Exploring Greenland’s majestic history as President-elect Trump shines spotlight on island nation

Before President-elect Trump took a shine to it, Greenland was already on the radar of the cruise ship industry with many vessels choosing picturesque Greenlandic towns for their ports of call. 

Cruise ship passengers take photos of fjords in Greenland (Danuta Hamlin)

One of the ports is Qaqortoq, the largest town in southern Greenland.

Qaqortoq means “white” in the Greenlandic language. (Danuta Hamlin)

Sailing from Iceland, the ship followed in the footsteps of Eric the Red, a Norseman who settled this area in 982. As Eric was exiled from Iceland, he made his home here and called it Greenland. 

Some 80% of the island is covered by icecap and the remaining parts do not appear very green either. 

Although trees are not easy to find, the area is full of all kinds of rocks and boulders. Some of them were turned into carvings of faces and whales, in a tribute called “Stone & Man.” This open-air gallery is the work of local Qaqortoq artist Aka Høegh.

Mindebrønden fountain is the older of the only two public fountains in Greenland.  (Danuta Hamlin)

Qaqortoq boasts the oldest fountain in the country – Mindebrønden – Memorial Fountain. The fountain was completed in 1932 and is turned off during the winter months.

A fish market in Qaqortoq. Seal meat is a key ingredient in Greenland’s national dish, Suaasat.  (Danuta Hamlin)

The town’s fish market sells whatever has been caught on a given day by local fishermen. It could be fish, or it could be whale meat, or perhaps a seal.

Qaqortoq is, after all, a fisherman’s town and seafood plays a vital part in Greenland’s diet.

Nanortalik is a village on Nanortalik Island, with some 1,072 inhabitants.  (Danuta Hamlin)

The official religion of Greenland is Evangelical Lutheranism. In another port of call, a village called Nanortalik, members of the local congregation welcomed tourists with a musical performance.

Nanortalik choir singing outdoors in Greenland in 2018.  (Danuta Hamlin)

Nanortalik means the “Place of Polar Bears”. No bears, however, were spotted loitering around the village.

Nanortalik’s old colonial port area is an open-air museum. (Danuta Hamlin)

Greenland is the world’s largest island – a treat for any tourist adventuresome enough to venture there. 

Scenic cruising along Greenland’s fjords. Cruise ships anchor in Greenland during transatlantic voyages between North America and Europe.  (Danuta Hamlin)