When the kayak arrived in Greenland
The kayak is a transportation and hunting tool that originated in the Arctic region and then spread east towards Greenland with the first wave of immigrants, who came to this country more than 4000 years ago.
In Greenland, people embraced the kayak to such an extent that it became the focal point of everyday life in a community of hunters, and even to this day the kayak is one of the strongest cultural symbols of our adaptability to the land that distinguishes us as a people.
The kayak is found everywhere in Greenland
Tour operators, and rental companies, of glass fiber kayaks are located all over the country, testifying to the vessels popularity with the many visitors who come to Greenland. The traditional Greenlandic kayak of today, is mostly used for hunting in the most northerly regions of the country, while the modern glass fiber kayak is used for both short trips and long hauls all along the coast.
We do acknowledge that this nearness to nature, the touch of the ocean surface, the rhythmic motion of the paddle through the water, the ability to propel a forward motion only by the use of the human body, are all, a compelling combination which fits well with our need for everyday excursions and adventurous expeditions.
Adding to that, are the icebergs, the whales, seals, flocks of birds, small Greenlandic towns and settlements, and a jagged coast line that adds its own unique Arctic dimension to an activity which for many people is more about the fellowship with ones travel companions than the wilderness experience of the trip.
From extreme expeditions to commuters in the capital
The countryside in Greenland is accessible and open to everyone 24-7, weather permitting. You may go ashore and camp anywhere you choose, as long as you are considerate of the surroundings, and follow general rules when in mountainous terrain.
You will discover that in many places the mountain sides will be very steep and go down straight into the water, and that there is no one else around. One small linguistic saying is the phrase “close by”, which in this country is another sentence for “as far as the eye can see and then some”.
But kayaking in Greenland doesn’t have to be to a remote fiord or under extreme conditions in order to provide people some substance in their daily lives. We know of people who use the kayak as a commute, when going to work from the suburb Qinnorput and into Nuuk proper. We see kids every summer, in all the harbours in Greenland, frolicking about and practicing the kayak roll, and we enjoy watching a kayak show as much as the passengers do aboard the cruise ships.
The history and development of the kayak
The kayak – or ‘qajaq’ as it is called in Greenland – is an invention from old days that has been an essential piece of hunting equipment for Inuits in Greenland and the rest of Arctic North America.
The kayak has been used in connection with sealing, whaling and fishing, and it was common for Greenlandic boys to spend their childhood learning to keep their balance and manoeuvre the kayak.
Today the traditional ‘qajaq’ is still seen in many towns and especially at the annual kayak meeting but for recreational kayaking the more robust sea kayaks made of fibreglass have gradually taken the place of the traditional versions.
Traditional hunting from the kayak
The kayaks were adapted to the waters in which they were used, and there is therefore a great variation in terms of both the kayak’s design and construction method.
Earlier the kayak was covered with sealskin from which the hair had been removed, but today they are primarily constructed with a nylon or canvas outer skin.
In Greenland’s hunting districts such as at Qaanaaq there is still a requirement that whaling for narwhals must take place in the traditional manner – i.e. from a traditional qajaq with hand-thrown lances and spears – despite the fact that it is of course more effective to hunt with rifles and camouflage.
Greenlander roll
The cold Arctic seas could be lethal, as could the weather too. It was therefore essential that the hunter was properly prepared by being dressed in a waterproof animal skin suit and by always being able to execute the so-called ‘Greenlander roll’.
From early childhood, the hunters therefore learnt and practised countless turns and rolls in the sea by means of their small oars in the event that they should suddenly capsize or turn over.
In this way they could get out of almost all critical situations.
The construction of the kayak
Building a kayak was a job for both men and women. The man was responsible for the kayak frame, and the kayak was shaped precisely to his own body shape and not according to standard dimensions.
The kayak construction itself consisted in former times of driftwood which was carried by the currents from Siberia’s rivers to the east and west coasts of Greenland.
The women’s job was to sew the fabric together from 3-4 skins of the harp seal, which was stretched out over the frame – a perfect collaboration that created kayaks from which modern kayak designers still find inspiration.
