Kari Herbert lived for two years as a small child with a remote community of Polar Inuit in Northwest Greenland. Taken to the High Arctic at just ten months old by her father, the polar explorer Sir Wally Herbert, she grew up among twelve hunter-gatherer families, learning the rhythms of a life lived in close relationship with land, ice, animals, and spirit. Her first steps were taken on the tundra; her first words spoken in the local Greenlandic dialect. She was embraced as one of their own.

Throughout her childhood and early adulthood, Kari returned regularly to the community, witnessing both the endurance of traditional Inuit culture and the profound changes brought by modernisation. In her twenties, she returned again, consciously reconnecting with the people and place that had shaped her identity, values, and work. The result was her book The Explorer’s Daughter, published by Penguin and later broadcast as Book of the Week on BBC Radio 4.

In recent weeks, Greenland has once again become the focus of international attention, spoken about in ways that have caused deep anxiety for its people. At this moment, Kari has felt called to offer what she can: to share her lived experience and her stories, so that others may connect more deeply with the land and the people, and better understand why protecting this beautiful nation is so important.

In this talk, Kari reflects on the spirit of Greenland and its people — exploring Inuit traditions, their spiritual and practical relationship with the land, and the quiet knowledge that comes from generations of living within a demanding environment. She also speaks to the present moment: the accelerating effects of climate change on the Arctic, the shifting ice, and the growing external pressures on Greenland’s land and resources.

At its heart, this is a talk of respect and remembrance — honouring the people Kari grew up with, and sharing how Greenland continues to shape the way she sees the world, writes, and lives. Illustrated with stunning photographs from her time with the community, and with time for questions, the evening will close with a moment of quiet reflection and prayer for the Greenlandic people and peace in this uncertain time.

There is also an opportunity to donate to the Children's Charity Kalaallit Meerartaat which supports the rights of children in Greenland, helping to ensure that no Greenlandic child grows up in poverty, abuse or neglect.

This event is being held at The Hive on Ivy Lane off Alverton Road, Penzance (near the YMCA). On-road parking on Alverton Road.