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The Legend of the Mother of the Sea

The Mother of the Sea is a colorful and fantastic tale of how Greenland’s animals came to be – and reminds us of our responsibilities.

The Mother of the Sea was bothered by the Inuits’ evil deeds at the settlement and as a punishment gathered all the animals the Inuits used to hunt in her fiery hair at the bottom of the sea. When “The Blind One” came down to remedy the situation, he combed her hair, gathered the dirt in a heap and then threw it away.

At the same moment everything came alive, and there were bear, fox, hooded seal, bearded seal, ringed seal, harp seal, common seal, walrus, narwhal and all manner of birds.”

This is a passage from the legend of the Mother of the Sea, probably the most famous of all the Greenlandic myths and legends. The legend’s universe is colourful and fantastic, and the overall moral of the tale is that people must not be greedy and that they must observe society’s customs and the word of the shaman.

“The famous Greenlandic artist, Aka Høegh has used the legend of the Mother of the Sea to produce beautiful decorations and illustrations in books and in visual art. She has also used it as inspiration when decorating ships and not least in the large murals at the college in her home town of Qaqortoq.

"The Mother of the Sea was bothered by the Inuits' evil deeds at the settlement..."

Package Tours

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 500 DKK
Disko Line: Whale Safari

Disko Line

Whale Safari

Take a whale safari in Disko Bay and have a unique experience.

FROM €160
Greenland Tours: Hearts of the Inuit

Greenland Tours

Hearts of the Inuit

6 days during winter in Disko Bay with Inuit settlement visit

FROM €1,365
Disko Line: Day trip to Eqip Sermia

Disko Line

Day trip to Eqip Sermia

Experience the beautiful Eqi glacier that runs into the fjord north of Ilulissat.

FROM €327
Show More

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By 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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Editors' pick

Walk on path along coastline of Nuuk. Photo - Peter Lindstrom, Visit Greenland

Greenland’s modern path to independence

Many people ask if Greenland is considered a country. Others question, Why does Denmark own Greenland? Read on to get a snapshot of Greenland’s political status and the historical background of Greenland’s road to independence.

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Whale Art by Aka Høegh, Qaqortoq. Photo - Peter Lindstrom, Visit Greenland

The Greenlandic hunting culture and the Bowhead Whale – a portrait

The Bowhead Whale can boast not only of its appearance in Season 4 of Borgen, but also of its status as the world's most padded baleen whale, and its history of coming close to extinction.

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Nukissiorfiit worker is moving ice with poclain in Qaanaaq. Photo by Aningaaq R Carlsen - Visit Greenland

When ice becomes (drinking) water: Greenland’s energy heroes

Employees of Greenland's utility company, Nukissiorfiit, work every day to ensure that residents across the country have access to vital energy, water and heat.

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Muskox under the sun in Jameson Land. Photo by Bo Normander

Musk oxen and sandstone mountains in Jameson Land

A hike in the northeastern Greenlandic wilderness in Jameson Land offers incredible mountain landscapes and intimate experiences with the large musk oxen that dig into the local vegetation.

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The Viking period of Greenland The axe of Leif Erikson - the statue overlooking Qassiarsuk in South Greenland, by Mads Pihl Culture House Katuaq in Nuuk, by Danial Gurrola Katuaq
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