledge, and cultural practices of women in Arctic communities. It examines how care, storytelling, family relationships, cultural practices, and connections to land and community have contributed to cultural continuity, identity, well-being, and resilience across generations. 

By connecting historical life stories with contemporary voices, the project brings women’s living memory into dialogue with present-day Arctic challenges. It explores how culture, intergenerational knowledge, and place-based practices can support mental health, strengthen identity, and foster social resilience in Arctic communities. 

Women’s Living Memory highlights women not only as keepers of cultural knowledge, but also as active contributors to the resilience and continuity of their families, communities, and societies. 

Key partners include University of Lapland in Finland and Thank God It’s Monday (TGIM) in Sweden. 

Launch event 

Arctic Life Stories was formally launched in Nuuk, Greenland,on 10 September 2026. The launch marks the beginning of a longer-term effort to make previously inaccessible historical knowledge available to communities, researchers, educators and the wider public. 

The three projects will be presented together at the Arctic Circle Assembly 2026 in Reykjavík on Friday, 9 October 2026, at 20:30 in Skarðsheiði, Harpa, Third Level. 

The project’s website and database will continue to grow as additional life stories are transcribed, translated, mapped and interpreted.