Page Fifteen: Greenland Greetings!

Tikilluaritsi! Wait, we’re talking about Greenland, right? Don’t they speak English? Well, Greenland actually has some pretty deep roots in Inuit culture. It’s thought that the Inuit people were the first to colonize the land, followed by the Norse. Norse explorer Erik the Red was actually the one to name it Greenland, while the Inuit called in Kalaallit Nunaat. It was eventually colonized by Denmark. Today, it’s a mix of both Danish and Inuit.

 

Map of Greenland

The Greenlandic word for art is “Eqqumiitsuliorneq.” Wow, what a mouthful, I wouldn’t even know where to start pronouncing it! It means “to create something weird.” What an interesting way to capture the idea of creativity.

One of their famous crafts is called Tulipak, which means ancestor’s spirit. They’re traditionally made of bone by a shaman for witchcraft. In modern day, tooth, bone, soapstone, stone, or wood. There are all sorts of creatures and beings that they can be based on.

Greenlanders have always believed in being one with nature. This includes every piece of an animal. They would normally hunt seals, foxes, and other animals and use the hides for clothing. This was extremely important, as not having the proper attire would lead to freezing to death. When the Danish came to Greenland in the 1600 and 1700s, they brought with them beads and fabrics to trade. Today, the modern version of the traditional Greenland outfit is an important mixture of the different cultures.

The national costume is worn on special occasions such as weddings, holidays, and birthdays. One occasion you might not have thought of that’s very important to Greenlanders is a child’s first day of school. At the age of six, it’s exciting for the whole community to see the young child of the next generation wearing the bright colors to display their national pride.

School Children on Their First Day of School

For my drawing this week, I drew a Greenland girl of Inuit descent wearing a modern-day national costume. Of course, it doesn’t even begin to show off the beautiful skills of the actual Greenlanders and their gorgeous garments! As always, watch the speedpaint here.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *