Culture Guide to Greenland

Guide to Greenlandic culture

Introduction to how Greenlanders think and act.
By Mikkel Larsen

Introduction

I lived in Sisimiut, Greenland, from July 2010 to July 2016, where I taught high school. For the last four years, I was part of the qajaq club, often as the only immigrant. The majority of this guide was written in 2013 and updated until 2016, with further corrections in 2020 and again in spring 2025, so my insight into Greenlandic conditions might not be completely current. However, I will still share my knowledge, ensuring accuracy, so that new visitors from Denmark or elsewhere can benefit from it and contribute positively to Greenland.

It would be best if far more experienced and native people would write such a “guide”, but either they are too polite to do so (Greenlanders do not speak on behalf of others) or they think it is unnecessary…. despite the fact that they do not appreciate Danes who claim to know anything about Greenlanders.

However, my students from 2010 to 2013 have read it and provided corrections (many thanks to You!), and I have incorporated most of these into the text. If you have any additions or changes, please feel free to write to me.

I have noticed that some authors of “real” books about Greenland have stolen passages or reinterpreted anecdotes from this cultural guide (which I’m quite sure can only come from me, e.g. the one with the 3 Danes in the classroom who made more noise than my entire Greenlandic class during group work), without citing it or me. Please refrain from doing so; either cite me or write and ask for permission.

Mikkel – emailtilmikkel@yahoo.dk

Facts

..all the important things besides what you can look up on the internet

Greenland has almost all modern conveniences, provided you are in the larger towns. The selection is a bit smaller and can particularly vary depending on whether the supply ships can reach the smaller towns. Prices are generally similar (with alcohol being much more expensive, and as of 2020, it has even been banned in some towns) – there is no VAT, but those savings are offset by transportation costs, and sometimes even more. What you cannot buy here can be ordered from Denmark. This takes 3-7 days by air, or a month by ship which is cheaper.

The temperature feels warmer than in Denmark – technically it is colder, but because the air is dry, it feels warmer. So -10 degrees celcius in Sisimiut feels like 0 degrees in Denmark. Kangerlussuaq can easily drop to -30, and that’s when you realize that you exist on nature’s terms. The same applies to transportation – ferries and flights always depart and arrive as intended, usually on time, but if there is a snowstorm, you might get delayed by half a day or even two days.

The internet is expensive but works almost always, regardless of the weather.

Here, I’d like to add at the request of others that people do not live in so-called igloos (and almost no longer know how to build them) and do not have penguins and polar bears as pets.

It is not always easy to get to the doctor or dentist, due to waiting lists, but it can usually be done. You may get an appointment a week later, hoping that you are still ill by then– or healthy. If it is urgent, you will of course be seen immediately and may even be flown to Nuuk or Denmark if necessary. It all depends on various circumstances, but fundamentally there is a good – and completely free – healthcare system here.

There is a significant difference between the cities. Nuuk is very large and “Danish”, while Sisimiut is more wild and natural due to the many sled dogs and the vast hinterland where you can ride snowmobiles and practice skiing. Qaqortoq and the southern coast are beautiful agricultural areas – mostly, but in a few places nature has been damaged by mining. I’ve only seen (almost all the cities on the) the west coast up to Ilulissat, but I haven’t been to the north and east myself, so I can’t say anything about that, other than what I’ve been told by people from those areas, whom I’ve known.

You can read the rest yourself at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenland

1 of 12 – Egoism and altruism

Taking care of each other – except when not

In the supermarket, there is a queue culture if the counter is set up for it. However, if two registers are open, people will move to the one with the shortest line, regardless of how long others have been waiting. The only thing to do is to be very patient and not think about it; do not complain or grumble – it will likely be seen as a breach of good behavior.

Conversely, one does not complain if the person in front is taking a long time to finish; you simply wait patiently.

Cars do not give way to cyclists – perhaps the explanation is that only in recent years have more cyclists started appearing, possibly because cars are logically more dangerous, leading to the belief that it is the cyclists who must be careful not to get hit by cars. Cars often pull in front of cyclists and pedestrians when turning, but, conversely, they will nicely drive around people on the roads or slow down near visible puddles if there are pedestrians present.

If you ask for help you will receive it willingly – but you often have to ask for it yourself. People do not typically offer to help others directly or give good advice unless it has been requested (unless they see that you are completely lost or genuinely want advice). It is viewed as patronizing to assume what someone else needs or wants. People also tend to like to do things themselves and be independent.

Unfortunately, this is also seen in the context of suicide or “mental health,” where some prefer not to tell others how sad they are or ask for help, but instead drink to excess and hang themselves one early morning.

So, before you try something new, ask a local if they would do what you are about to do, for example, going out in a boat in the given weather or building the dog sled in the way you have done. You will save yourself some trouble, and gain a friend.

If you offer help and receive a ‘no thanks’ (or silence, which in this situation can mean the same thing, or perhaps that they don’t understand what you’re saying), you shouldn’t ask again or change your offer of help either. (As Danes might do: ‘Do you want a cup of coffee? Oh come on, just a small cup? Well, it’s still hot – are you sure?’) If the situation is more social, for example going hunting or to have a beer, you can insist politely, just not too insistently.

Often, offers of help can be disguised as questions, and you need to be aware of that. Greenlanders can express themselves very discreetly, while Danes are accustomed to direct and bold statements. Thus, the question ‘Is your jacket warm enough?’ can mean ‘Put on more clothes before going out if you don’t want to freeze A LOT!’

In addition to women having their own children – possibly with multiple men, as in Denmark – there are sometimes also children that they did not give birth to but who are treated in the same way. I have only read about it, but there is a term – ‘gift children’ – that describes an arrangement of adoption among themselves. This means that a mother gives the child to a family member to raise or offers a family member to conceive and give birth to a child for them. (I have encountered one example of the latter.)

I know that there are many who have foster families and are adopted – but they do not categorize it as sharply (into half-sister or sister, for example) or treat it as taboo. This is a way of helping each other when, for instance, a young woman cannot care for the child, or a couple has lost a baby or cannot have more.

It may not happen very often anymore, but it is an example of how Greenlanders can be very close, even if they do not necessarily share it publicly. It is an important act of kindness or help that one does not flaunt.

I have experienced that there is an expectation of a certain independence; you should try to do things yourself instead of asking all the time. I experienced this in the trades, where I received one instruction, and then it was up to me to try to do it. I have encountered similar situations where I wanted to collaborate, but I was simply ignored and left to discover that my method was socially unacceptable. What you, as an immigrant, should do is be friendly, polite, quietly persistent, and present. NOT eager and ready for action and wild and aggressive. When people get used to you, they begin to include you, which can happen before you know it and in unexpected ways. Overall, it requires humble patience on your part. (I write this based on my experiences as the only Dane in the qajaq club.)

People are used to learning practical things with their family, but they like to ask the Dane they are speaking with if they are pronouncing the language correctly. However, I never correct people – I am far too polite – but I know from my own Greenlandic language learning that it is a great help when people want to share their knowledge of Greenlandic and also learn to pronounce Danish correctly.

Although people are very inclusive in many ways, there can be a ‘fight of all against all’ in certain situations when it comes to specific resources. A group that has a sum of money may not be too willing to share with others, but conversely, uninvited guests at a coffee gathering are usually very welcome. I’m not entirely sure where the boundaries lie, but amidst the strong sense of community, there is also an interesting hint of selfishness. An empty chair can also be considered ‘occupied,’ and not even friends are allowed to sit there, while on the other hand, people are happy to share the food or drinks they have. Perhaps this stems from the old days when each individual had to secure their own share, although they also helped one another as a group for certain catches and situations.

2 of 12 – Joy, sadness and emotions

To laugh with or to laugh at, that is the question

People laugh a lot at things over which they have no control. This includes small accidents or mistakes, for example, when someone slips on the ice or when Danes mangle the Greenlandic language in their attempts to learn it. It is not meant to be condescending; it’s simply nice to see that someone is willing to learn their language. Major accidents are, of course, taken very seriously and dealt with immediately.

As a newcomer to the country, you quickly have to get used to being laughed at and to laughing with others at yourself – it makes your life much easier and doesn’t create a negative impression of Danes in the country. It is, of course, a common human trait, but as a guest in this country, I believe it is truly necessary.

People do not see laughter as teasing; they simply enjoy what happens.

What is Greenlandic humor? First and foremost, it is physical, dare i say “slapstick”?: People tell stories about physical feats that went wrong or surprises, or they laugh at accidents. Parodies and “clowning” are sure hits! Highbrow humor on an intellectual level mixed with a bit of sarcasm is something I’ve never encountered in Greenland, unlike in Denmark – while acting and physical comedy are sure winners. Additionally, people laugh at the unexpected or the reactions to it – they don’t set it up for others and laugh when someone experiences an accident, but if it happens, then they laugh.

Humor based on sex – or rather the taboo surrounding sex – is not very common; at least, something is certainly not considered ‘naughty,’ it is just funny. The British/Danish humor where people disagree and get into fights is also not very popular here – the mentality of not creating discord runs very deep in people.

I have experienced a whole school class laughing at a reindeer that was shot and let out a deep roar, whereas I would expect a Danish class to feel tremendously sorry for the animal. I have heard of an electric utility that bought a very expensive machine that an incompetent truck driver completely managed to destroy while the rest of the staff watched, laughing as he repeatedly dropped it and drove into it, even though it meant that the settlement would be without power for another two months. I have seen three Greenlandic teenage girls walking together, and when one slipped on the ice and lands on her backside, all three of them started laughing, while the other two stood around waiting until she got back on her feet.

To contrast with a Dane’s reaction, I can tell you that I saw a visiting Dane crawling helplessly around, and subsequently getting stuck in, a snowdrift below our apartment complex. She was very annoyed that I was watching her and laughing, even though she was neither in danger nor had embarked on anything sensible – she had learned that the soft snow couldn’t support her but continued to walk around in it anyway to ‘save’ some children who were effortlessly jumping on top of the snow because they weighed much less. Although I went down and approached her to see if she still wanted my help, she berated me.

On the other hand, no one laughs when a qajatortoq / a kayaker tips over because everyone knows how dangerous it can be. It is often tourists who get into trouble, for example, by letting small children approach the dogs (which are generally NOT pets and are always more hungry!) or by walking out onto thin ice, but if Greenlanders see that someone is in danger, they will run to help. Naturally, one does not laugh at serious accidents or the pain of others. It is also extremely rare for people to curse over mistakes, accidents, or to lose their temper – for example, dropping something and then cursing and swearing. One can be annoyed by it, but one does not get worked up over it.

An interesting fact is that “tornaarsuk,” “toornaq” (spirit) [dornaarsuk] was included in the dictionary as a curse word by Hans Egede (who Christianized Greenland) because he saw it as calling upon evil spirits, while it is actually said to invoke good spirits to protect oneself or someone one loves. Many Greenlanders do not actually know this, perhaps they’ve simply forgotten.

People can become very emotional, and because they are not so on a daily basis, it surprises some newcomers.

One does not “interfere” in a person’s emotions, that is, offer advice or comforting touch; instead, one usually lets the person talk or cry it out, and allows the silence to do its work. Often, this is the most dignified way.

I have been to a “Kaffemik” / coffee gathering where a guest expressed how grateful he was to have come as a guest in the house over many years, and as he spoke, he became increasingly moved – all the way to tears. While he spoke, everyone present (10-12 people) became completely silent and simply listened. In the end, he was about to cry and instead began to sing the birthday song, which is traditionally sung very softly. We all joined in, and the whole room took on a very dignified aura. When we finished singing, we sat quietly for a while.

On another occasion, a girl received a call from home that a family member in Denmark had died, and she collapsed with a heart-wrenching scream. I tried to comfort her, but she was understandably too upset, and fortunately, another woman came and took the girl outside. The other attendees were completely silent, aside from the girl’s friend, who also started to cry. After the girl went home to some family in town and we had all calmed down a bit, it was very quiet for a long time. We were sad for someone we knew and cared about, and we all either know what it’s like to be far away from someone we love or to have lost family members or friends. It is a condition in Greenland.

Victories are celebrated to the fullest. Winners of kayak and dog sled competitions are sometimes lifted up by their friends and carried around – sitting in the qajaq or on the dog sled. I had the joy of experiencing this myself, after my very first competition – and very first proper tour in my qajaq, i was so slow that they did not think i would make it in, without capsizing. Neither was i.

People are proud of their victories and are supported by friends and other attendees, who immediately after the win come over to shake hands in congratulations. In fact, a handshake is the proper approach in many situations: if you meet someone who has done or received something good – or has a birthday – congratulate them with a handshake and say “pilluarit” [bichluarit] (congratulations).

