Passing the 64th latitude, National Geographic Explorer cut through the fog along the west coast of Greenland and dropped its anchor in Nuuk. As the capital of Greenland, Nuuk is the intersection of a dynamic Inuit culture, the site of urban lifestyle, and in many ways a role model of Arctic development. Guests disembarked from Explorer shortly after lunch where they were met with some of the earliest remnants of the colonial history of Nuuk and of Greenland. Underneath the statue of Hans Egede, Greenland’s first Lutheran missionary, the Colonial Harbor of Nuuk harbors Greenland’s National Museum, which is the repository and the official epicenter of Greenland’s social and cultural history. With introductory lectures in the cultural history of Greenland and the peoples who found their way eastward to Greenland, guests who visited the museum were able to build upon their previous knowledge and could explore some of the new exhibits that focused on the colonial history of Greenland and the country’s last Inuit cultural group, the Thule culture.
Those who did not initially explore the museum’s collections had the choice of taking a bird’s eye view of Nuuk. Air Greenland’s skilled pilots found windows of clearing skies to take off from the airport, heading westward to the Nuuk Fjord’s only glacier. The Nuuk Fjord, Greenland’s second largest fjord system, is perhaps best explored from above, as its towering mountains greet the curling waters that are the home to a vast collection of aquatic life.
Once back on the ground, guests also found their ways around through a city bus tour that, despite all assumptions about a city of 16,500 being small, was over an hour and a half of attractions, history, and covered ground. Rather than an extensive sweep of Nuuk, there were also activities for guests who preferred a more intensive and anecdotal experience of Inuit culture. The home visit to a local home for what is called a ‘KAFFEMIK’ provided just that special experience. Small groups of 7-8 guests walked through Nuuk to meet our host, Paulina, who, like many Greenlandic hosts of a kaffemik, are great bakers. Paulina served a traditional spread of homemade buns, cupcakes, and cakes along with Greenlandic coffee and a tea, called ‘QAJAASAT’ made from a plant that is common throughout the Nuuk Fjord. With a beautiful voice, she sung nursery rhymes and reminisced about Greenlandic culture and the importance of sharing meals as part of a positive cross-cultural encounter.
After one of the most exciting and diverse visits of the expedition, guests departed the colonial harbor and immediately made their way to the sundeck for a special presentation by the local kayak club. The Greenlandic kayakers performed in a group of three, exhibiting how adept they were in rolling their kayaks. As the kayakers finished their final rolls, the guests turned in as fog approached Explorer, shortly after which the anchor rose and we began our journey toward the Arctic Circle.
