Activities and expeditions : Patagonia & Arctic
Who We Are
Karukinka Association is a unique international non-profit organization based in France, dedicated to combining scientific research, artistic creation, and solidarity with Indigenous peoples through associative sailboat expeditions and land explorations and expeditions in Patagonia, the Arctic, and other polar and subpolar regions.
Our Mission and Activities : expeditions in patagonia
Since its founding in 2014, Karukinka has pioneered participatory and interdisciplinary projects that bring together scientists, artists, volunteers, and Indigenous communities. The goal is to explore, document, and protect fragile ecosystems and cultural heritage while fostering cross-cultural exchanges.
Annual Expeditions
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Organization of annual associative sailboat expeditions and field missions across Tierra del Fuego, Cape Horn, Svalbard, Greenland, and Finnmark.
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Focused on biodiversity surveys, climate change monitoring, ethnographic research, and participatory cartography, often in cooperation with universities, research institutions, and local partners.
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Promotion of sustainable navigation and hands-on scientific engagement.
Artistic Residencies and Creation
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Artistic residencies both onboard and in the field, fostering visual art, creative writing, photography, sound art, and multimedia exploration.
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Projects reflect the relationship between humans, nature, and Indigenous cultures, contributing to public awareness and preservation of intangible cultural heritage.
Indigenous Projects
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Ongoing work with the Yaghan, Mapuche, and Tehuelche communities and a commitment to supporting Indigenous cultures, cultural transmission, and so-called language revitalization initiatives.
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Organization of educational workshops, collaborative research, and advocacy for Indigenous rights and sustainable land management.
Communication and Multilingual Outreach
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Karukinka delivers news, reports, podcasts, and educational content in French, English, and Spanish, addressing the global audience interested in trilingual communication about polar, subpolar, and Patagonian issues.
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Facilitates international understanding and the spread of knowledge related to environmental protection, Indigenous heritage, and polar exploration.
Volunteering and Partnerships
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Rich opportunities for international volunteers, researchers, artists, and supporters to participate in expeditions, residencies, and collaborative projects.
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Partnerships with local and global stakeholders, including sailing clubs, universities, and Indigenous organizations.
Our Impact
With its multidisciplinary approach, Karukinka contributes significantly to environmental protection, scientific knowledge, cultural preservation, and social solidarity in some of the world’s most vulnerable and inspiring regions. The association is a reference in the field for anyone passionate about interdisciplinary research, collaborative art, and solidarity projects, striving for positive, ethical impact.
2013 Expedition: The Origins of the Association
Three and a half months of fully autonomous travel and over 2000 km of data collection across ancestral Selk’nam, Haush, and Yagán lands, now profoundly impacted by colonial legacies.
2018–2020 Expeditions: On Foot and by Sail Where Few Still Venture
Ten months of ongoing exploration, including three months aboard the sailboat Pétrouchka, navigating through the Biosphere Reserve of Cape Horn. Activities included both scientific and artistic approaches within the region’s remote channels.
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2023–2025 Expedition: From North Cape to Cape Horn by Sailboat
A transdisciplinary expedition funded by the French Ministry of Culture as part of the “Mondes Nouveaux” program. Main research: perception and cartography of territories by the Sami, Yagán, Selk’nam, and Haush peoples.
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Archive Bridges Between Tierra del Fuego and France (2018–ongoing)
Following the Haizebegi festival, an archival digitization and translation project was launched — focused on Patagonia-related historical sources stored in France (primarily in French).
Sailing Explorations and Club Residencies
A partnership program combining scientific and artistic open calls with sailing explorations between the northern Norwegian coast (Finnmark) and southern waters (Patagonia). Collaborative navigation and fieldwork staged with local sailing clubs.
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Sonic Landscapes: Portraits of Territory and Its Inhabitants
Artistic and scientific residency in Uzège (France) with musician and composer Antonin Tri Hoang and Lauriane Lemasson (artist and scientist) exploring landscape soundscapes, memory, and the acoustic relationship to territory in rural context.
Scientific Research
Since 2011
Karukinka fosters an interdisciplinary scientific approach, merging human and environmental sciences to better understand southern and boreal regions. Fields covered include: anthropology, ethnology, biology, geography, geology, climatology, meteorology, polar medicine, ethnomusicology…
Karukinka also supports students and researchers in conducting fieldwork, collecting biological or cultural data in situ, and contributing to local ecological and cultural knowledge.
Artistic Practice and Publishing
France – Patagonia – Finnmark
In parallel with field missions, Karukinka develops artistic projects—often in residency format—that explore image, narrative, sound, poetics and travel chronicles. These contribute to the editorial collection of Éditions Karukinka, which brings together the association’s cultural and publishing output in diverse formats and perspectives.
Exploration on Land and at Sea
Trekking & Sail-Based Expeditions
Several field assignments include both trekking and navigation components. These projects are reserved for Karukinka members and organized under the framework of the French Sailing Federation. They aim to discover wild territories with local experts while helping to fund the association’s scientific, cultural, and humanitarian efforts. Participants also explore the cultural memory of inhabited landscapes, past and present.
Multidisciplinary and Committed Projects — From North to South
Karukinka has led four major projects to date: Three scientific and sporting expeditions (2013, 2018–2020, and 2023–2025); Hosting members from Indigenous communities (Selk’nam & Yagán) in France (2019), in partnership with Haizebegi Festival
The latest large-scale expedition (2023–2025) was a sailing journey from North Cape to Cape Horn. Beyond its maritime ambition, it focused on studying Indigenous cartographic perceptions from the Sami, Yagán, Haush, and Selk’nam communities through artistic and participatory methods.