A victory – even for one’s political party or sports team – is celebrated with both arms raised in the air. The Danish approach of restraint and downplaying one’s achievements is not understood. The author and nurse Kim Leine, who has lived in Greenland for a total of 15 years, was surprised when he walked into his publisher’s office in Denmark and was told that he had won an important literary prize. He first looked around in confusion and then raised both arms straight up in triumph! For the Danish attendees, it probably seemed somewhat strange or childish, but for a Greenlander, it is the only appropriate reaction to that situation and makes complete sense. This joy in winning is contrasted by the humility regarding one’s own efforts or abilities. Sports competitions may be more about coming together and celebrating the sport than about winning – and outsiders who take it all a bit too seriously (after the competition) are not held in high regard.

And therefore, despite their love for winning, and giving their utmost to win, one does not try to win at the expense of others, and one is just as happy for the achievements of competitors as for one’s own. This is also seen in many groups, where one does not stand out from others but often phrases one’s perspective as ‘we.’ Instead of saying, ‘You’re doing it wrong,’ it’s better to say, ‘Maybe there are some things that can be done differently.’

The deeper reasons for this are several: Greenland have always been a hunter/gatherer society, and people know that hunting is based on luck: one day you might be on top and being able to share your surplus, the next day at the bottom needing the help of others. In these small communities, everyone knows each other and depends on one another every day and in all situations. Even IF people don’t like each other, they simply avoid contact.

At the Greenlandic Championships in kayaking in 2012, I participated as the only Dane/qallunaq that year. I had built a kayak – of course with great help and instructions – and participated in the competitions after only five hours of training in how to sit in one. My clubmates wouldn’t hear of me not coming to the competitions or just coming along without participating: ‘You learn to paddle during the competition!’ After almost every competition, there was a medal ceremony, and people were mentioned by name and walked or ran up to the podium to have their medals placed around their necks. The audience applauded and cheered enthusiastically when people were mentioned, especially when those with medals raised both arms triumphantly in the air. As the shy man I truly am, I chose to bow instead, which people simply could not understand – they persistently tried to persuade me to triumph, and when I finally did so at the last ceremony, they applauded even louder. Back at the venue, or after the ceremony, people politely shake hands with each other, regardless of age. Even helpers, cafeteria staff, judges, and others who have assisted with the project each receive applause and cheers.

One also does not discuss feelings in public, only with close friends. Danes may have difficulty understanding this restraint because they articulate everything. ‘Can you elaborate on that feeling??’, ‘What do you think?’, and so on. Greenlanders are not as quick to figure out what they feel and think – they simply take more time for that sort of thing. In addition, there is the language barrier when speaking with a Dane: they may feel that they cannot express themselves properly in Danish and then choose to remain silent or just shrug.

Conversely, people state exactly what has happened: if you ask how a person is doing, you might hear that their partner has beaten them or that they are feeling homesick – or a man might say that he has beaten his partner or that his brother once committed suicide. On the other hand, they may not elaborate on it – perhaps because they do not feel the need to. The best thing one can do is simply to listen – possibly asking simple questions that encourage the other person to share more. I have often experienced that people, when they meet me for the first time, say things that might seem private to a Dane. However, this should be perceived as sympathy or trust from their side.

There is a new trend in the country where people sit in a circle and share their feelings and impressions about a topic – if they want to say something at all. I have experienced people sharing things they have not previously told others about themselves, and I think it works very positively to reduce pressure in a group or situation. It is not about expressing an opinion and then debating it – it is only about giving each person the opportunity to express themselves.

3 of 12 – The hinterlands, the sea and nature

On the great psychologist..

An important Greenlander, Jens Simonsen, once said that Greenland is a small country and Denmark is a large country – even though the perception in both countries is the opposite. He discovered this as a young man when he came to Denmark for his education. He had to travel by train to get to his school, and on the very long train journey new cities, farms, houses, cars, factories, and all sorts of other things kept appearing. In Narsaq, where he had lived his entire life, one only has to walk out of the town and into the valley, and it feels as if one is completely alone in the world.

I have experienced this myself during a course in Denmark while living in Greenland. Even a relatively – in Danish terms – short drive takes you through seemingly endless roads of constantly changing landscapes. You can drive and drive on the roads, and there is so much to see that it is quite overwhelming.

In Greenland, one moves in the mountains at a calmer pace (of necessity, not least to avoid falling and breaking the ankles), and there are simply mountains, snow/grass, and sea. Simpler.

Nature shapes humans, and the landscape of Greenland has certainly shaped its people. Greenland is a tiny hunting community, so its people are flexible and prone to improvisation; they are open, accept and utilize all available people and resources. Conversely, Denmark is a (relatively) large agricultural society that requires long-term planning and provides a rigid social structure with rules. Greenlanders value freedom, want to be able to gaze out at the world, and feel trapped in a big city. Danes value frameworks and rules, do not want others looking into their world, and feel lost in the open landscape.

Both countries have advantages and disadvantages, but these stem fundamentally from the appearance/nature of the country.

Many Greenlanders living in Denmark have a kind of longing to return to Greenland – at least a deep love or sensitivity – and no one visiting the country can avoid feeling a deep impression after having been alone in the mountains. Stand still, and you can literally hear the blood flowing through your own veins. Literature and songs are filled with nature and love for the country, except for a period in the 1970s directed at the Danes and in the 90s/00s directed at neglectful parents. Perhaps Greenlanders can generally be said to be a romantic people, as nature and the ability to be self-sufficient (at least partially) are important parts of people’s consciousness.

The weather, not the clock, determine the rhythms, and that still resides in the people. Distances are measured more in time than in kilometers: how far is it to the next town? Two hours – by boat, of course. Not many people have dog sleds, and almost no one paddles in kayaks – although some have experienced it, or even practiced it, at some point. Quite a few have been on reindeer hunts – meaning 2-4 days of trekking in the mountains, far away from people – and many have fished or hunted seals with a boat, and it is not unusual to shoot one’s first seal as a small child. Many people own a boat, and some have snowmobiles – which they use for family outings. Charley Kinney says that “there are many cars, and they are called boats!” – a natural reaction from an American – unless you fly, then people gladly take 4, 6, or 8-hour boat trips to nearby towns or into the mountains for outings or hunts, even though 12-14 hour trips are not uncommon. Longer trips are by ferry, which costs half as much as flying but offers a more grand experience.

Interestingly, if there are waves on the ferry journey, many Greenlanders easily get terribly sea sick, whereas i – a dane – never did. Perhaps logically they never get seasick when racing along in a tiny speed boat hammering into the waves. They explained it with being historically used to small boats and bad weather, which is logical since we danes have always sailed in bigger ships, and i myself metaphorically grew up on the ferry lines that criss-cross Denmark.

The towns in Greenland are far apart from each other, and since there are no roads in between, people travel by boat or plane. The towns are very different from each other in every way. However, in recent years, people have traveled extensively between them, as one has family and old friends in many different towns, and move jobs or change education. In fact, Greenland is a country of rootless people; very few have their entire family in the same town where they live, and then there are also the incoming Danes. The roots lie in the country itself, its culture, and its nature. Previously, one had to travel to where the hunting animals were, and family members died from diseases or at sea. In Sisimiut between 1910 and 1920, there was about one person capsizing at sea every six months – out of a population of 300 people.

Today, people travel for education or to help their family where they are, or to live with someone in their city. Sacrifices are dealt with relatively logically, without major emotional outbursts, even though it is deeply felt – it has both been a historical necessity, and continues to be a modern one. However, people have a great affection for their hometown, and visitors from that city will be received warmly, with discussions about who they know from there and other local news. Often, visitors to another city are informed to bring packages or items or greetings to someone living in that other city – even if they do not know them personally.

Greenland is synonymous with polar bears in many people’s minds, but very few have seen or shot one. When it happens – because they wander too close to the towns and thus pose a danger to people – the skin belongs to the one who sees it first (even children!), and the rest to the one who shoots it. Then everyone gathers – possibly informed via mobile phone chains – to see it being butchered. Often, the meat is examined for trichinae and distributed to schools or nursing homes, while the rest is taken by the state. It is not legal to shoot them in the mountains, so if it happens as a form of hunting, one receives a fine, and the body and skin are confiscated.

Today, it is more likely for bears to come close to the towns because they are hungry, and then there is a race among people who want to see them up close – unless the polar bears are RIGHT IN the town, in which case it is a race to get inside houses and away from them! This happens every couple of years in West Greenland, and in the East they carry a rifle every single time they go into the hinterland. I am unsure how it is in the north.

However, most Greenlanders have seen a polar bear in the same way Danes have seen moose or wolves: in the newspaper.

If you Google “Sermitsiaq” and “polar bear,” you can find a lot of stories and pictures.

A hunting license costs 100 DKK, issued to anyone who asks for it, and having a rifle is as normal in Greenland as having a Weber grill in Denmark. There is almost never a murder (the statistics disagree, though – but in absolute numbers….) – and even rarer with rifles – and if they are stolen during a burglary, it is only to be sold on. Rifles are simply seen as a tool, nothing more (well, also for suicide) – and can also be purchased in outdoor equipment stores and harbor kiosks.

The treatment of hunted animals has roots in religion, I believe. While everything is now regulated by quotas and hunting seasons that vary throughout the year, no one thinks of breeding reindeer and musk oxen in enclosures.

In the old days, it was said that animals had an “inua” – since “inuk” means (human), the animals thus have a soul just like us. When animals are considered equal to humans, they are treated with respect – just as one believes the animals would like to be treated. In ancient times, there were rituals surrounding the hunt (very few of which are still seen occasionally), today the perception is that one only hunts what one needs or can sell and that one uses or gives away what one catches. There have been isolated cases of dead seals found without skins, and reindeer bodies from which only the hindquarters have been taken – and people are always outraged by such waste of good meat. The practice of European tourists catching fish and then releasing them again is considered outright animal cruelty. Similarly, it seems unnatural to keep reindeer and musk oxen in enclosures – there is some discussion about it due to the increasing demand, but I doubt it will happen.

Greenlanders have no understanding of the EU’s ban on the sale of seal skins, especially when seal populations are so large that they threaten certain fish species, and all Greenlandic seals are caught in the wild as adults, by local hunters in small boats. The EU finally agreed to allow Greenlandic seal skins, but perhaps the damage is done. The company Great Greenland, which processes and resells skins and finished products, seems to have been less fortunate and has changed directors as of January 2016, which does not help. They have sent mixed signals – both that skins are piling up in stock and being thrown away AND that prices for small sewing shops and other businesses have apparently increased by 125% in 3 years, with unstable delivery. They are focused on luxury products and therefore neglect cheaper items – even ordinary skins cannot be purchased in their webshop – which excludes a broader appeal (including in Greenland). This undermines the economic basis for a good economic export opportunity, which is also an important, almost vital, cultural function. And seal skins are beautiful!

There are not many hunters left – only people who hunt in their free time. It is also only those with jobs who can afford good boats, making it hard to be a full-time hunter or a big-game hunter. No one hunts from a kayak anymore.

In the interior, the hinterland, hunting is only allowed from dog sleds or on foot – this is both to keep the tradition alive and because snowmobiles are so efficient that animal populations would be wiped out too quickly.

Hunting is VERY important for people – independence is crucial for Greenlanders, which includes being able to catch one’s own food and provide for one’s family. Not everyone does this on a daily basis, but most have hunted or fished in their lives. Therefore, going hunting is not just about securing food or becoming “at one with nature” – it is about feeling a deep connection to the land – as a Greenlander, as a human.

“Fjeldet” (Literally “the mountain” but rather the hinterlands) means the same to a Greenlander as “freedom” does to an American or “freedom of speech” does to a Dane: it is deeply rooted, and its significance cannot be overstated.

They call it “the great psychologist” for a reason.

There is a lot of litter around the towns, even more than in the nearby nature. Some of it is because it blows around in storms, and some is simply because people seem quite indifferent to waste. That is at least my impression, although others have told me that it varies from town to town. I believe that people’s practical approach plays a role here.

In recent years, there is a growing understanding that we need to take care of our surroundings, but it is still not very significant in daily life. In contrast, the discussion about large-scale industry is heated – there is awareness that, for example, the planned aluminum plant in Maniitsoq could destroy large areas.

Aside from the fact that fishing is not allowed in the waters around the towns, the nature is completely clean – there is rarely a need to carry large amounts of water into the mountains, as there are many springs and rivers to drink from – and it tastes fantastic.

4 of 12 – Food and party

To be together is to live.

