Greenland – contemporary human settlements

Visits to small villages and bustling towns… but we missed out on the capital (Nuuk).

[part of a series of posts beginning here]

In addition the expedition staff, two Greenlanders joined us for the entire cruise: an Inuk cultural ambassador, and a businesswoman born in Iceland but descended from Greenlandic grandparents and whose career includes service as an elected council member in the capital city of Nuuk.  From listening to their formal presentations and from informal conversations, we had an opportunity to learn more about the indigenous traditions as well as modern Greenlandic culture and politics.  We also had the opportunity to visit contemporary communities – two tiny settlements and a large town. Read on for more!

Qaqortok harbor, Greenland.
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Greenland – historic human settlements

We visited ruins and reconstructions of historic indigenous and Norse settlements dating back more than 1,000 years.

[part of a series of posts beginning here]

As we cruised the fjords on the southwest coast of Greenland, we had several opportunities to learn about the cultures of Greenland – historic and contemporary – and to visit archaeological sites, small villages, and busy towns. This post focuses on two historic settlements, each now recognized as a UNESCO world heritage site. Read on for more…

Ruins of the church at Hvalsey – historic Norse village – Qaqortoq Fjord, Greenland.
Continue reading “Greenland – historic human settlements”