Tunter, Inuksuk, Avati--Welcome to the Arctic Environment

The word "tundra" comes from the word tunter in the language of the Sami people. It means "treeless land". Sami are also known as Lapp people, from the far north of Norway. It seems I'm going full circle. The photo below is the demarcation of the Arctic Circle from the train in Norway.

Inuksuk is a stone messenger that stands at the top of the world. They guide Arctic travelers and mark where to find food or how to get home. It can even be a way of saying "welcome." I was welcomed with these two Inuksuks in Vancouver for the Olympic Games of 2010.

Avati means "environment" in Inuktitut, the language of the Inuit.