Kaffemik is a relatively official gathering for a specific occasion. Well, Greenlanders often say “kaffisortitsineq” to each other, but not always. Danes always say “kaffemik” because they can’t be bothered to learn the language, and so it has become standard. The word kaffemik means “at coffee” or “the place with coffee,” understood as “want to have coffee.” Never add the suffix “-mik” after a woman’s name just because it sounds funny – unless she already wants you. To understand it more directly, it’s like an “open house” in Denmark – without a set time, and where everyone can come without an invitation. However, in larger towns, the host sometimes walks around a few days prior with a small written invitation that she/he hands out to distant friends and colleagues they meet, or maybe sends an email invitation, or even posts on Facebook with extremely short notice. But if you come as an uninvited guest, you will be warmly welcomed anyway. Remember to bring a small gift – which I often forget. Don’t do as I do.

Kaffemik might be a sort of continuation of the older culture – when a hunter comes home with a lot of game, the entire settlement is invited for dinner. Nowadays, it is a celebration of children’s first day of school, of birthdays and christenings, and weddings, and such. The event itself is held by the family for the closest ones, but they invite to kaffemik afterward for everyone they know.

You might receive the invitation a couple of days in advance, or perhaps the same day. The more official it is, the longer the notice – but rarely more than a few days. If someone you know is going, it’s okay to join – just remember a small gift. Feel free to wear nice clothes (official “nice clothes” is a white anorak and black pants, but a nice shirt and jeans are perfectly fine – other forms of nice clothing are naturally also acceptable), but if you don’t have nice clothes, no one will criticize you for it.

You usually take off your shoes at the entrance. Many Greenlandic houses have two entrances for this reason, first a room to leave shoes and outerwear, and then a “real” entrance. In private homes and certain institutions, it is customary to always take off shoes at the entrance before going inside. Just be aware when you walk through the door – if there are shoes on the floor, you should also place yours there.

Although people wear shoes indoors, for example in large schools and stores, it is never muddy. People brush off the worst snow themselves, and floors are cleaned several times daily.

Once inside, the host welcomes you with a “takanna,” which means “please help yourself to eat, here is the food.” You hand over the gift – you might place it on a gift table – and greet the host/hostess and their parents and grandparents, saying “pilluarit.” [bishluarit] (congratulations).

Note that gifts are not unwrapped while you are watching – that could create awkward situations. In this, and many other ways, Greenland resembles Japan, and possibly other Asian countries.

You may be introduced to the various dishes on the table. Typically, there are…

A roast – reindeer or musk ox depending on the season, Greenlandic lamb, and beef.

Fish – trout, salmon, cod, halibut, marinated or salted or smoked.

Peel-your-own shrimp, perhaps crab claws.

Dried fish.

Seal fat.

Mattak [madæk] – raw or lightly boiled whale skin.

Whale or seal meat, boiled or fried.

Suaasat, soup with rice and whale or seal meat.

Cakes – a QUANTITY of cakes.

There might be alcohol, but it is not the intention for anyone to get drunk.

Everything is self-service, and you move around and eat as you wish. Sometimes appetizers are served, but that varies from place to place. Meanwhile, children run around and play, somewhat like the “second half” of a Danish party.

You might sit for an hour or two – the more people there are, the shorter your visit will be. However, it is said that Danes sit for many hours, but as long as there is space, I think that’s fine. I certainly do – it’s fun to see who stops by during the day, and you meet so many people that way.

Sometimes there are members of choirs visiting, and then there is, of course, choir singing – often the special, quiet, lengthy, two-part form of Greenlandic hymns. There may be speeches, but that is the exception – speeches are mostly given in the evening at larger events.

If many people come, it is polite for the one who has been there the longest to leave the gathering – and perhaps there are more kaffemik events to attend. You might meet some of the same people there as well. Otherwise, your visit at kaffemik can last from half an hour to three hours, depending on whom you are visiting: whether it is family and friends or neighbors and more distant acquaintances. And of course, depending on the occasion – is it a confirmation or a regular birthday – and based on your own plans for the day: do you have to go to more kaffemik, go sailing, or do you have the weekend free?

Some people, without much money, can find their finances strained after a large kaffemik, as some are very invested in maintaining the tradition. Perhaps especially those living alone. There is STATUS in having hosted a good kaffemik – I have heard Greenlanders comment that Danish kaffemik never offers a sufficiently large selection of cakes! (And that is true ;-P)

Parties can range from 3-15 people that you have invited in advance (or invited on a “hey-stop-by-basis”), gathering at home in the living room. You bring your own alcohol, and the host provides chips and candy. After the first drink or three, there is virtually a free bar – so it’s just like in Denmark.

But parties can be both loud and quiet – some young people crank up the music, while others (sometimes young as well) gather around one or two guitars and sing. Then the whole table sings Greenlandic classics – and this can also happen in a bar, at an airport (or an airport bar, of course), or another semi-official place, and strangers will come over and join in. Many can play guitar, and everyone can sing some songs – especially when they are drunk. It can also be that stories about someone you know are being told, and the rest of the table listens.

If you participate as a newcomer to the party, it may well be that people do not talk to you at first for a long while. But just be sweet and friendly, and people will start asking you who you are or telling you things on their own. Especially if you are relatively quiet and listen, people will share a lot.

Danes also have “kaffemik” but the selection isn’t as large (which Greenlanders also notice), and you can’t stand being there for as long. Generally, a party with Danes up here is a loud affair – people talk (loudly) over each other, and there are always many conversations happening.

In nightclubs and bars, there is naturally also loud music – although the genre varies from place to place. Nightclubs play dance music, while bars may easily have Greenlandic live music, which is always a hit. The older people dance to anything with a swing beat, and in general, people prefer songs with rhythm and tempo – you are out to have fun, after all. If there is live music, a guest (whom the band knows) often comes up to sing a number.

Because it is a small community, everyone knows each other – at least on a superficial level. You can go out most evenings and meet someone you know, if not at least by appearance. However, you cannot talk because the music is so loud – so “eyebrow raising” is practical. People wander around in a mix of winter outerwear and their finest party clothes. Some literally drink themselves to the floor, while others sulk on a sofa, and others – both young and old – rush around the dance floor in full joy.

In general, people are very extreme: when they party, they really party. It is not normal to go home at 3 when the bars close; instead, you go to an after-party. From there, it varies when you head home: some go home at 5 or 7, while others continue all through the next day.

Being together is very important. One preferably does not leave a gathering or a party – and those who do are viewed with hidden concern or bewilderment.

Especially in the larger towns, you can buy everything you need. In smaller towns the selection is a bit less, and in most towns you may find that you run out of certain goods before the supply ship comes again. Generally, that is not usually a problem.

Everything from the sea and hinterland can of course be obtained cheaply, depending on the season. If you don’t know anyone, the towns have “the board,” or a small shop where hunters sell their catch – and everything has lived a good life; it’s local and organic. I have even sent packages with 15 kg of fish back to my family in Denmark; they were very impressed as fish costs twice as much there – but my Greenlandic students think that Greenlandic food is very expensive and that prices are rising. The best situation is, of course, if you know someone who (or if you yourself) hunts and fishes. (See the section on nature below.)

However, shrimp and crabs can only be obtained through someone who works on the trawlers or through Royal Greenland’s products in supermarkets – very unattractively, Royal Greenland indeed forbids hunters from selling such things, as if the country’s 55,000 residents would undermine the giant’s profits…. So you get shrimp by paying 150-250 kr. for 5 kg of pre-cooked frozen shrimp to one of the sailors who has come ashore from the trawlers – they receive two boxes each as part of their pay. Or of course by paying double the price at the supermarket. In any case, eat them semi-frozen – that’s when they taste best.

Generally, people here eat without overcooking things – I have never been served boiled cod or fried flat fish here, and it was only here in Greenland that I realized that Danes are completely off on this. Fish is marinated, salted, or dried (dried fish hangs outside many windows on drying racks – eaten as a snack), or things are served raw, such as mattak [madaeg] and shrimp/crabs. Smoked fish and reindeer are slowly gaining popularity and taste fantastic. Reindeer, musk ox, and lamb are served as a large roast. Adding angelica to drinking water is also very common and tastes lovely. Food is often simple and practical.

People naturally eat a lot of Danish-inspired dishes, such as creamy potatoes or roast with potatoes, but prepared Greenlandic specialties can include cod liver mixed with crowberries, gull eggs, and of course the many cakes. Oh heavens, the many cakes!

When you visit, you will hear stories about people eating rotten auks that were stored inside seal bodies (“kiviaq”), or seaweed, mussels, and ducks. I met a woman who came to Copenhagen as a child and couldn’t understand why people just left the ducks alone in the Lakes, right in the middle of Copenhagen – that certainly wasn’t done back home.

Everything is true – but it is no longer eaten. I don’t know why.

5 of 12 – The relationship with/to the Danes

Hate and love forever and ever

(PER MARCH 2025, PLEASE REMEMBER WHAT WAS WRITTEN IN THE INTRODUCTION. LOTS OF NEW THINGS HAVE BEEN HAPPENING SINCE THIS WAS WRITTEN IN 2013)

A Greenlander knows everything about Denmark, but a Dane knows nothing about Greenland.

..and a Greenlander can say exactly what she wants about Greenland – and Denmark – but a Dane cannot say anything critical about Greenland/Greenlanders. People are hypersensitive to criticism, both because of the Danes’ ignorance and prejudices, but perhaps also because they have not “mentally decolonized” themselves – read the end of this section.

You both hate and love Denmark at the same time – just like in an unhealthy marriage that neither party can summon the courage to divorce. I meet many older people (50 years and older) who casually talk about Danish towns I’ve never been to, from when they were temporary foster children or studying in Denmark. (same as nowadays some teenagers are sent to “efterskoler” in Denmark, previously Greenlandic children was sent as “summer vacation children” to volunteering danish families.) Or when I’m out in the city, I encounter drunken people who, somewhat curiously and somewhat hostilely, ask who I am and perhaps say rude things in Greenlandic. But when I respond in the little Greenlandic I speak, it dissolves the hostility and instead they start sharing stories about Danish ex-husbands who were scoundrels or when they studied in Denmark or similar things. And everyone has family and friends living in Denmark. Everyone has love for, and wounds and sorrows from, Denmark.

DR (Danish Broadcasting Corporation) has used the term “southern Dane,” implying that Greenlanders are “northern Danes” – and it can only be a naive (in the sense of foolish and idealistic) Danish humanities professor who invented that term. I think it is stupid – and insulting to the Greenlanders – to use such a term.

A Greenlander thinks and behaves, expresses themselves, feels, and conveys their impressions very differently and distinctly from a Dane. In so many ways.

Those inhabitants who come from Denmark are not allowed to call themselves Greenlanders – in reality, though legally. People up here greatly cherish their identity, and these days it is fashionable to speak Greenlandic (although less than in 2010, and now also more inclined towards public bilingualism), to call oneself Inuit (which amusingly means (humans) in general), and there is more respect for someone who paddles a qajaq (not that plastic nonsense) than for someone who plays handball – even though there are far more handball players.

Arriving Danes have for centuries told Greenlanders that the old ways of being and the old worldviews were not good enough; they have introduced a lot of “low technology” that replaced the Greenlandic ditto, and a lot of advanced technology that one had to get used to using. Underneath it all is an idea that “the Greenlandic methods” are not preferable.

In Denmark, development has rarely come from the country itself, but through ideas from outside – but it is harder to point fingers at anyone. Also in Denmark, the small farmers and fishermen practically no longer exist; even in Denmark, one has had to learn information technology and foreign languages to succeed. But in Greenland, it has only been the Danes who have been “the gateway to the world” – at least it has been easier to point out the Danes because they have been easier to see – so today Greenlanders have an image that the Danes have imposed development over their heads, without perhaps being ready for it.

And in many cases, Danes have been the ones who visibly introduced these changes – as incoming craftsmen and teachers – and when they did so, it was without an understanding of Greenlandic culture. Previously, Danish incoming craftsmen even received a much higher salary than Greenlanders doing the same work – reasonable but unfair. There needed to be someone to build the many houses and other infrastructure, but for Greenlanders, it was of course pure evil and imperialism itself. And yet another brick in the wall called “inferiority,” which I believe exists within many Greenlanders, perhaps unconsciously. In the words of Aviaaja Egede Lynge, there is a need for “psychological decolonization” in society.

Danish is the language of the elite (the best educated and some headhunted individuals come directly from Denmark), and it is preferred to speak it – understood in the sense that one wants to show a Dane that one speaks Danish. When a Dane attempts to speak Greenlandic, they are often responded to in Danish – perhaps because there is status in being able to speak Danish, but maybe also because they know that the Danes do not really understand what is being said in Greenlandic, as their Greenlandic is very limited. (But how do Danes then learn Greenlandic?)

