Winds blowing, waves pounding, and northern fulmars flying everywhere; it was a wet and wild day that brought National Geographic Endurance to Nuuk, the capital city and main population hub of Greenland.
After nearly a full day at sea following our departure from South Greenland, we docked for several hours and took time to explore Nuuk’s museums, cafes, and artisan shops. Presentations on Greenlandic politics, Inuit culture, and Inuit short films by one of our guest speakers and our cultural specialist rounded out the day as the ship again set off for more expedition adventures up north.
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Ever wonder why they call it Greenland? Today our guests on National Geographic Endurance got to find out, as they discovered the verdant bucolic slopes of Qassiarsuk. Originally founded by legendary Norseman, Erik the Red, as a farming settlement, the area is home to Viking Age ruins and a small, recreated, sod-roofed settlement overlooking a stunning view of the fjord. Although the Norse mysteriously abandoned Greenland around the year 1450, the farming tradition of these lush slopes was reinvigorated in 1924 by Otto Frederiksen. Today, the area celebrates a rich farming culture as livestock graze upon the abundant grassy hills. For many years, no wool processing was available for Greenland’s sheep farmers. Wool had to be shipped to Denmark to be treated and made into yarn. As a result of the long and costly voyage, many Greenlanders ended up burning the wool harvested from their sheep. This caught the attention of the LEX Artisan Fund, which supplied local teacher and artisan, Ellen Frederiksen, with the equipment needed to process the wool right here in Qassiarsuk. With the new equipment, Ellen plans on offering workshops and training to local people to keep this economic and ancient tradition alive.
After a week of experiencing the wild side of East Greenland, we finally got to see some of the history and culture of this incredible place. We started our day at Hvalsey Church, part of the Kujataa UNESCO World Heritage Site. Greenland has three World Heritage Sites, and we will visit two of them on our journey. This Roman Catholic church was built by the Vikings when they attempted to settle here and is the best remaining artifact of their time in Greenland. We had a local guide show us around the area on this beautiful sunny day. It was a gorgeous day for our visit to Qaqortoq, Greenland. We had some cultural sharing through a Greenlandic traditional food tasting and a walking tour around town. Qaqortoq is a beautiful place to appreciate the arts, and it was exemplified in the public art showcases. There was art carved into the rocks by a local artist, which was one of many art installations throughout town.
