Following stones: navigating the landscape in northern Labrador

Abstract

The landscape in northern Labrador is dotted with inuksuit (human-made rock stacks used for navigation, commemoration, hunting, and more) signifying a connection between people and the land. My theoretical framework considers the traditional knowledge, or way of knowing, respecting, and using resources from the environment, of Inuit in Labrador to understand ways of memorializing the landscape and place. Through an aerial survey via drone, this project involves collecting photogrammetric data to reconstruct 3D and digital elevation models of different features and sites. This project serves as an examination of the application of data that drones can collect in summer and winter settings. Geographic information systems (QGIS and ArcGIS) aid in examining the relation of inuksuit to topography and other features. This project looks at the relationship between humans and their surroundings, movement across vast spaces, methods of navigation, and connection to land to argue for the importance of protecting cultural landscapes.