I have experienced that among my high school students there is a bit of bullying AMONG Greenlanders towards those who do not speak/write Danish properly – but I am unsure how widespread that is. It should also be mentioned that some of my students correct me when I speak or ask them to teach me Greenlandic: “Speak Danish, Mikkel! We have Danish now!” (…because I am their Danish teacher). But it may be that they just want to learn, without any elitist attitude, as they appreciate that I want to learn their language.

An example of the relationship between Denmark and Greenland could be “The Experiment” (2010): Aid organisation “Red Barnet” (“Save the Children”) proposed in 1950 that a group of children from poor homes – but with above-average intelligence – be selected to spend a year in Denmark, only to return home as the future leaders of Greenlandic society. The plan was presented to the Greenlandic parliament, which, after a thorough debate, voted 22 in favor and 4 against. In 1951, 22 children from across the country were sent to South Zealand in Denmark. After a year and a half in foster care and at Danish schools, they returned to Greenland, but to an orphanage – not to their families. Here, they were prohibited from speaking Greenlandic, in school they stuck to the Danes because they were teased by the Greenlandic students, they were denied the opportunity to return to their biological families, and in every way, they were “held back” in having to become Danish.

Today, only 3 live in Greenland, half never spoke Greenlandic again, and none of them have held leading positions as intended. Conversely, 7 are no longer alive – and the rest are relatively bitter…

When a film was made about the whole situation, it became a colossal success in Greenland – while hardly anyone in Denmark wanted to see it.

Thus: Greenland has been affected by Denmark’s thoughtless desire to help; Greenlandic leaders have looked up to Denmark and thus willingly participated. The general population has done as they were told but has ended up feeling a sense of inferiority and bitterness. In the 1920s, Greenlandic catechists (assisting priests and the best educated Greenlanders at the time) spread Christianity; in the 1960s, Greenlandic politicians accepted the implementation of industry and a welfare state that only Danish workers could provide; and today, Greenlandic politicians set Danish standards for the Greenlandic population that (almost) only Danish academics can meet.

For the last 30 years, it was hoped that there would be a transformation to full equality and full independence – but the reality is different: Greenlandic politicians and front figures – Danish officials, advisors, and public employees with specialized knowledge such as nurses and high school teachers. In practice, Danes are indeed very visible in everyday life.

Because one is closely tied to Denmark, one also choose to be judged on Danish terms, which cannot be lived up to. This is fully understandable – for instance, Greenland has only 20 years of experience with widespread high school education compared to the Danes’ 100 years (or at least 60 years), and many students are the first generation to even attend high school – but this results in a minor defeat. An example is that the self-government/regovernment has determined that my students should be taught Danish A – in line with Danish students in Denmark, even though these Greenlandic students have Danish as a foreign language and some of them do not speak it very well. Perhaps they would benefit from, or have a successful experience with, Danish at the B level? And the poor grades are handed out by imported Danish teachers, often with very little understanding of Greenlandic society and the challenges facing the students.

If you, as an individual, want to counter this in daily life, then learn some Greenlandic – it is the key that opens up your understanding of Society because it facilitates getting to know people.

Some also dream of practical independence from Denmark, but one will likely never have a welfare state at Danish levels when there are only 55,000 people – and certainly not when only 15,000 live in the largest city, 5,500 in the second largest, and so on. It would require every individual to contribute something concrete – which is not the case… not even in Denmark, but there the pool of capable people is just much larger.

One can assume that this creates a feeling of having sold one’s soul.

As I told my students: ‘If you think the Danes take all the good jobs, then just keep up with the classes and finish your education – then the Danes have no reason to come. It’s not ME who should be standing here teaching – it’s one of YOU!’

On the other hand, there are very few internships or dormitory placements in the country – so many instead travel to Denmark. Unfortunately.

These days, people are beginning to realize that they will never get rid of the Danes – the upheavals of the 70s and 80s were mainly about politics and economics, and the 00s were mostly about language – and instead, they are in the process of recreating their identity and the pride associated with it. ‘He who loses faith in his own abilities is happy to be dominated by others.’ – a strong rephrasing of Robert Petersen, via Aviaaja Egede Lynge in ‘The Best Colony in the World.’ Here, she continues to write that ‘the whole point of becoming independent (is not) to become just as good as the Danes, economically or materially.’ […] ‘The time has come for us to tell our own story and define our own feelings and our perspective on how we have been affected by 250 years of colonization – if we intend to become mentally independent.’ This is what she calls ‘psychological decolonization.’

And as a comment on this, one might ask why this – wise, in my opinion – statement has now been copied into yet another text written BY a Dane ABOUT Greenlanders. But then again, Greenlanders are welcome to do so, so that Danes do not have to. If one does not tell their own story, at some point a stranger will come and do it. And one may not like that narrative.

=================

NOTE per March 2025: I reiterate that i wrote this in 2013, and lived there from 2010 to 2016. I repeat this because these last months things have been moving very fast: like the iceberg, what seemed steady is now tipping over and causing some wild and dangerous waves.

The Greenlandic representatives in the Parliament in Denmark (they have two, same as the Faroe islands, adding to the 175 danes), as well as some politicians in Greenland, have lately been unusually vocal about Denmark being supposedly evil.

One reason is that articles have recently been published about the fact that when the Danes implemented the welfare state in Greenland in the 1950s and 1960s, the birth rate exploded – and this was addressed by introducing birth control, in the form of IUDs, for 4,500 Greenlandic girls and women from 1966 to 1970, in some cases unknowingly. It worked as intended (clearly visible in the population statistics), but it can certainly be called an assault on people’s personal freedom (in the cases where it was not done voluntarily), and radicals have even referred to it as “ethnic cleansing,” which is, however, objectively a falsehood.

Another reason is the Danish National Broadcast (Danmarks Radio) produced and broadcast a falsified documentary on the cryolite mine (a mineral formerly used to make aluminium). The mine, the worlds largest, functioned from 1856 to 1962, closing in 1987. In 1954 12 tons was produced, half of it was sold to USA, and in total 4 million tons was produced. The documentary got made and publicised, despite all experts critising it’s rediculous estimates of income, neglecting to calculate the actual revenue after expenses (a far smaller number than income), and not considering that a lot of the money was reinvested into Greenland, especially in the 1950’s and 1960’s in building infrastructure and the welfare state. DR apologised and took down the documentary, but the damage was done, and the Greenlanders are furious, because it contributes to a certain sentiment that is wide spread, although to varying degrees.

A third reason was one of the Greenlandic representatives in the Danish Parliament, Aki Mathilda Hoehg-Dam, caused a commotion by aggressively demanding (i have never seen a Greenlander that angry!) to hold her speeches in Greenlandic, and that real time translation between the two languages will be provided when relevant. Her argument was that the Greenlandic MPs in the Danish parliament are forced to communicate in a language that is not their native, which is to the detriment of understanding and communication. (a side note is that she herself is fluent in danish and is born in Denmark!)
A fair point, although expensive to implement. After a week of commotion, this was accomodated – perhaps a “storm in a teacup”, but still a sensible evolution, in my opinion. In any case a BIG accomodation, from the Danish Parliament, since it can easily be argued that, all things considered, that Greenland should treasure anything that Denmark provides, and that Denmark has little obligation to provide anything.
The faeroese members continue to reconcile themselves with Danish.

The latest (reason) is that some Greenlandic politicians, and Greenlanders living in Denmark, want the 17.000 Greenlanders that live in Denmark, having the same rights as Danes, to be protected as a registered National Minority – which currently only applies to Danish-Germans in Southern Jutland. Greenlanders in Denmark feel discriminated against, met with negative presumptions, and claim having reduced access to healthcare, education and jobs, and exercising their own culture.

I personally do not see “reduced access” to anything – but then again I’m just following the news and coupling that with what i already know from living in Greenland and heard from those that lived in, or moved to or from, Denmark. It can be difficult, as a minority, choosing to live in a majority of different culture and language.

The danes sees this as a desire of the Greenlandic minority in Denmark to isolate themselves from Danish society at the expense of the Danish taxpayer – something which Danes are very critical of, no matter the minority. While recognising lack of knowledge about Greenland, the Danes feel that they have given full and equal rights and access to Greenlanders, and those that want more, can find it back in Greenland. The politicians are, despite not prioritising the topic, more open to accomodating the Greenlanders – once again.

The above cases, made the relations worsen: The almost 6.000.000 Danes are now very annoyed by the seemingly ungrateful tiny nation of 56.000 people – and 17.000 more living in Denmark. The Greenlanders, conversely, are hardening in their wish for independence – which they legally already have.

This is despite the fact that they can only pay half of what it costs to run the country, through fishing and tourism, the other half is currently what the danish government contributes. A portion of that money comes back to Denmark since everything is being bought from Denmark (though VAT exempt), currently at least. Nobody is stopping Greenland from buying from Canada or USA (or even UK), but the supply lines are not in place.

Despite decades of investigation and large amounts of expectations, there still is no serious mining or oil drilling. The land is so rough and remote that it is wildly expensive to find minerals or oil, build infrastructure to run a mine or drilling site there, and even to ship anything out. Not even wind or solar energy is realistically possible, because of the weather. (though quite a few houses have a solar panel hanging on the gable)
The mining companies that showed interest, and already had invested a lot of money, was denied to continue when the Greenlanders found out that there might be some pollution as a consequence of industry, or even a bit of uranium as byproduct. The “Uranium No Thanks” movement has always been strong; pollution is a very real risk factor, as Greenland’s nature is incredibly vulnerable. But now the last consortium is launching a huge lawsuit, and only Denmark will be the one able to actually pay such an enormous fine, if it comes.

In the original of this text (per 2013) i compare Greenland to a teenager wanting to move away from home, but lacking the skills to do it, and finding out that there are serious consequenses to becoming an adult. More now so than ever. The mood and goodwill in Denmark is definitely running low.

On top of all this comes now the looming threat of a megalomaniac and schizofrenic american president – backed by 77 million americans – who in no uncertain terms declares his intent to “aqquire” Greenland. This has not only infuriated the Danes and Greenlanders, but moreover scared the tiny country into huddling together: “We do not want to be Danes, we do not want to be americans, we want to be Greenlanders!”

So, Greenland is more determined than ever to be independant, they are more emotional about it than ever since 1979 (when they voted for home rule, fully realised in 2009). However, they still have no money to actually be independent – and it might get worse due to their uncomprimising attitude to industry – and they still have too few people to run a welfare state, thus are still relying on Denmark in the forseeable future, and now they even feel isolated and alienated by both Denmark to their right side, and USA to their left side.

Since they already have a lot in common with the 37.000 Inuits of Canada (in their own territory of Nunavut, speaking Inuktitut which Greenlanders can understand), despite the fact that Canada treats the inuit rather – if not very! – badly and English is not yet a widespread language in Greenland, might Canada be a great future bet for Greenland? Or Japan, whose culture is not dissimilar and whose appetite for all things from the sea, is large?

After the election in early 2025 calmer heads prevailed in Greenland, the Demokraatit became the biggest party, for first time ever. The Danish and Greenlandic prime ministers met a few times in Greenland to talk things through: old bonds, though frayed, still binds us together.

6 of 12 – Body language and expressing oneself

Eyebrowing and silence

People don’t talk much here – and certainly not over each other. It’s not that they are always quiet (Greenlanders can chatter plenty when they’re in the mood), but often only one person speaks at a time while the rest listen, and they usually speak quite softly. Twenty Greenlanders of all ages can make as much noise as three Danes. I think it also has to do with respect for the person speaking, but in reality, it’s because in Greenlandic you need to hear the entire sentence clearly to understand the meaning – in Danish, you can understand quickly what is being said. So Danes (and others from the West) often interrupt and speak loudly; Greenlanders do not.

When stories are told “around the table,” it is often done with gestures and grand mimicry – many people are fantastic storytellers – but in daily life, gestures are not used. Perhaps because they are used to having their hands in their pockets in the cold weather or don’t have much temperament? It is said that especially older Greenlanders did not speak much but instead told (or tell?) stories with gestures and body movements.

The first thing you learn as a newcomer to the country is what I have termed “eyebrowing” – lifting the eyebrows can mean a multitude of things: “thank you,” “okay,” “yes,” “I accept,” “I understand,” “hello,” “welcome,” “you don’t need to worry,” “you have my attention,” “I’m listening,” or “I’m not angry.” In fact, it is the same as the sideways nod in India. Over time, you learn to notice the movement in others, no matter how brief and discreet it may be. Foreigners who have just arrived in the country can be seen walking around trying to get their eyes to pop out.

