A government minister in Greenland sat down for breakfast when suddenly his cell phone rang. He looked at his phone and looked confused. "I just learned that the president of the United States wants to buy my country," he was stunned.
Another summer day in eastern Greenland
1. Trump is not the first U.S. president to try to buy Greenland
You may have heard that the Truman administration offered to buy Greenland from Denmark for $100 million in 1946, shortly after World War II, but this message only begs the question of why it was first proposed. During World War II, as Nazi Germany occupied Denmark, the Allies immediately feared that Germany would quickly expand its military presence to other parts of Danish territory — particularly Iceland, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands — and use them as bases of operations to control the North Atlantic and to establish a threatening logistics base near the United States. Britain moved swiftly, preemptively occupying the three territories and quickly taking over the Faroe Islands and Iceland.
Katuaq, the cultural center of Nuuk; The appearance mimics the wavy flow of the Northern Lights
The United States then quickly embarked on the construction of airstrips and other military bases of operations, the legacy of which is still visible today – Greenland's airfields are mostly converted former U.S. airstrips, and Tulle Air Force Base in northwestern Greenland remains under U.S. control. Air force. After the end of World War II, when the Cold War began to take shape, the Truman administration soon realized the strategic importance of Greenland and secretly proposed to Denmark to buy the territory. Then, as now, Denmark rejected the offer – Greenland is not for sale and is permanently withdrawn from the market today.
Statue of Hans Egede, who established the town of Nuuk (formerly Godthåb) in the early 18th century and dedicated to the transformation of Kalaallit
2. Greenland became part of Denmark because of Napoleon
The next question any savvy observer might encounter after learning that Greenland is not for sale is why Denmark and not Greenland rejected the offer. In other words, how did Greenland, technically located or at least in close proximity to North America, become part of Denmark? To understand this, one must remember that there was a time in history when rulers and governments did buy, sell and trade territory like schoolchildren eating lunch. In 1397, in an agreement called the Kalmar Union, the Kingdoms of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway agreed to concentrate their power in a unified domain that would eventually operate as a power-sharing program that would eventually operate as all powers—a shared plan could, I mean it didn't work. The Kalmar League was formally dissolved in 1523, and when Sweden decided to go its own way, Denmark informed Norway that Norway would henceforth be under direct Danish rule. Norway did not really accept the offer, but they also did not formally reject it.
The remote fishing village of Aappilattoq has a population of about 120
This tidbit became important when Napoleon entered the European stage centuries later. Britain was looking for allies to defeat Napoleon's global imperial dreams, and as Denmark and Norway sided with Napoleon, Britain began to see Sweden as a potential anti-Napoleonic power. Sweden agreed, on the condition that if Napoleon was defeated, Norway would be "gifted" to Sweden. In 1814, Napoleon was defeated, and Britain fulfilled its promise to hand over Norway to Sweden, breaking the historical relationship between Denmark and Norway. As a consolation, Denmark was allowed to retain control of all overseas territories, which is how Greenland, Iceland and the Faroe Islands became part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
3. Greenland's legal status is unexpected
Of the three North Atlantic territories in Danish territory, only Iceland promoted and gained full independence in 1944. The Faroe Islands made a similar independence effort in 1946, but this move is still seen as highly controversial in the Faroe Islands to this day, when the Danish government delayed recognizing the legal validity of the independence referendum, and two years later, another group of incumbents in the Faroe Islands who were less insistent on independence turned to the Faroe Islands home to the 1948 Rule Act, making the Faroe Islands an autonomous territory within Danish territory.
Greenland's story does a better job of this, with autonomy achieved through a referendum in 1979, but after a referendum on greater autonomy the previous year, Greenland went a step further and achieved autonomy in 2009. Autonomy is essentially a major upgrade to local self-government – on the political front, this means that more of the portfolio is shifted to the Greenland government, with Denmark retaining only its defence and foreign policy portfolio (including decoupling from bids to buy Denmark). Thus, Greenland is an equal legal component of the Kingdom of Denmark, which means that it is an autonomous state with the same legal status as Denmark but without legal independence.
If you're wondering why Greenland doesn't just push for full independence (see below for political drama), it's because Greenland, like the Faroe Islands, has to deal with the economic issues of how to make up for or have losses. Denmark's annual lump sum allocations account for about 12% of the Faroe Islands budget and about 30% of Greenland's annual budget. Greenland will also face the cost of maintaining its own military defenses, currently borne by Denmark (including Siriuspatrulien, part of the Danish Navy, which protects northeastern Greenland through the world's only dog-drawn sled military patrol) and the United States, if it is completely independent.
Embassy of Iceland, in Nuuk
4. Greenland has a political drama
With a population of 58,000 and only 31 seats in Parliament, Greenland might think that Greenland politics is almost a simple nap. Nothing could be worse than the fact that Greenland offers a great deal of political drama as easily as it offers a large plate of kiviak in the long cold darkness of the Greenland winter.
