Asa Falke

Personal Observation Asa Falke

Arctic, northernmost region of the Earth, centred on the North Pole and characterized by distinctively polar conditions of climate, plant and animal life, and other physical features.

This book compares the plight of the Inuit with that of the Sami (Lapps) of Scandinavia and studies the new political awareness that is emerging among minority groups in the North. Progress in all areas has been rapid and unchecked, presenting future dangers and challenges in the Arctic.. Governments and business interests have exploited the region without thought for the land or the sea, or for the peoples of the north. In the scramble to exploit arctic riches, the 'Eskimos', whom we now know as 'Inuit', have been swept aside to become second-class citizens in their own territory. Since the Arctic was opened up during the 1940s, ignorance and greed have jeopardized the equilibrium not only of the delicate arctic environment, but of the entire northern hemisphere. Yet, once the wheels of the industrial mono-culture begin to turn, they are difficult to stop. They must, however, be brought under control at once if the Arctic is to be saved.