top of page

Mapping
Community Voices

Maps are visual representations of the world on paper, and they shape the way we understand ourselves in relation to space. Europeans started making maps, as we know them today, in the 1300s to visually mark their explorations of the new worlds. They were used as tools to exert power and control over “newly discovered” lands. However, maps can also be empowering to communities as effective tools to visually communicate relationships with the land.

At Cloudberry, we specialize in hard-copy participatory mapping. If relevant to the project’s objectives, we will co-design a basemap that we then print off and bring into interviews. The basemap layers will change – sometimes, bathymetry data (underwater depth) is important, while other times, it may be more relevant to have contours, detailed rivers, narrow or broader scales, etc. During interviews, participants will have the chance to draw on the maps using markers. We will mark down associated information for each drawn shape, like the relevant years, seasons, species, etc. We take a photo of the map once we’re done with the interview, and then we georeference and digitize the map on the computer. We can then recreate a digital version of the map per participant, or consolidate the data by feature (e.g. caribou locations) and/or attribute (e.g. In summer of 1980-1989).

Beluga presence density by season (points+lines+polygon to POLYGONS; beluga range+hunting)
Screenshot 2025-07-03 at 3.35.47 PM.png

It’s really important to us that everyone involved in the participatory mapping understands what happens to their data. We strive to edit and transform the data as minimally as possible to keep the digitized version as close in essence to the original drawn shapes as possible. However, consolidating large amounts of detailed spatial data can result in a map that is hard to read or gain meaning form. In these cases, it may be useful to visualize the density of the mapping, i.e. the amount of times drawn shapes overlap each other. To do this, we use a vector-based density analysis method to find concentrated areas of interest while minimizing data abstraction and avoiding rasterized data.

Suggested Resources:

  • de Paiva. 2017. Understanding the Role and Value of Participatory Mapping in an Inuit Knowledge Research Context. Masters thesis, Carleton University.

  • Armitage and Kilburn. 2015. Conduct of Traditional Knowledge Research— A Reference Guide. Prepared for WMAC (North Slope).

  • Bishop, B., Oliver, E. C. J., & Aporta, C. (2021). Co-producing maps as boundary objects: Bridging Labrador Inuit knowledge and oceanographic research. Journal of Cultural Geography, 39(1), 55–89. doi:10.1080/08873631.2021.1998992

Connect with us!


We are Cloudberry Connections for a reason! We love collaborating with a range of groups, and are always open to seeing how we can support diverse projects. Reach out anytime to start a conversation!

  • LinkedIn

Our name, Cloudberry Connections, reflects both where we began and how we work. Cloudberries are a cherished and resilient berry found in the Canadian North, where our work first took shape. “Connections” speaks to our vision and belief in collaboration, bringing together diverse people, knowledges, and perspectives to create meaningful, community-driven work.

CCC Symbol Transparent Black.png
bottom of page