5 March 2024

There are changes happening at the edge of the world. We don’t see them, we don’t feel them. They impact a minority of people. Easy to discard.

But, we should pay attention. We live in seemingly protected places, surrounded by the walls of our cities. Impervious to the environmental events taking place at breathtaking speed. Even, catastrophes taking place in similar as ours feel remote. So why would the events impacting a few thousand people in Alaska be of interest to us?

Indigenous tribes in Alaska have lived for centuries in harmony with their harsh surroundings. Fishing, hunting, foraging, and understanding the ice, are all knowledges that have been passed on by the elders throughout the generations. It’s been a matter of survival. But the impact of climate change has altered where they can go, what animals or plants are available. Their very survival is at stake.

As filmmaker Sarah Betcher points it out, the most sustainable way to live is to adapt to the local condition and environment. Even in the harshest place. Centuries of survival can happen through a deep understanding of symbiosis between the people and their surroundings. Sustainability is not a prepackaged product shipped from thousands of miles away. It’s about the knowledge of the place.

Sarah Betcher has been at the forefront of documenting these changes. Spending some 15 years in Alaska, she has seen first hand the impact of Climate Change on the local communities. She has also been accepted by the elders, and has had the privilege to share their knowledge to the world. In our conversation, you will get an understanding of the issues faced by the locals, the importance of traditions, and much more.

Then, I invite you to discover her many documentaries on her channels: Farthest North Films and Wisdom Keeper Media.

Sarah Betcher

Documentary Filmmaker
Owner Farthest North Films and Wisdom Keeper Media

Sarah Betcher is a documentary filmmaker that specializes in showcasing indigenous knowledge and ways of life and also helps bridge communication with western scientists and local indigenous communities and Elders participating in collaborative projects. She has been producing films across Alaska in some of the most remote locations on earth for the last decade. Sarah has produced over 80 films and are available to view online, various TV networks, Hawaiian Airlines, and international and state museums including American Museum of Natural History, British Museum, Carrie M. McLain Memorial Museum, Anchorage Museum and Museum of the North. Sarah owns Farthest North Films and Wisdom Keeper Media and she provides services such as directing, filming, scripting, editing, narration writing and recording in English and other languages, captioning, dubbing, research and co-writing grants. Her films can be seen on her websites at www.farthestnorthfilms.com and https://wisdomkeepermedia.com/.

Connect with Sarah Betcher