GREENLAND, LAND OF ICE

“Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk”* -Curly, The Three Stooges

How do you tell if it’s summer in Greenland? The snow melts by the next day.

No, that’s not a joke. That’s the truth of Greenland. The rest of the year, the snow piles high and sticks around for a very long time.

We arrived in Nuuk, Greenland in the rain on the last day of June, a day after it had snowed. Most of the snow had melted, thanks to the rain, and the temperature was a full 11 degrees F above freezing. Located just 150 miles below the Arctic Circle, Nuuk rarely sees what we would regard as warm temperatures. While the rain caused the cancellation of a festival on the pier, it dampened little else as we explored Nuuk.

With a population of about 16,000, Nuuk is the world’s smallest capital, located on the world’s largest island (Australia is considered a continent, not an island). Other than a bit of ground cover atop the rocks, little grows on Greenland other than ice, which covers some 80% of the island. While there are roads, and the roads are of decent quality, water is the main thoroughfare of Greenland, particularly as the fjord on which Nuuk is located never freezes over. Around 60% of the cars in Greenland (and about 25% of the population) are in Nuuk, yet we saw very few vehicles on the road during our visit.

As a self-governing territory of Denmark, Greenland shares in Denmark’s system of free health care and education, including higher education, and is part of Denmark’s legal system. All else is decided locally. For example, Greenland made the decision not to exploit the oil resources that exist on the island and its surrounding seas, in order to not disturb the fragile Arctic environment. And while the whale population is large enough that they can be hunted, the island’s government has decided to limit such hunting to local use, rather than selling to Asian markets where there is a demand. This is largely to preserve their status in international trade as Original Peoples and thus not subject to the same regulations that govern commercial operations.

The main industries in Nuuk are fishing and tourism. Yes, that’s right, tourism. The town is rather charming, and contains a very well-curated museum. One particularly well-known exhibit is the mummified remains of four women and two children, preserved by the icy grave in which they were found. It is not known how they died, but it does appear that they all died together in the 15^th century. Apologies if you find the photo of this exhibit a bit grisly. The museum also features what is believed to be the world’s oldest rock, at 3.8 billion years old.

Self-sufficiency is a necessity in Nuuk, being so physically isolated, but it also has the modern amenities—grocery stores, cafes, pizza parlors, hair salons, etc. According to our guide, “everyone” in Nuuk owns two things: a boat and at least one freezer. Fishing is a year-round activity, with different seasons for different fish. It is currently trout season. The tiny capelin is also a favorite here, and is desirable for its roe. Our guide indicates that she freezes some 40 kilos of caviar every year.

August to November is reindeer-hunting season. Those holding professional licenses can hunt as many as they wish, and those who hunt for the family are limited to 10 per season. The sons of the family are usually taught to hunt, but if there are no sons, one of the daughters becomes the designated “son” for these purposes, is given a more masculine name, and is taught the skill. Our female guide is one such designated hunter. This is important for families, as aging parents must rely on their children to keep their freezers full for the year. Our guide indicates that three reindeer suffice for her family and some of her elderly neighbors—her parents are no longer alive, but she looks after other older neighbors. As an Inuit, she follows the traditional view to take no more than is needed.

While fishing and hunting are regular ways of life, they are not done recreationally, but as a way to feed the family. According to our guide, you will not find Greenlanders out for a leisurely picnic or boat ride. They go out to obtain food for the year. She also indicated that there is an easy way to tell whether a boat belongs to a Greenlander or a Dane living on the island: only the latter has a life vest in the boat. The Greenlanders know that if something goes wrong and you wind up in the water, you don’t have to worry about drowning—you will die of exposure very quickly.

Rental housing in and around Nuuk is scarce, and houses for purchase are expensive. Our guide’s daughter has been on the rental housing wait list for 25 years (she currently lives in Denmark while she waits). And the house pictured below was recently purchased for 4 million Danish Krone, or about $670,000.

While Inuit traditions are maintained, Greenland living is modern. Electricity is water-generated, with a backup wind turbine system. Everyone has a mobile phone, and decent reception. There is a university in Nuuk, although many islanders still go to Copenhagen for higher education. There is a 300- bed hospital in Nuuk, as well as smaller hospitals around the island, although some specialists only visit certain areas from time to time. For some specializations, Greenlanders must go to Iceland or Denmark.

A cemetery in Nuuk













A street in Nuuk






*I was a little sad to learn that Nuuk is pronounced “nuke” and not “nyuk.” Nevertheless, I cannot help but think of the Three Stooges whenever I see the name. My apologies to the fine people of Nuuk.