The second gesture is wrinkling the nose, but this is seen much less frequently – it means “I don’t understand,” “which one?,” “no, I don’t think so.” When you are asked a question, you can indeed answer quite a few things without using words – it’s very practical.

This mimicry is connected to Greenlanders’ sparing use of words, I believe. Likewise, you may easily experience being met with silence – this can mean that the person does not know how to respond to you, that they do not understand you, or that they simply have nothing to add. Similarly, you can sit or stand next to each other or be at a party without constantly talking. But the silence can be one of the most challenging things for a newcomer because Danes are used to verbalizing everything and elaborating on the simplest things, and conversation is a sign of interest and friendship – whereas silence is something the rest of the world could learn a lot from. Silence allows for reflection.

When people speak, they do not use sarcasm. People are good at irony; my favorite joke is a guy who said he would help me find a girlfriend – and he would try them first to see if they were good enough for me. (we never found any, though, sigh)

Often, people make it clear that “it’s just fun” when they have made a joke at your expense or have been ironic. The expression “nagu” or a prolonged “Saaa” is used in Sisimiut, which is short for (sallu) [sæeschlu] meaning “That’s not true”, “a lie!”

So they are good at using and understanding irony, but the clearer, the better – language barriers have an impact here. Sarcasm, the malicious form of irony, is not used and only creates confusion – so avoid that.

People are often very honest – especially when they are drunk, but certainly also when sober. Be prepared for a simple “how are you?” to give you answers you did not expect or perhaps would not have shared yourself. However, it is not expected that you can solve their problems or help the other person. Just be compassionate; that’s all.

People also do not spend time “condemning,” meaning thinking about whether you are doing well enough or if you can do better. Nor are they “interpersonally paranoid” – meaning they do not spend time thinking about what others think of them. In fact, they do not even try to guess what others think, as they feel they cannot allow themselves that. I myself have spent time guessing/thinking about others’ possible reactions to me or motivations, and have observed incoming Danes being more so, on the defensive in response to curious questions like “How are you?” (yes, I know – it’s extreme!) In general, Greenland is a wonderful opportunity to learn how to be straightforward and live in the moment.

It should be noted that this does NOT mean that people walk around free of worries – they are simply thinking about their own situation – not how others see them.

People are characterized by a great respect for others in their daily lives. You could even call it a “conflict avoidance,” as Danes see it. People do not publicly criticize each other, and if someone thinks you are an idiot, you may never find out. Unless they suddenly file a complaint about you to your boss, getting you moved or fired – that’s the Greenlandic way: sudden and indirect.

The old legends and history books tell many stories about how traditionally one lured the hated or threatening party out into the wilderness, on a hunt or walk, and then the other parties returned home without that person and without a word. But everyone knew…

If you disagree, you remain silent instead. Perhaps you might ask a counter-question or make a suggestion, but if you still disagree with the other person, you simply say no more. There is simply no reason to.

It should be noted that there are deviations; some people are more direct than others.

I myself, as an incoming and personally very outspoken Dane, have unconsciously adopted this conflict avoidance. A person who “loses me” in a conversation, I won’t criticize but would rather nod politely with a minimum of engagement. Afterwards, I will make my own choices. Why? Because I will likely meet this person again, need this person’s help, or they will meet someone who knows me. If I want to take care of my reputation or have the same future opportunities, I cannot afford to create enmity.

So a rule of thumb for you in a conversation might be that if communication stops and only goes one way, then you probably shouldn’t think it’s because you have convinced the other person. Pay attention to body language and whether there is an “eyebrow raise” of acknowledgment.

During my time here (from the summer of 2010 to the summer of 2016), I have encountered about 12 unpleasant people – but 8 of them have been Danes (or were born in Denmark), despite the fact that only 10% of the population is Danish. Perhaps I have just been unlucky, but it is thought-provoking.

On top of that, there are people who have done ugly things to others but have behaved politely towards me. Over the years, you learn things about each other in such a small community – and the solution is to maintain a polite distance.

On the internet, people can be exceedingly critical or even rude to one another – that trait arises in anyone sitting behind a screen and “infects” even Greenlanders. In meetings, you may hear people clearly expressing their opinions, such as “I don’t think so – I think one should rather…” or “You can’t do that.” But usually, it is formulated more passively, without actively naming specific individuals: “Perhaps one could also try to…” – this indirectness is important to learn when you come as a newcomer.

But in daily life, people are always polite, do not interrupt, speak softly, and so on. In gatherings, whether at parties or professional meetings, everyone is always quiet when someone speaks – both children and adults. Therefore, groups of Greenlanders can be very quiet, which you quickly learn to appreciate.

Typically, Danes speak much louder – especially if they have just moved here or are tourists – and they often talk over each other. Especially the children. In classes, we have had guests from Denmark, and the three of them spoke louder than my 25 students during group work. At coffee gatherings, it is a peculiar experience to go from a “Danish” get-together with 10 participants to a “Greenlandic” one with 30 participants, feeling the first as a noisy experience and the latter as pleasant. This also happens to some extent because one tends to separate themselves and stick to “their own.” There is a division in society, as there is in all other societies: privately, Greenlanders tend to mingle with other Greenlanders, and Danes likewise.

Many nurses are from Denmark, and only here for half a year or a whole year. Until recently, it was normal only to be sent here for three months – an economic and cultural disaster, in my eyes. (and a necessity, as for some strange reason people do not want to live here for just a couple of years, so they must be brought here at great costs for as little as 3 months at a time – people are absurd) I have even met a Danish carpet layer who traveled up the coast for 3 months, laying carpets in various homes. Strange that a Greenlander couldn’t do that job.

I had a friend who was very ill for a period, and I therefore observed firsthand how paramedics, with infinite patience and gentle touches – in contrast to my own frustration at the moment – waited for the patient to regain consciousness before slowly engaging in dialogue with the patient and each other, and only after a long conversation, almost reluctantly, did they take her to the hospital. This was all out of respect for the patient and not an expression of incompetence or confusion.

She later told me that in Denmark, the same illness would have resulted in slaps, punches to the chest, and harsh words from paramedics.

At the city hospital, she was treated by Greenlandic nurses and those “imported” Danish ones. The former woke her and spoke to her gently and patiently, while the latter were more “professionally oriented.”, i.e

A Danish nurse who has now been here for almost a year describes it as being less results-oriented and more human-oriented. That is a very good description of life here.

It should be noted that I am NOT describing the healthcare system with these words – opinions about that are divided. I have merely referred to ways of interacting with the patients.

People often look each other in the eyes – I have certainly observed that people here often look me in the eyes. I don’t know if this is another form of respect, but perhaps it is more for deciphering my intentions when the language is a (partial) barrier. I have discovered that I do the same when I need to understand what people are saying to me in Greenlandic.

On the street, at least in smaller towns, people look at almost everyone they pass – because the chance of meeting someone you know is very high.

Danes use the word “one” when referring to themselves in an uncomfortable situation, making themselves third person, but have no issue naming someone who is being criticized – Greenlanders use “one” for others who are being criticized but have no problem saying “I” about themselves in an uncomfortable situation.

7 of 12 – The Other Side

To be natural

There is not the same discomfort regarding sex here as in the rest of the world. For this reason, people talk about it in a completely different, more open manner. A night out can easily result in an offer (phrased as “who are you with? Are you going with them?” or the more direct “Can I come home with you?”), and they can genuinely not understand if you decline. I have personally experienced this from four women, and I know two women who have received offers in everyday life from young men – one man was a worker at her apartment who was immediately fired when she (the client, my Danish colleague) called to complain.

Be aware that if you receive an offer from someone you’ve only met that evening, she may be very drunk and has a broken heart – so it’s mostly about being with a nice person: sex in exchange for a safe place to sleep. If you get an offer and are not interested, do NOT take offense – a “no thank you” is always accepted. (perhaps only after a simple “oh, come on…” or “why not?”) The immediacy shows itself here – it’s easy to ask, and it’s easy to say yes or no thank you – perhaps that’s why there are no porn magazines here?

And naturally, people do this – sexually transmitted diseases are common, and unfortunately, so are abortions.

Two of my students have written the following: “As mentioned, we believe that it is because Greenlanders are closed and secretive that they do not talk much when getting to know one another, and therefore skip dating, opting instead for intercourse.” Several students agree with this description.

There is no pornography or sex in public spaces or sexologists as one knows them from Denmark. Perhaps it is considered so normal that issues surrounding it are somewhat taboo? On the other hand, people – especially the young – are not physically inhibited; friends are often seen embracing or holding each other, and couples kiss and hold hands without anyone seeming to notice. Yesterday’s romance results only in brief teasing, not in any condemnation or surprise.

Despite the above description, it does NOT mean that everyone is indulging in sex – on the contrary. But if people like each other, there is less of an “ego” and more immediacy. Furthermore, there are many funny remarks about sex, and party games often have a cheeky undertone.

It should also be noted that many have been sexually abused – between a quarter and a third of women, depending on who you ask: the newspapers or people familiar with the young people. (Sermitsiaq, March 8, 2011: “Every 3rd woman in Greenland has been subjected to sexual abuse”) This is relatively 16 times more than in Denmark. (I do not know how many men)

Maybe it’s the alcohol, maybe it’s the same immediacy that is connected with the misplaced macho behavior below – i.e. men who imagine that the woman, girl, child(!) wants it, even if she/he doesn’t – and maybe she doesn’t dare express his displeasure and thereby confront and create enmity. I believe that these factors play some role in the great sex abuse.

So don’t tell jokes about pedophiles, don’t show the film “The celebration” (Vinterberg 1998) without telling the plot first (a mistake I’ve made myself). Maybe I’m exaggerating, but maybe it’s best to be on the safe side.

The following paragraph is quite controversial – many of my students who have read it are upset by it and think that I have not justified it.

It is a violent society, but only spouses and children feel it: 62% of women have been beaten themselves and as many as 25% of children have seen their mother being beaten. A friend with an understanding of this sort of thing believes that half of the young women are beaten by their boyfriend – or give him a beating. I myself have met three Danish men up here who had violent girlfriends, and at least three Greenlandic (and one Danish) men who beat their girlfriends – who, by the way, stayed with them.

The psychologists believe that a little under a third of young people here have close to what are called Post Traumatic Symptoms, which are usually only seen in soldiers who have been at war – a consequence of the great amount of violence, drowning accidents, suicide and other things. Around 70% of young people can be categorized as “withdrawn”.

See also Politiken: “Greenland is the world’s most violent society” and Marianne Krogh Andersen: “Greenland…” page 59, which has similar figures)

My students who have read through this document largely believe that the above is wrong – maybe they haven’t read the sources given, maybe they haven’t experienced it themselves or know someone who has. I can only tell what I have experienced, heard and read.

Why it is a violent society, I myself would guess, has to do with the fact that you don’t talk as much. It is almost only in the west that people “talk together” about problems or learn to express feelings – and in Greenland, attempts to articulate this sad situation are often met with silence: people prefer not to talk about it out loud, especially not in the newspapers.

In Denmark, it can be seen that immigrants from third world countries are violent to a much greater extent, and this is perhaps because they do not place importance on dialogue but only on dominance, the strong is right, patriarchalism. They are thus not trained to put thoughts and feelings into words or to “negotiate”. In Greenland, this is changing these years, self-help groups and psychological talks are slowly spreading.

In Greenland, it has historically been the man’s role to catch (seals, reindeer and muskox), and later to fish, but there are fewer of these jobs, and today his role is more blurred. However, this is NOT the primary reason, I think. It may be that people in Greenland are not used to talking about things. If you disagree with a stranger, you keep quiet – if you disagree with your girlfriend, you hit. (or if she misses, you hit)

Maybe some Greenlandic men need to figure out how to be a “real man” without dominating his wife? Or at least to get his way through without the use of violence or threats.

Here, of course, I emphasize that this is far from the case for everyone – but I have encountered it enough times that I see it as a widespread phenomenon. Perhaps skilled psychologists, of whom there are now very few, could make a difference over a number of years?

Can you tell who are “those who hit” or “those who are hit”? No – I thought I could, until I was surprised enough times. At least not until they put it into words themselves or show up with bruises – or you hear it through the wall or see it happening one late night on the street.

In that way, Greenland is similar to Denmark: The same reasons for, and relationship between, spouse violence and alcohol, but on a proportionally larger scale, and more clearly seen, in these small communities.

“Alcohol is a solvent and it solves everything but problems.” (Maria Forberg)

The problems with violence and alcohol have to do with growing up, of course. From 1950 and especially to the mid-1960s, there was both a large migration to the big cities from small settlements, as well as a lot of Danish ten-year-olds, primarily craftsmen. Greenland had to be modernized! On the one hand, this was a huge change which further went over the heads of most Greenlanders – this alone must have made people feel worthless. But the demographic changes led to many single mothers – if you wanted a job you had to go to the city, and status passed through the rich Danish craftsmen. Although the craftsmen might in some cases want to acknowledge the children, they were simply not allowed: it was grounds for dismissal.

These Danish men were seasonal workers – some also lived here in the winter – and while they were here, they worked many days, all week. A friend of mine has told me that he once worked in Paamiut, near the enormously beautiful church, drilling for foundations in the mountain. Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder, he turned around and discovered the priest standing in front of him in a priest’s dress, now asking him to wait with the work until the service was over. He hadn’t even realized it was Sunday!

Think – the Danes come to the country, persuade everyone to become Christians – in one way or another – and as soon as it is done, they come back as a new stream of Danes who do not respect the Christian traditions!

But rootlessness has always been a part of Greenlanders’ lives. In the old days people moved around after the game animals or family members died of disease or at sea. The reason today has another reason – if I may say so – and alcohol makes it show its face.

Evil always arises when drinking, alcohol unleashes the demons in all of us. The Danes think that Greenlanders drink more than Danes do in Denmark – this is wrong. Furthermore, the small group of Danes in this country are to the highest degree able to “drink their way through”. I have observed this with my own eyes, but Greenlanders themselves are quick to tell this – because they are very upset about the (wrong) image that prevails in Denmark.

It must be said that it is only on the weekend that people drink, or people who take a handful of days to drink, “going on a bender”, when they are bored. I have not met anyone who drinks continuously for many months or years, like in Denmark. I think it has to do with the fact that when you party, you party through: a relic from the old days when you had to eat when there finally WAS something to eat. In fact, Greenlanders think that Danes are a bit strange if they (including me) go home at 2 o’clock or turn down one more beer or a party in general.

However, it is important to say that I know several families where you enjoy alcohol at parties, without actually getting drunk.

Hash is a part of it and there are apparently many who use it regularly – or maybe I just end up in the wrong places. It costs a lot, but luckily there is nothing stronger than that. The Greenlandic mafia obviously has some kind of moral limit.

Almost everyone has experienced one or more friends or family members who have killed themselves – some know as many as 5-6. I myself have experienced two of my own students who have done it – and a handful who have tried it – and I have been told about many others. In the newspapers you occasionally see that a young person has disappeared one evening, and you rarely find them again. More often it happens that you find them in a rope at home.

There are several reasons, and they all have a greater or lesser conscious or subconscious impact:

1: There’s not a tradition of expressing one’s feelings, in general. In the old days, you could only challenge each other in a song battle, just like a modern rap battle, and in that way annoy or dominate each other. Many people lived close together and were dependent on each other – this is still the case to a high degree – and therefore cannot afford to have enemies. It is simply very bad behavior to be aggressive and agitated, to call attention to yourself or emphasize your own advantages, or even to ask for help.

So many Greenlanders often hide their feelings a bit away.

2: Society is everything, the individual is nothing: you are dependent on each other, and the worst that can happen is to be ostracized from society. In the old days, you had to leave the place of residence if you did something despicable or if you had to flee – you became a qivittoq: one of the disappointed people who leave society. (today the word does not have its original root (West Greenlandic) and therefore cannot be found in that form in the dictionary)

Even today, there are quite a few Greenlanders who – just like in every other society in the world – flee, some all the way to Denmark. Society can be both the city you live in, but it is also your family or your spouse.

3: Death has not been associated with anything negative, as in Christianity. This means that even though Greenland is Christian, the view of death in earlier times was pervasive. Death has even been necessary in certain cases to ensure the survival of others in extremely hard times.

4: They lived in the present and thought not so much about the future. When you have been dependent on the weather and game animals, there has not been much reason to plan ahead – and when the Danes arrived, they were the ones who took the initiative and were the bosses / naalakkat. So you feel very strongly, consume what you have today and hope that there will be more tomorrow – but don’t always think about next week. (Of course, you have saved food as often as possible, but you know that the accident can ruin the plans) And the problems today are experienced as heavy, without thinking that life will get better in a week, a month.

5: As in most of the world, it used to be the first-born boy who had to succeed the father as the catcher who must ensure survival, therefore he was – and still is – spoiled. And when you’ve had everything, the first big rejection or the first defeat can feel insurmountable.

All of these things then come to the fore when drinking, as one prefers not to tell others how upset they are or ask for help, instead drinking themselves senseless, experiencing a host of feelings of abandonment and despair, or simply hurt pride and go hang or drown themselves one early morning: young people who, at the age of 16-25, leave behind friends, family, children.

IngBritt Christiansen writes about Isumaminik, “his own opinion”, about the widespread phenomenon in society of not meddling in other people’s affairs. It is the flip side of the otherwise wonderful Greenlandic cultural trait that everyone is allowed to be themselves: when you are left alone even if you don’t want to, but can’t figure out how to ask for help. This leads to people being alone with their problems for a long time, and eventually feeling so desperate that they see no other way than suicide. Alcohol then triggers bad actions.

When we have talked about it at school, for example in a circle letting each person ease their heart, it has always had a good effect: people NEED to talk about it – and things like coaching, psychologists and therapy groups are on the way. But if you don’t take the initiative, you would find it very difficult to discover that people have lost a cousin, a best friend, a brother, a boyfriend, a son.

8 of 12 – Time and planning

Patience is a….

Before coming to Greenland, one might hear about “immaqa” (maybe) [immahra] – the Greenlandic version of the Spanish term “manana” (tomorrow) which implicitly means an indefinite time in the future. I have rarely heard the expression used, but the attitude is widespread – and often understandable in this country that is so dependent on the weather. A Dane will ask for precise meeting and travel times, to which the Greenlander might give a specific time but expect it to be one or two hours later, or might say “in the afternoon” and allocate the entire afternoon for it – unless something more important arises. If you have a meeting and the other person hasn’t arrived yet, you decide for yourself whether to wait, so there’s no reason to get angry. At the airport, people do not get upset that the plane only arrives “when the weather is better,” and they calmly set aside a few hours to wait for it to improve.

Once, I was supposed to attend a dinner after a sports event and showed up at 19 o clock to a locked door. Then I went home in desperation and frustration, and when I returned at 20:00, there were 70 people who had already finished the main course and couldn’t understand why I arrived just then.

More than a year later, it happened again at Brugsen’s annual party: I arrived 15 minutes late to the scheduled time, and by then, 200 people had finished the main course. Maybe I’m just the one who finds out last?

Time does not hold as much significance, only the weather and distance.

This also relates to the country – time has no meaning when during summer it is always light and during winter it is almost always dark. The weather and the tides decide – or at least have traditionally decided – whether you can go out to hunt, so that has instead been the motivation. The weather determines a lot, even today: whether the plane will take you to your destination, whether you can go fishing or sail to the neighboring village, whether it is too cold to paint the house because the paint stiffens and changes character, or to dig for construction work because the frost has made the ground hard, and so on.

Many things are based on what I would call unofficiality – if you have experience with third-world countries or immigrants in Denmark, you know what I’m talking about. There are often people who just hang out in (especially the small) stores or other places, or people working there even though it’s not visible from their clothing. Many things occur on a “know someone who knows something” or “spread the word” basis. The law states that no alcohol may be sold after 6 PM and not at all on weekends and holidays – but no one can be bothered to put up signs or cover the goods in the stores, so when you try to buy a bottle anyway, you get scolded with the message that “everyone knows that!” But the store still doesn’t bother to put up a sign. In Sisimiut, we had internet and mobile outages for 3 days – and when a visiting Dane asked if there was an emergency plan and how to call for an ambulance, she was told: everyone knows you can call via VHF! But she didn’t know that…. and I didn’t either, despite my, by then, four years in the country. Plus the fact that there is a constant rotation of Danish workers who all try to buy a bottle of alcohol Saturday night and are told that they can’t….. but the stores still won’t put up a sign.

Sometimes you are invited to a coffee gathering with very short notice, told about craft work that others hope you will participate in, meetings you are expected to attend, or whether there is a need for someone for a project. If you only speak Danish, the mystification is even greater, but fortunately, people happily help with translation. Conversely, it is not later commented on if you do not participate, meaning you are not held accountable.

On the other hand, if something cannot be done, you just ask around until you find someone who can help you with a solution. And because everyone knows each other, you can quickly find a resolution.

If you need the municipality or need to submit an official paper at the last minute, you can often just go there and into the office of the relevant person and talk about it. Then a few days go by, and things happen.

9 of 12 – Children and names

On natural upbringing and natural names

Many children play outside until very late – especially in the summer when the weather is nice, and it is bright all day long – and older children take care of their siblings. However, this has to do with the size of the towns and how attentive the parents are.

Parents can naturally get annoyed with their children just like anywhere else in the world, but it is rare for parents to reprimand or scold their children. Parents expect that from a young age, children have learned the difference between good and bad actions and can therefore distinguish for themselves. However, there is again a difference among parents – some often correct their children while others are satisfied as long as their children are not doing anything illegal and are attending school.

In general, there is a greater trust in children here – they are simply allowed to do more “dangerous” things here, which I have experienced would immediately be forbidden by parents in Denmark. You notice that children walk on thin planks high above the piers, climb on the outer edges of cliffs, or jump around on ice floes, yet they are not reprimanded. I believe that this way, children are healthier here.

Often, parents who are out walking with their children will stop and wait for their children who are a bit behind, looking at something. Naturally, they say “qaaniarit” [hraaniarit] (come on), but they rarely go over to the child, lift them up, and force them to move on, or pull them along by the hand. And when they do, it is without an angry tone. Most want their children to enjoy their childhood.

I have read that children are regarded as adults. This may express the same respect that adults show each other, but perhaps also a remnant of the belief that the souls of the deceased return in children or at least remain within the family. Even today, people like to name children after deceased family members but do not expect them to perform the same actions as the deceased did.

Danish priests have been baptizing Greenlanders with Danish names since around 1750 – which people have then Greenlandized: Mette has become Miiti, Kirsten is Kista [gista], Søren is Suulut, Simon is Siimut, Mads is Maasi – and sometimes only friends are allowed to use the Greenlandic form while strangers must use the Danish baptismal name! – or they just add an “i” at the end: Mikkeli and Jensi. Additionally, there are forms of pet names like –eeraq and –nnguaq which mean small and sweet/dear – for example, Angu- -t (man), -nnguaq (dear man), -titsumik (medium-sized man), and many others. These can of course also be used as baptised names.

Christine Højlund Andersen: “The name is used as an identity marker, indicating where one stands in the sibling group but also who one is related to and has obligations towards, be it both biological and non-biological family. We see that the tradition of naming goes all the way back to the pre-Christian period.”

In this regard, one of my students astutely points out that Greenlanders originate from Asia, which is why they may remind one a bit of Buddhists – for instance, naming a child after the deceased so that the soul may return. I have personally thought that Greenlanders have MUCH more in common with Asians than with Danes when it comes to ideology and behavior. In the film/novel “Shogun,” (1980, not the 2024 remake) Mariko explains that the Japanese are many people gathered in a very small space and therefore must consider each other. The same is true in Greenland – there is simply a shorter mental/cultural distance (in some ways) from Greenland to Japan.

Christine talks about what I would call family-position names: Aqqa- (the name, its name) -luk, -ooraq, -lu, -luuti, and so on. Nuka- (little brother/sister) is a name that many people have – and it is different people who call a specific person Nuka – namely only those who are that person’s older siblings of the same gender, Nunu (infant), Naja (a boy will call his little sister), and Aqqalu (a woman will call her little brother).

A person can thus have 2 or 3 names, depending on who is calling – in addition to, of course, “dad”/“mom,” and so forth.

I notice that especially younger people have “Greenlandic” names – things from nature – perhaps because they are the ones I interact with most often. These are of course ancient names, but it is interesting to see that people aged 40-70 more often – as far as I can tell – have Danish names or Greenlandized versions.

