GREENLAND QAJAQING...the real deal

COMING SOON...

A link to take you to a group of photos I amassed for a presentation aboard ship on the origins of Greenland kayaking...where it all began. I'd discovered a huge treasure trove of photos, poring through the dozens of photos provided by a Danish museum, and then the excitement of finding original photos mounted on the wall of the tiny 2 room museum in Ittoqqortormitt. The woman minding the displays that day allowed me to take the 8 x 10's off the wall to photograph them. Her countenance reminded me of the Dalai Lama, joking with a huge, warm and friendly perpetual smile. She graciously held out a seal skin and allowed me to photograph her holding it. The original qajaq was covered with seal skins.

It was sad and disheartening to find that the one tiny Greenland village we visited on the east side was losing its Inuit culture. Even though Inuits still lived there the only kayak in the village is owned by a young German woman who had built it and brought it with her when she moved into the community 2 years ago. Fortunately she befriended an older man, a former kayak hunter, who could teach her the culture of the qajaq. This is him but his name escapes me. The two plan to teach Greenland kayaking to schoolchildren in the community.

As a sidenote, the only husky team in town is owned by a fellow named Gary who is originally from London's East End. But he's been transplanted 20 years, the first 18 in the Canadian Northwest, and now here on the east coast of Greenland, in Ittoqqortormitt (pr. it-toe-core-tour-mitt). With any luck perhaps he can get a few of the village kids interested in dogs and sledging as well.

I look forward to getting to work on creating a separate page to display the early photos of kayaking and hunting in East Greenland. Stay tuned.