Successive governments in Greenland have been coalition governments since the elections were held in Greenland, and Greenland, as a country with such a small population and parliamentary seats, has a political scene with numerous political parties and a broad political platform. The two main divisions between greenland's political parties are (1) support for independence or support for the union (with Denmark) and (2) for the political left or political right. Greenlanders attach great importance to their democracy and offer a variety of ideas on how to govern the country. The result is not only a unanimous outcome of a coalition government, but is often a coalition of rival political parties in Greenland. This means in practice a never-ending source of political drama.
For example, the most recent political crisis in Greenland occurred in September-October 2018, when the four-party ruling coalition collapsed against accepting the withdrawal of the Danish centrist supporting independence party Partii Naleraq. Participated in and funded a large-scale infrastructure development project to expand and upgrade existing airports in Greenland. Kim Kielsen, Prime Minister of Greenland and head of Siumut (Forward, Social Democratic Party), succeeded in preventing new elections (descendants of our land, a separatist party that split off from Siumut) by forming a minority government of Siumut, Atassut (a unionist party of unity, liberal and conservative) and Nunata Qitornai. Partii Naleraq left the alliance because they believed Greenland should attract investors from outside Denmark, possibly China, to fund the expansion of Greenland's airport, an initiative aimed at moving from the rest of the world to Greenland.
The entrance to the Parliament (Inatsisartut) has the Siumut sign on the window
5. The third largest ethnic group in Greenland is filipinos
The largest population group, which makes up about 88% of Greenland's population, is Kalaallit, followed by the second largest group, with danes slightly above 11%. I've never been to a country that doesn't at least have some sort of Filipino community, and one might think that Greenland will be the first exception to that rule. But no, Greenland has a small but vibrant community of Filipinos, most of whom are construction workers and crew members. Nuuk (Mary's Kitchen) even has a Filipino restaurant and a small Asian market where frozen durians can often be bought.
By the way, the smallest community in Greenland is the Muslim community, and at some point in time, there was only one person, a Lebanese Muslim named Wassam Azaqeer. A few years ago, he became a local celebrity in the Muslim world because of his devout dedication during Ramadan, which in Greenland means fasting for 21 hours a day due to the northern latitudes and the long summer months.
Ruins of a church in Hvalsey, the site of the last known Viking settlement (the last recorded event was a wedding in 1408)
6. There is a problem with Greenland
It's easy to think of Greenland as some sort of northern utopia with fresh air, clean water, and a small but culturally close-knit population. Greenland certainly has these things, but like all societies, Greenland has its problems. For example, alcoholism is widespread, and Greenland has a dubious distinction in some vintages, namely the highest suicide rate in the world.
However, the encouraging news is that Greenland is well aware of its own problems and is taking constructive and creative action to address them. Even the smallest towns will have community centres, youth organizations, religious-based support schemes or other social institutions to support and structure the most vulnerable groups in Greenland's population. Historically and culturally, Greenlanders thrive in one of the most challenging environments on earth – for example, it's the only place where the Vikings eventually conceded defeat and gave up – so Greenlanders face adversity and difficulties, which bodes well for Greenland's ability to face its own social problems, no matter how insurmountable they may seem.
Elderly care facilities in Cacortok
7. Greenland is evidence A in the case of climate change
If I had enough money, I would launch a plan to charter planes for climate deniers and let them fly over Greenland. For example, one thing that might catch their attention is the beautiful dark blue pools that appear everywhere on the ice sheet. The contrast between the bright white ice and the colourful blue waters is undoubtedly a breathtaking place, and if the only problem is the aesthetics of nature, it will be its end. The problem, however, is that those holes shouldn't be there. These pools are actually holes in the ice sheets that have melted as temperatures rise — an icy map of climate change that makes denial a blind folly.
Evidence of climate change is spread across Greenland. For those who think climate change is just the hype and hysteria instigated by overworked liberal villains, retreating glaciers no longer jutting into the water, or a flood of icebergs no longer attached to ice floes, is a grim slap in the face for anyone.
The reality of climate change also has a profound impact on Greenland's politics, as the melting of the ice sheet unleashes potential pathways into Greenland's extremely rich mineral deposits. Not only could this provide an economic source for Greenland's declaration of full independence, but considering that Greenland's mineral menu includes uranium and rare earth elements, among others, it would greatly enhance Greenland's strategic importance in global politics and economics. Global economy. It is a mixed country for a country that has hitherto spent most of its time on the fringes of geopolitical interests, as it would suddenly draw the attention of more powerful public and private actors to see how they can profit from it, or more likely, exploit, Greenland's vast potential wealth and the unique combination of the political power of the villainous state. Why, that might make the president think he can buy the country.
The glaciers of southern Greenland are clearly retreating
8. Greenland has a vibrant artistic scene
One of the things Greenland has in common with Iceland and the Faroe Islands is the art scene, which would make a country ten times its size envious. There are fashion innovators, such as Bibi Chemnitz and Else Lennert, who combine traditional Kalaallit designs with modern-style clothing (although consumers outside Greenland have a moral resistance to items made of seal skin).