Sorlannguaq (small rose root)

Qivioq (feather/wool/down)

Sinniisoq (substitute, the “replacer”, the one born after the first child has died)

Sikkersoq, Sikkerninnguaq (flower, little dear flower)

Angerdla (home – spelled the old fashioned way)

Eqaluk (trout)

Ilatsiaq (good company)

Aviaaja (small flower)

Paninnguaq (little daughter, comes from “panik” (daughter))

Inuk (human) or Enok or variations of Inu- for example inunnguaq (little sweet human)

Malik (wave)

Seqininnguaq (Dear Sun)

Katu (drum stick)

Aqissiaq (grouse chicken)

Nivi- (first part of niviarsiaraq: girl)

Pilu- (leaf from a plant (piluaq)

Paarna (berry, blackberry (parnaq)

Pullaq (a bubble, filled with air)

Qulutaq (the naughty one)

Qilaq (the Shining, Shiny, Dazzling)

Salik (the clean, pure)

Tupaarnaq (thyme)

Taatsiaq/Taannguaq (riding chicken/little sweet ride (riding is a type of gull)

Uiloq (mussel)

Ujarneq (small stone)

Ulloriaq (star)

Ungaaq (the youngest)

Tuilik (the suit you put on when you sit in the kayak and have to turn around so that you don’t get water in – I know the boy’s father, who has been kayaking most of his life)

And finally there are Greenlandic names whose meaning comes from words but which are now almost forgotten:

Ivalu (comes from Qaanaq dialect for tendon thread, but cannot be found in the dictionary and can mean several things – but typically Greenlandic for sure!)

Natuk (getting lost in “inequnartoq”, being sweet)

Pipaluk (the dearest one has)

Twins are often just called “Angaju” and “Nuka” (“big brother/sister” and “little brother/sister”) – I’m actually unsure if they have “real” names, but two pairs of identical twins in Sisimiut (!) are simply called Angaju and Nuka. One pair has different hairstyles, but the other pair I have a hard time telling the difference, even though I’ve seen them many times… but there is a 50% chance of guessing correctly. I solve it by calling them “marlulisat” (twins) [marshluli set] when I see them together.

Addition: i actually know, and regularly see, THREE pairs of identical twins, in Sisimiut – a town of 5.500 people. When reading on this, there are no numbers on the frequency in inuit peoples, and it does seem that the frequency varies from country to country, even influenced by the food that the mother is eating!

Children do not make noise like Danish children – so what applies to adults is also true for children. They do not talk back or are cheeky, but they can, however, “strain at the leash” – but without stomping on the floor and screaming. Some believe, however, that it has become more common in recent years – that they have been influenced by “spoiled brats” from Denmark, with whom they are in kindergarten.

A well-behaved child is one that does not interfere but waits and listens – this is called naalaarpoq, “a well behaved one”. It is very much encouraged to observe adult activities, preferably participate actively or stick their head forward, but not to express their own opinions too forcefully or criticize.

So when Danish teachers require verbal participation and a critical attitude, it is despite Greenlandic upbringing – you could say it is doing a bit of violence to the children’s upbringing.

In my daily work, I do not have knowledge of children’s conditions, but those who do, say that many children have sad upbringings. But I meet them as older teenagers, and occasionally they lift the veil and talk about beatings in the family or by a partner, sexual abuse, suicides among friends and family, drinking, and indifference. But of course, not everyone has problems – and in Denmark, there are also many who have such challenges to deal with.

10 of 12 – Christianity and spirituality

The dead, the living and all in between

Greenland is a Christian country, with strong pre-Christian traditions. The introduction of Christianity has, for some, brought an end to long-lasting family feuds or many rituals and taboos, but especially the necessary luxury goods came with the demand for Christianity. The Danish priests have been strict – requiring attendance at church on Sundays, regardless of good weather for the necessary hunt, or that a man could only have one wife – leaving many women without a provider, and men with fewer helpers for the daily work.

Finn Lynge writes that Greenland is a divided country, in terms of Christian culture, as the country wants Christianity, but they do not want the missionaries and colonial powers that brought Christianity to the land. Therefore, this division may also contribute to an increased interest in learning about and preserving the pre-Christian tradition today.

Christine Højlund-Andersen has written about modern spirituality in Greenland: It is “..not just a past that is still practiced, it is an identity that, after centuries of being overlooked, is being called forth again, existing side by side with modern technology and other forms of spirituality.” “Through the storytelling tradition present here in Greenland, the young become familiar with myths, legends, and tales from their pre-Christian period; these stories they internalize for use in their own lives, thereby creating their worldview, based on both the past and the present, the latter being grounded in a Western understanding of the modern.” “Through this, their worldview becomes a fusion of what has occurred in Greenland’s prehistory, where traditions are transformed to fit into the framework of contemporary life. Therefore, the Greenlanders’ worldview may appear a bit chaotic to an outsider, as they work to maintain old traditions while they can neither deny nor wish to deny the rapid development of the Western world.”

The Greenlanders want their worldview to be seen as something independent of their former Danish colonial power. Thus, the significant emphasis that Christianity has had is often overlooked – 98% are members of the church. Moreover, there are relatively many Jehovah’s Witnesses and members of the Pentecostal Church and other small religions.

Here, baptism, confirmation, marriage, funerals, Easter, and Christmas are similar to those in Europe – but there is also drumming in the church and a widespread belief in qivitut and ghosts, who must be respected and who inform us of their existence.

In the old days, one could be exiled from the settlement, or choose to exile oneself out of shame or if one could not agree with the other residents. Sometimes one would go to the mountains – and thus to death – if one, being old, was only a burden to the others, especially if there was not enough food. There is a connection here to suicide: the self-destruction of the (self-perceived) useless. Those who lived alone in the mountains were called a qivitoq (hinterland wanderer, plural: qivitut), and it is said that some gained magical powers from living out there: they can take on different shapes and run and jump faster and higher than ordinary people. One thing is certain: people are/were afraid of them – even today, many believe that qivittut exist – not only among the elderly.

Everyone up here can tell stories about qivitut that have been seen or traces of them found out in the mountains. Whether they have superhuman powers is open to speculation, but there are still people who disappear – and not all of them are found. Others have told me stories about abandoned (but clearly inhabited) caves in the mountains, and about wild hermits who stole sheep and equipment from farms and were therefore sought after and brought in by the police.

Even today, the idea of qivitut is used – people move around a lot in the country or to/from Denmark these years due to work and education or the need for long-term hospital stays. So if certain individuals perhaps feel uncomfortable in the city or are ashamed of something they have done, they can move to another city or to Denmark. This could perhaps be called a modern form of “going qivittoq.” (qivitorpoq?)

Another pre-Christian tradition that survives is “mitaartut” (the disguised or the silly). Today, people only know that they celebrate the Christian Epiphany: in medieval Denmark, the days after Christmas – the birth of Jesus – were divided into several holidays, including January 5, which became a religious procession through the city, following a “guiding star” carried at the front. After the introduction of Protestantism, this turned into popular and festive parades and celebrations, even drinking parties.

Jette Bang’s film Inuit (1940) describes how, in Qaanaaq, people would dress up and (drum) dance in the winter to scare away evil spirits, or perhaps to simulate the many nature and helper spirits. (“toornat”) It is evident that mitaartoq (one who dresses up as these spirits) originates from there and thus is a pre-Christian custom that has been preserved, even though its origins are forgotten. It is Emaanoraq Nathansen from Sisimiut who – as the only one – has made me aware of this explanation of why people now gather for a costume and scare competition every year in Taseralik on January 5.

In return, this dressing up and scaring behavior is also seen when a person (mostly women) paints themselves black, with white and red drawings on their faces, puffed cheeks, and hair styled in braids at the back of their head, attempting to scare those present. As I write this, I do not yet know what it is called, but it is also a way to remember the toornat that exist around us.

11 of 12 – The language

Kalaallisut – Greenlandic in Greenlandic

People take good care of the language and cultivate it intensively: Songs in Greenlandic are always popular, and proportionally there are a strikingly high number of Greenlandic songs and bands – but this also relates to people’s great joy in music and togetherness. The language is used daily everywhere, even though loanwords from Danish are inserted and people sometimes use outbursts or phrases in Danish in between – just as is done in Denmark with English: a word like “fuck” can express something that Danish words cannot quite precisely convey.

In contrast to Canada and the USA, Denmark as a colonial power has been gentle in this and a few other areas – by this, I mean that the Greenlandic language (THE Greenlandic language or dialects) is not forbidden, but rather supported through the production of dictionaries and the use of certain terms instead of replacing them with Danish ones.

In daily life, people are bilingual, but to very different degrees.

Just like in the Danish language, many foreign words are “Greenlandicized”: “computeri.” A computer can also be called “qarasaasiaq,” which means a small brain: brain is “Qarasaq,” and the ending “-riaq” means “…the place where one…,” while a more popular explanation is that it means “something that is like a brain.”

The point is that there is a Greenlandic word – but often the Danish word is simply used in a Greenlandicized way: often simply stick an “i” on the end. Another fun little thing about saving time is that people relatively often abbreviate the language, that is, the words – both when speaking and writing. “Ipassaq” (yesterday) becomes “ipass,” and “nuannaaq” becomes “nuann”. This also makes it a bit harder to learn, so one has to focus on the root of the word. Moreover, one must hear the entire sentence in Greenlandic to understand the full meaning – in Danish, one can interrupt halfway… which Danes indeed do. So there you have the explanation for why Greenlanders do not interrupt each other (the secondary explanation is mutual respect), which is a positive experience/surprise for visiting Danes.

It is said that Greenlandic is very difficult to learn. I do not entirely agree. However, it is unfortunately a fact that if you, as a Dane, learn just 20 words/endings in Greenlandic, people will be very impressed with you and will constantly exclaim “pikkori!” (clever) and pay attention to you. But that says more about the laziness of Danes than about Kalaallisut as a language.

Why don’t Danes want to learn Greenlandic? Perhaps because everyone in the country can speak Danish, at least understand part of it. Thus, there is no reason. Especially not when one may only be in the country for a few years.

Conversely, I have regularly heard about fathers who understood everything their family talked about in Greenlandic but would only respond in Danish themselves.

Additionally, there is the whole issue of Greenlanders who have lived many years in Denmark and have forgotten their Greenlandic language.

The easiest way to learn Greenlandic is to move to a small village: the less Danish spoken, the more you are forced to speak Kalaallisut. I have heard this many times, but I have not practiced it myself – instead, I was a high school teacher in Sisimiut from 2010 to 2016, where I spoke Danish daily but had many great opportunities to speak/hear/learn Greenlandic. I was the only Dane in the qajaq club for 5 years. The problem is that I speak Greenlandic so poorly that people would rather have me speak Danish – but how am I supposed to learn it then?

There are language schools in most large cities, but you can also take a self-study course online or watch Per Langgård’s two DVDs – http://learngreenlandic.com/

Of my Danish colleagues and friends who have been in the country for more than 2 years, perhaps 15% understand 30 words and endings but only use them to a lesser degree, and 5% understand 100 words and endings and perhaps use half of them themselves. Additionally, there is a small handful who have lived in the country for many years – but have not grown up here – and speak the language thoroughly or fluently.

You should also note that you cannot tell by looking at people whether they speak the language or not; one can certainly be Inuit and be poor atKalaallisut [galarshlissut] or qallunaaq [hrarslunaak] and speak it fluently.

Greenlandic is a very practical language that is smartly structured. (to some extent)

If the toilet is occupied, it is “inoqarpoq” – “inuk” (human) and “-qarpoq” is (has something) – i.e. something that has people in it.

He dances = “qitippoq” [hritibok] (qitip) + “-ppoq” (verb), but “he dances again” = “qitiqqippoq”. [hritiri book]

“Hangover” is “tomorrow darkness” (aqagu-taar) [arhragudaar] (“taaq” is “dark”, interestingly like the English “dark”?)

Here’s a little primer – note that I might SPELL it wrong! I am NOT very good at Greenlandic, and have mostly heard it pronounced, not practiced spelling it.

Note that I’m using a bit of code language now. In quotation marks it is “the word as it is spelled” and in brackets it is (the translation) while the strange square brackets are [the word as it is pronounced for a Dane]

1) Greenlandic consists of a stem to which a suffix is added:

“nuannaq” [nuan-næg] – shortened colloquially to “nuann” (Nice)

“nuannarpoq” [nuan-nar-bok] (It is nice or good).

“nuannarputit” [nuan-nar-butit] (You are well (or happy)

“nuannarpunga” [nuan-nar-bunga] (I feel good)

“nuannarpisi” (You are doing well)

“nuannarpugut” (We are fine)

So simply put, you just need to recognize the endings “-it” (you, your, yours), “-poq” (something that is), “-unga” (technically “-nga”) (I), “-isi” (you all), and “-ugut” (technically “–gut”) (we or our).

When it gets more advanced, the endings change: “iliniartoq” is a student, while “iliniarpoq” is to read, and “sumipaa?” is (Where is he/she/it?), while “sumipat?” [sumipæt] is “where are they?”.

And then Greenlandic becomes much harder, but there is a system behind it all. Words that end with “-toq” are jobs or positions (“piniartoq” (hunter) [biniardok] and “aalisartoq” (fisher) [alisardok], words that end with “-poq” mean that someone or something is doing something: “sinipoq” (he/she sleeps) [sinibok], “kaffiliorpoq” (he/she makes coffee / “coffee makes”), while words ending with “-neq” are concepts: “inuuneq” (life) [inuunek], “asanninneq” (love) [asaninek].

