Many travellers who visit Greenland wish to see the ‘authentic’ side of our destination – and what could get more real than meeting the locals of our country?
Whether you are in Greenland for one day, one week, one month or even one year, we’d like to help you meet us. The question is, how does one do this exactly?
We asked three tourists (two who have turned into locals themselves) what they did to ‘break the ice’ in Greenland.
From Singapore, visited in summer of 2016 and summer of 2017
I researched Greenland prior, checking out blogs. I tried to meet up with bloggers. I also met them in the local shops, whilst I was out solo hiking and on a boat trip to the ice fjord. It took some time to break the ice with the locals, but once we got talking, they really opened up and are one of the warmest people I’ve ever met.
Learn some Danish, it’ll help you get a lot further. Also, knowing a few
words in Greenlandic will earn you a “pikkori” (well done) and possibly a
new friend!
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From Scotland, first visited the East Coast in 1993, living in Greenland since 2014
I live in Nuuk, and my favourite place to meet locals is….MUTTEN!!! That’s where I meet all my new people. No… seriously… the place where Greenlanders are most engaging is the pub. 100% truth.
Everything in Greenland happens on Facebook. See if there are any social or activity clubs you can drop into while you are there – such as hiking, kayak polo, and Crossfit. Personally, I met many good friends at the climbing club.
From Korea, first visited in 2010, living in Greenland since 2015
My first visit to Greenland was in 2010 as a solo traveller. While travelling I especially loved to participate in local events so I used to ask the hostel or tour operators if there was anything happening.
Luckily when I was in Nanortalik in South Greenland, the owner of my hostel let me know about the “first day of school” event which is considered a very important day for Greenlandic people. So I visited the school and met a lot of locals in Greenlandic national costume! Moreover, a lady I hadn’t met before invited me to her son’s kaffemik to celebrate his first day of school! It was my very first kaffemik invitation in Greenland and it is still an unforgettable memory for me.
Check the social media and official homepage of the government or municipality to get information about local events. Also personally whenever I plan to travel, I often ask tour operators if there are local events during my visit.
It might be the first day of school, a wedding, a birthday. A kaffemik is a celebration of life – and Greenlanders like to remind themselves that life is great! If you visit Greenland and stay for some time, chances are that you will be invited to a kaffemik.