Early musical pioneers, such as Sumé, now considered Greenland's classic rock, helped pave the way for an unusually diverse music scene, including artists and bands from almost all musical genres. Rock bands include Siisisoq, Chilly Friday and Arctic Spirit, while pop music lovers have the famous band Nanook. The singer-songwriter genre is represented by artists such as Simon Lynge and Nive Nielsen (and her band The Deer Children), in addition to hip-hop bands such as Nuuk Posse and punk rock bands as Umats.
One person who has recently shined in the global literary world is Niviaq Korneliussen, whose novels, Homo Sapienne (in English, with two different titles – Last Night in Nuuk (USA) and Crimson (UK and Europe)– struggle around life and five young Greenlanders negotiating social boundaries, mobility and changing modernity in Nuuk's rapidly changing urban landscape.
9. Greenland subverts identity politics
At first glance, Greenland's demographics — 88 percent of Kalaallit (part of the Inuit population) and nearly 12 percent of The Danes — may tempt casual observers to discover classic colonial social structures, with white Europeans dominating the indigenous majority. However, greenlanders do not see their society in this way. The key factor that defines a Greenlander is not the color of a person's skin or hair, but a person's relationship to the land itself – if a person sees Greenland as their homeland, then they are a Greenlander.
Not so long ago, Greenlanders defined language as a defining feature – Kalaallit is Kalallisut (Greenlandic speaker). The non-Kalaallit term, originally Danish, but later expanded to refer to whites in general, is qallunaat (a person with large eyebrows). When you meet a blonde white man, Kalallisut, who says Danes are qallunaat, things get very confusing. The use of language to define who is or is not a Greenlander proves to be an imperfect definition, not only because of the existence of the white Kalalisut, but also because of two other language-related issues.
First, although Kalaallisut is defined as the official language of Greenland, there are at least two distinct dialects of Greenland (Thule dialect in the northwest and East Greenland in the east), and even Kalaallisut itself has at least four distinguishable dialects: the local dialect of West Greenland. Second, there are about 15,000 Kalaallits who grew up and lived in Denmark, and their first language is Danish instead of Kalaallisut, which means they are Kalaallit who speak Danish, but not (ethnically) Danish.
Most Greenlandans are actually three languages and speak KaraAlisut, Danish and English. For non-linguistically minded non-Greenlandans who are reading this and also like trivia, there is at least one Greenlandic word, shared with many other Inukts, as you already know, namely qajaq (aka kayak, although Kalaallisut q is pronounced much further behind the throat than in English k). But don't make the mistake of thinking that you can therefore learn Greenland with ease, because almost all other words – the sign of "exit" in Greenland is ajutuulernermi anisarfik – are completely unrecognizable and incomprehensible to English speakers.
Graffiti at Nuuk Bus Stop (Nuuk Posse is a hip-hop band)
10. Greenland has some concerns about tourism
Greenland's stunning landscapes and sheer natural beauty make it a tourist destination, and the only real but substantial obstacle that currently stands in the way of more people visiting is cost. Flights from Copenhagen or Reykjavik to Greenland cost more than $1,000 round trip, but even so, once a person arrives in Greenland, traveling within the country incurs considerable additional costs and comes with a range of logistical challenges.
Like many other countries, Greenland is feeling the allure of the tourist dollar, and the expansion and upgrade of the existing airport is designed to make it easier and cheaper for tourists to visit Greenland. Cruise ships also have the potential to visit Greenland, and although the turbid churning of the North Atlantic waters is not suitable for the faint of heart, what often makes the journey more memorable is the four-day endless vomiting of PTSD rather than the exuberant thrill of adventure travel.
But while a large influx of tourists can lead to a significant influx of tourist money, Greenland's unique combination of sparse populations is vulnerable to disruption and plunder by tourists. In the case of the Faroe Islands, for example, it has a similar dilemma (albeit in relatively small area) and was actually closed to tourists for an entire weekend last April to repair the damage caused by even a small number of tourists visiting the islands. Even Iceland, which is now showing signs of overtourism, has had to close the Fjaðrárgljúfur Gorge to tourists, as thousands of Justin Bieber fans have actually done so by replicating the music videos he shot in 2015 (Dear Justin Bieber fans: Seriously?). ）。
In an era when cruise ships typically carry 4,000 or more passengers, imagine what kind of chaos would have been possible if such a ship had docked at the port of Qaqortoq, with the population of the entire town – albeit the largest town in southern Greenland – around 3,500. Even Nuuk, who has a population of 19,000, is under pressure from a sudden influx of 4,000 people, especially when most of them compete against each other just to capture the most inappropriate and insensitive selfies.
Greenland has a lot to offer visitors, but it's also deeply disturbed about how best to showcase its many wonders without risking destroying or degrading them. The good news is that Greenland is aware of the dangers of overtourism and has the added advantage of being able to study other poor tourism planning cases in other countries and learn from previous mistakes. Greenland not only doesn't sell it – it doesn't want to sell it to tourism.