Greenlandic women have always played a decisive role in society, and we will highlight them in celebration of International Women’s Day, 8 March.
Women keep daily life in order
In the Greenlandic myths and legends, the stories of Greenlandic women are often portrayed as strong and powerful women, like the story of Sassuma Arnaa (Mother of the Sea) and Maliina (the woman who became the Sun).
In the past, the Greenlandic woman was not only a wife but also a mother, and housekeeper, the one who prepared the food and took care of all the family’s clothes.
The Greenlandic man was entirely dependent on the woman being able to sew – not just his clothes and kamiks but also the leather covers for the kayaks, which required the finest stitches so the kayak didn’t leak. The best hunters had the most skilled seamstresses – small invisible, waterproof stitches were very popular!
Continues further down the page…