Greenland is the largest island on the planet, but it is inhabited by only 55,000 people, since almost all of its vast territory is covered in ice. Such a climatic feature forces local residents to organize their lives, which has many differences from the rest of Europe and Denmark, of which the island is part.
Transportation system in Greenland
The main means of transportation in Greenland are not cars and trains, but animal-drawn sleds and snowmobiles.
Since the beginning of the 21st century, the island’s sled dog population has more than halved. Dog sleds have been replaced by snowmobiles, but dog sledding remains a local tradition.
Sleds are ridden by joyful tourists during excursions, as well as by locals who organize races.
Tourists are not allowed to feed or pet the dogs, as they are not used to interacting with strangers and may even bite.
There is a special taxi service on the island – boats. A local company has purchased small boats, painted them in a characteristic yellow color with a black and white checkered pattern, and takes tourists on them, showing them icebergs and magnificent views of eternal winter.
Roads are paved in Greenland, however, to get from one settlement to another, you will most often have to use either sleds, snowmobiles, or a helicopter.
Traditional cuisine in Greenland
Greenland’s harsh climate allows locals to prepare delicious dishes from locally produced produce and meat. Greenlanders put seal meat in a traditional soup called suaasat .
Sometimes the composition of the dish can be changed and instead of seal, either seabird fillet or even whale meat is used! In addition to meat, the soup contains potatoes, onions, black pepper, bay leaves, and rice or barley, which is soaked overnight before cooking, acts as a filler.
Locals love to make meatballs from minced musk ox, an animal that has inhabited the Arctic for thousands of years. This meat is as common on the island as chicken or pork is in Europe.
An unusual but popular dish in Greenland is maktak – whale skin with blubber on it. It is usually eaten raw, but unprepared tourists can be pickled. Maktak is rich in vitamin C – 100 g of the product contains 38 milligrams of the substance.
Arctic scientists ate maktak during their expeditions to prevent the spread of scurvy. Surprisingly, this dish tastes and smells more like hazelnuts than lard!
The islanders actively use and eat seafood. For example, they often toast a bagel with halibut meat for breakfast.
A popular dessert among tourists is akutak , an ice cream made with melted iceberg water. Many Greenlanders are lactose intolerant, so local ice cream does not contain cow’s milk, but instead uses a soy-based alternative.
The islanders have their own special holiday – Kaffemik . People gather over a cup of coffee, bake a pie with water chestnuts , have fun and exchange news. You don’t need a good reason to celebrate Kaffemik: it could be the start of school, a birthday, the arrival of babies, and so on.
National clothing in Greenland
Previously, Greenlanders traditionally wore clothing made from animal skins. When the island became part of the European world, the locals obtained fabrics and began to sew elegant clothes from them, decorating the clothes with beads.
Traditionally, a Greenlander receives his fancy suit on his 13th birthday: throughout his life, he will wear this outfit on special occasions, such as a wedding or anniversary.
The men’s national costume is functional and practical. It consists of an anorak made of wool, silk, canvas, or satin.
Often, side pockets and a hood are sewn to the anorak, which are not decorated with patterns. The main part of the women’s outfit is the pants: their length reaches exactly to the place where the boot ends.
The elderly inhabitants of the island wear costumes made from the skins of local animals that they have killed themselves while hunting. It could be a seal or a polar bear. Not only men but also women hunt here: girls often gather in groups and go hunting together.
Interesting facts about life in Greenland
- One of the most popular souvenirs brought from the island are tupilaks – ritual figures made from the bones of animals killed for hunting or skinning. These figures depict characters during magical rituals or hunting. The appearance of tupilaks is bizarre and will become a good souvenir.
- The local language is spoken by all Greenlanders. Mastering it is not an easy task, as the local vocabulary contains many long words. They are lengthened through suffixes and prefixes so that one word can act as an entire sentence.
- The island has two golf courses, despite its harsh climate, and they are considered the most remote golf courses in the world.
- The capital of Greenland, Nuuk , which is the northernmost city in the world, can sometimes be warm. The maximum temperature recorded in the city in summer is plus 21 degrees Celsius.
- Greenland has its own color code for buildings to contrast with the white glacier landscape. Red houses are used for shops and churches, and priests and shopkeepers can live in them. Yellow houses are used for hospitals and medical staff. Blue houses are used for fishing huts, black houses are used for police stations, and green houses are used for communication with the outside world.
- The island’s main international airport is not located in the capital. The airport terminal is located in Kangerlussuaq, the place with the most stable weather in Greenland.
- The island has almost no cloudy days and 300 days a year there are clear skies. This is a plus for travelers who can come here almost all year round to admire the northern lights.
- In Greenland, there is a period when the sun does not set: it is called the polar day and lasts from May 25 to June 25. In honor of the event, there is even a holiday that celebrates the longest day of the year. It is celebrated on June 21.
- Guests and locals alike love to visit the hot springs. The warmest are on Uunartok Island, where the water reaches 37 degrees Celsius. The island also offers magnificent views of icebergs and the ruins of an ancient Inuit city.