Following Stones: Navigating the Landscape in Northern Labrador - Sarah M. Wilson

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 landscape. Through an aerial survey via drone, my research involves collecting photogrammetric data to reconstruct a 3D model of different landscapes along the coast in Labrador to study the embodiment of culture in landscapes. This project is the first of its kind to use aerial imagery via drones to study archaeological landscapes in northern Labrador and will serve as an examination of the application of data that drones can collect in summer and winter settings. This project’s theoretical framework considers the Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ), or way of knowing, respecting, and using resources from the environment, of the Inuit in Labrador to understand ways of memorializing the landscape and place. A geographic information system such as ArcGIS will aid in examining the relation of

inuksuit to topography, line of site, icescapes, vegetation, and other features. My research will look at the relationship between humans and landscapes; movement across vast spaces, methods of navigation, and connection to landscape to argue for the importance in protecting cultural landscapes. Through a poster submission, I will discuss my research thus far.