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Crafts

Greenlanders have refined beautiful works of stone, bone, leather and pearl in centuries, works can be purchased in shops.

INSPIRATION FROM WILDLIFE AND THE NATURAL WORLD

The Greenlandic word for art is “Eqqumiitsuliorneq”, which translated directly means “to create things that look “strange”.

The inspiration for Greenlandic arts and crafts often originates from wildlife and the natural world and  often intertwined with the traditional beliefs concerning the spirit world.

The Greenlandic word for art is "Eqqumiitsuliorneq"

Package Tours

Bowhunting Greenland: Musk ox and Caribou Expedition Hunts

Bowhunting Greenland

Musk ox and Caribou Expedition Hunts

Musk ox and Caribou Expedition Hunting for World record Trophy bulls. Specialized in Bowhunting, rifle huntiner are also welcome. 7 days.

FROM $7,450
Arctic Umiaq Line: Discover Greenland from the sea

Arctic Umiaq Line

Discover Greenland from the sea

The coastal ship Sarfaq Ittuk sails from southern Greenland up along Greenland’s west coast to Disko Bay.

FROM DKK500
Discover The World: Essential West Greenland

Discover The World

Essential West Greenland

The perfect introduction to Greenland - explore at leisure visiting Disko Bay, Sermermiut valley and a local settlement on optional activities.

FROM £2,169
Greenland Sagalands: Souvenir Shop in Qaqortoq

Greenland Sagalands

Souvenir Shop in Qaqortoq

Greenland Sagalands Souvenir Shop is the leading retailer shop of Greenlandic art, souvenirs and gift products in South Greenland.

FROM 25€
Show More

WONDERFUL MAGICAL FIGURES

You can almost hear the sinister sounds emanating from the creature when you look into its staring eyes and monster-like body.

You will see it on the shelves or on the desk in one of the town’s craft shops or at the local tourist office. The creature in question is the Tupilak, a small carved figure endowed with a powerful mythical magic.

Buying the figure is a must when in Greenland; it is unique and characteristic of the history of art and culture in Greenland.

Visual artist Mike Kristiansen's tupilak-decorated paintings, by Mads Pihl
Crafts - A boy, a polar bear, and a raven meet up in the artwork by Kim Eriksen from Nuuk in Greenland
Inside the Hotel Narsaq art an crafts shop at the old harbour in Narsaq in South Greenland. Photo by Mads Pihl.
Walrus scull art in Nuuk Art Museum, by Rebecca Gustafsson

WIDE RANGE

However, there is more to find in Greenland in terms of both historical and contemporary arts and crafts.

The museums in various towns feature both permanent and temporary exhibitions of a more contemporary works. Greenlandic art ranges from the more traditional approach to modern art produced by well-qualified and experimental artists covering disciplines such as sculpture, painting, installations, the graphic arts and photography.

Greenland Cultural Center, Katuaq, in Nuuk is often the venue for major contemporary art exhibitions.

NATURE’S MATERIALS

Craftsmen utilise Greenland’s own materials such as the wool from the musk ox, sheep’s wool, sealskin, mussel shells, soapstone, fish skin, reindeer antlers, precious stones and much more in their works.

The tourist offices often have local Greenlandic crafts and souvenirs for sale, and a large number of shops and skin maker’s workrooms which also sell their products.

In all towns there are offices that can issue CITES certificates that ensure tourists can take the Greenlandic tupilak back home with them.

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Visit Greenland

About Visit Greenland

Behind Greenland's largest travel site is the Visit Greenland that is 100% owned by the Government of Greenland, who is responsible for marketing the country's adventures and opportunities for guests wishing to visit the world's largest island.

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