The last point about “-neq” is something I have personally observed – I hope I am correct throughout.

Just learn the simple rules, and the rest will come later, all the exceptions and precisions.

Sometimes you just have to remember a “word” (technically a phrase) and forget the grammar: If there is something you want or desire, you can simply put “sumipaa” afterwards, and people will understand your meaning: “Anders sumipaa?” (Where is Anders?), “computeri sumipaa?” (Where is the computer?) or “kaffe sumipaa?” (Where is the coffee?) – technically it would be “kaffiliorpit?” (are you making coffee?) or “have you made coffee?” but people understand your intent.

Just like in Danish, there are words that are pronounced differently than they are spelled.

LL = sl – “illu” [ichslu] (house) – LL is actually pronounced most like the German word “ich.”

RL = sl – “aarluk” [aarsluk] (orca),

Q = r – “qamani” [hramarni] (out there, in there), Qajaq [hrajak] (kayak)

K = g – “Kassassuk” [gassasuk]

P = b – “neriupunga” [neriubunga] (I hope)

A = æ – “nuanaq” [nuarnæg] (nice), “kalak” [galæk] (a derogatory or somewhat offensive term covering a “typical” or caricatured Greenlander)

G is usually silent or at least pronounced very softly, as in (hanged), for example, “nuannarpunga.”

Double letters should be stretched a bit but can give entirely different meanings: “nuannarpunga” (I am happy) versus “nuanaarpunga” (I am joyful).

Start by mastering the endings and sounds of the words – and get used to being laughed at or saying it wrong. The most important thing is to get started.

But just to make you nervous, just because I can, I will tell you that many words mean something entirely different but sound almost the same: “nuanaq” [nuanæk] (nice) is very opposite to “nuaneeq” [nuænik] (boring or sad), while “anaq” [anak] (shit) is not at all the same as “arnaq” [arnak] (woman).

Therefore, Greenlandic is a clever language because you can guess many things if you know a variety of these words. A house is “illu” – a place has the ending “-fik” – so a town is “illuqarfik”: a place with houses. (You don’t need to think about the middle: “-qar-,” but it means to have, so it’s (the place that has houses).

Something that is small has the ending “-araq,” and thus a hut is an “illuaraq.” Easy and logical.

The most important thing is that you can see the ending and thus guess the word.

When you know that an “aarluk” is an orca and the ending “-punga” is (I), what does “aarlupunga” mean then? (I don’t actually know if the conjugation is completely correct, but if you follow this pattern, you will understand the form, and then you just let people correct you in individual situations – that’s the method I’ve used: ugly but practical and easy to remember.)

And when reading (or learning) is “atua-” what does “atuarfik” mean?

Now you are ready to analyze a Greenlandic sentence:

“qaa” [hraa] (come on)

“-it” is (you)

“Illit” is (you, you)

“uanga” is (I, me)

“-nut” is (where there is, at)

So what does “qaagit unnut” mean?

And what does “illinut” [ishlinut] mean?

4) In addition to this about endings, there are a handful of expressions that are good to know:

“ajunngi” (how are you?)

“bye” – loanword from English.

“ateqapunga” [atehrabunga] (my name is) – insert your own name first. Technically, it means “name I have”

“kaak kaak” [gakkaak] (madness, oh my!, wow) – perhaps borrowed from Danish?

“qujan” or “qujanaq” [hrujæn] or [hrujarnak] (thank you)

5) From now on, just add one word at a time to your inner word list. When you hear or read a word that is easy to pronounce, you just find out what it means. And then you use the word often – if people understand you, you pronounce it correctly.

When I have learned something new, I immediately tell it to a Greenlander and wait for the reaction.

If I have to have something translated into Greenlandic, I say “qanotarsaapat (Danish word) kalaallisut?”, it’s my own primitive way of saying “how do you say it in Greenlandic?”

The dictionary is available at: < http://www.ilinniusiorfik.gl/ordbogen/daka and for iPhone/Ipad > and for Android it is available as an app and is called “Ordbogit”. They are working on an English/Greenlandic dictionary, but who knows when it will be finished. (this is written in 2013 and i have not checked since)

12 of 12 – You as high school teacher

The reality of everyday school life

The following is written from my own background as a Danish teacher at the high school in Sisimiut from 2010 to 2016. It only covers Greenlandic conditions, although I would like to write at least as much about general pedagogy.

You must want the challenge of being a teacher in Greenland – in a culture you do not understand – for at least 2 years. You should be aware that it will be a great challenge for you, both personally and professionally. Therefore, you should not have anyone in Denmark (or wherever You are from) that you cannot do without during that period – 2 years – except for summer and winter vacations.

Are you still interested in reading on? Okay, here are some pedagogical/cultural advice:

In the beginning, you will have difficulty interpreting the students’ reactions – but get to know their facial expressions by asking them if they have understood. Be honest instead of putting on a good face in a bad game – this will earn you their trust.

Danish is NOT their first language, and they often find it easier to articulate thoughts in Greenlandic, especially with one or two friends. (…but often they find it easier to write it in Danish than in Greenlandic!)

Therefore, do not disturb or stop them if they are talking together in Greenlandic; instead, quietly ask if they are coming up with something interesting or kindly inquire about what they are talking about.

The first rule for you as a teacher is to speak as little as possible and to express yourself very precisely. Think carefully before you formulate your sentences. You can literally make some students irritated with you or cause them to shift their attention away from you. They cannot grasp all your words: it is mentally hard work to have to translate all the time from a language they only partially understand. Your internal clock should stop you when you have spoken for 3 minutes.

You should also speak at a low level of complexity, meaning no difficult words – or even better – after every difficult word or idiom you use, insert an easy synonym: “I have experienced – I have learned, discovered – that many people appreciate pancakes, that they like pancakes.” But let them just read the difficult words and force them to look up the word in the dictionary, either da-gl or one with explanations/etymology.

As mentioned, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING is that you should speak much less than you are used to – practice saying things in the shortest possible way first, and later tell an extended version to individual students. Get the basic concepts in place, and always provide practical examples of their use, but do not give lengthy explanations – this will bore and confuse the students.

Your practical daily task is not to convey academically precise information, but rather to communicate relevant information in an understandable way – this interpretation is entirely my own: the students sometimes benefit more from a simplified version than from a detailed and completely accurate one. That version can be provided to the students who want it or who are held to higher standards.

For assignment corrections, they prefer a short verbal instruction over a written list of things that are wrong – no long explanations, just point out two or three things in their assignment that they need to remember/change. (i have to admit that i sometimes wrote too long comments to their assignments, but on the other hand they were always welcome to come asking about it, and i would explain and point it out in their text)

Do not force the students, or pressure them to speak or start with the task. Often they just need time to think – so wait! Gently but firmly remind them about the task if it takes too long – they will start at some point.

They are not raised with authorities, so a harsh tone will have significant and negative consequences – even if they do not show it to you. As a teacher, one can easily be consistent without raising one’s voice.

You need to get used to NOT being controlling, but rather guiding and encouraging. This is crucial for maintaining a good relationship with the students in many respects.

Most will not ask the teacher (very much) for help – maybe they feel a bit embarrassed, afraid of making mistakes? Perhaps they are just poorly organized? There isn’t much to be done about it, except repeatedly – and in different ways – encourage them to let you help them.

Just as Greenlanders are generally quiet, so are the students. It is a joy to be able to whisper a message to the student at the back of the class during group work – which the class also laughs about. I have had 3 Danish students and their teacher visit the class, and despite the entire class working in groups, the 3 Danes made more noise even though they were sitting at the back talking to each other.

Of course, Greenlandic students can also make noise – especially when they are not doing schoolwork – but as a whole, it is my experience that Danes speak louder.

The following is taken from the section about children, and it explains why the students behave this way: A well-behaved child is one who does not interfere but waits and listens – this is called naalaarpoq. They should be allowed to observe the actions of the adults, preferably participate actively or lean in closely, but not express their own opinions too forcefully or criticize.

So when Danish teachers require verbal participation and a critical attitude, it is indeed DESPITE Greenlandic upbringing – one could say that it is somewhat violent to the children’s upbringing. It is certainly new for them.

The silence is also evident in that it is difficult to start group discussions – there are a handful who are willing to speak and contribute, while the rest are not interested. Perhaps they have no opinion on the topic, or maybe they have nothing new to add – in any case, group discussions can take a long time, so that needs to be taken into consideration. On the other hand, it creates a nice environment.

Note that those who do not contribute may easily benefit from listening to others – so do not scold them for not participating; instead, summarize at the end: “Who learned something new today? Raise your hand!”

One way to break the ice is to provoke them – take individual students as examples and place them in fictional extreme situations; this can often get them to participate. But it IS difficult – and that is a condition of being a teacher.

When I mention that you can point out students as examples, it is important to remember the respect for the individual – people are very sensitive to being singled out, highlighted, or categorized. I often check in with the student afterwards to see if it was okay for me to tease him/her during the class. So feel free to draw from your own experiences as an example as well, or be random in your use of students as examples.

Of course, remember that people are different – some students do not like being singled out as examples. The result can be that the student stops coming to classes, so find a balance.

Some of them express themselves with great difficulty, but that is mostly out of shyness. They are better one-on-one than in a group. So if you want to know something about the student, take an evaluation round out in the hallway, or even better: catch them on the couch for a chat – start by sharing about your own day.

Besides the usual human problems such as relationships, moving, and children, some of them struggle with big issues like death and violence. Psychologists believe that just under a third of young people here are close to what is called PTSD – a result of violence, drowning accidents, suicide, and other issues. Around 70% of young people can be categorized as “reserved.”

Always keep this in mind – in the Danish subject, I sometimes let students read texts about serious topics, but I have found that they need to be warned about it first and possibly have an alternative text to work with if they wish. Show that you are aware that each student is dealing with some things, but do not dig into their problems unless he/she wants to.

If I have noticed something about a student that I (as the soft-hearted person I am) want to help with, I might tell an anecdote from my own life about that topic – but without making it personal for the student.

That said, it is important to remember that they are JUST LIKE DANISH STUDENTS! They do not always want to go to school, they do their homework at the last minute, they sometimes have high absenteeism, they can think for themselves, they actually want to do schoolwork if it is just interesting, they constantly use mobiles, computers, social media, and other high technology, and think about relationships, clothes, the Champions League, and the band they play in during their free time and their part-time jobs, and all those teen things.

The students want a personal relationship with you – I personally like to share about my life (in the faint hope that they can avoid the mistakes I have made) while some of my colleagues have wondered at the students’ desire to know something about the teacher as a person.

Greenland is a small country, with small communities. It is impossible to be private – unless you never go out and never tell anyone about your condition and thoughts. You meet the students in the supermarket and in the bar – both as a customer and as an employee. So, the role of teacher/student gets blurred over time – and you all become just people… where you simply offer them academic knowledge and assess them on that basis. After you have given sweet little Juaninnguaq an FX/00 grade for her assignment, you sing in unison in the choir in the afternoon, and in the evening she serves your beer at the pub. That is the reality, and you might as well relax and accept it. The boundaries are small.

What tells whether you’ll fit in, whether you will have a good experience in the country? I think you will have a hard time if…

..you are serious and self-important – you need to have a sense of humor and allow yourself to be laughed at.

..you have important family and a partner in Denmark – if you long to be away, you cannot do a good job.

..you do not create a network here.

…you expend energy trying to adjust the students’ behavior to your standards – you will offend people and push them away, making it impossible for you to teach or collaborate. Instead, use your energy to gather knowledge and adapt yourself to the place you are – take it all as an experience and an exercise in humility.

..you are impatient – things here have their own pace, often without logic. If you get worked up, you will alienate people and become frustrated yourself.

…you spend energy trying to change the place you come to – everything has a history and a reason, and you do not know it. Instead, spend time asking and learning – not trying to influence or criticize – one can influence also through humble questions, and in a much nicer way.

…you think things work, or that people behave, as they do in which country You are from – you are no longer there, but in Greenland.

.. you are a very direct person – you WILL experience that people criticize you behind your back, perhaps to your boss or colleagues, but not to you.

Being a teacher in Greenland is about being a student – that SHOULD be the case, as it makes you a better teacher.

My own life as a high school teacher has made me a better person: more patient, more relaxed. I have made MANY mistakes along the way, and I feel humble that the students have mostly tolerated me and my crazy ideas, after all.

They have not always had nice teachers – and some of them have had too few stable or kind adults in their lives. So practice being one – for you cannot always see who uses your footprints to follow.