GREENLANDIC CHRISTMAS MARKET 2021
SHORT – SoMe version (1:00 min)
LONG VNR – video news releases
VNR (3:42 min)
Story:
Hunting in Greenland by local people has been going on for 4500 years and is still going on.
In The Greenland House in Copenhagen, Denmark can you now find the biggest Christmas market for art-products made from bear teeth, bear bones, mox-wool, sealskin fur and other unique raw materials from the biggest island in the world.
Greenland has been in association with Denmark for more than a millennium. In China the system is known from places like Oroqen, Evenk or Morin Dawa Daur.
On the big Christmas market you find colored bags, warm gloves and fantastic coats from the seal fur.
The sale of seal-fur has for the local people unfortunately been difficult, but there is a hope for improvements via the internet web sales from The Greenland House in Denmark.
All products from the hunting in Greenland are used for food, cloth, designs and art.
The word for art is “Eqqumiitsuliorneq”, which translates directly means “to create things that look strange”.*
The original Greenland people are called the inuits.
The original people migrated in the 13th century from China and Asia, traveling through Alaska through Northern Canada, gradually settling on Greenland, which is the world’s largest island.
The name Greenland comes from the Vikings, when they discovered the green land sailing from Denmark and Norway.
The Greenlandic arts and crafts are often inspired by the nature and wildlife that you only can experience in Greenland.
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Shotlist:
- Glaciers on Iceland (VisitGreenland)
- Sled dogs (Visit Greenland)
- People enjoying the outdoors (VisitGreenland)
- SOUNDBITE Nadine Kleman, Organizer:
“It’s a Greenlandic Christmas market where a lot of Greenlandic artists can come and sell their art or Christmas ornaments and such. So it’s the biggest Greenlandic Christmas market in Denmark.” - Sculptures made with Bone
- SOUNDBITE Nuqanva Mathisen, Artist:
“It’s a meeting place for Greenlanders who live here in Copenhagen or people who are interested in Greenland. If you are going to Greenland for a visit or if you have been to Greenland, then people come here to have an inspiration or want to know more about Greenland.” - Items made with seal fur
- Traditional Greenlandic items
- VOX-POP Henriette Lund Thomsen, visitor:
“I think it’s amazing. I love the Greenlandic handiwork. I bought a bag. You cannot see it because I hid it here. And I really like the seal craft work, so I really enjoyed it.” - SOUNDBITE Nina Stafelt, Exhibitor:
“The thing is, they’re very pressured by the Greenlandic hunters, because for many years they have suffered a kind of stigma from the outside world because there’s also Canadian hunting going on and they don’t kill grown up seals, they kill baby seals. But this is what they do in Greenland. They catch it for the food they eat. The seals and the fur is just a byproduct. And so in order to use the byproduct, we make things in seal fur.” - Garments made with Seal fur
- SOUNDBITE Nadine Kleman, Organizer cont.:
“I think for a lot of Greenslanders, it’s important to have a place in Denmark where you can meet up with other Greenlandic people. But for other people like Danish people, it’s something that you can kind of get to know about Greenlandic culture here as well and connect a little with Greenland.” - Guest at the Greenlandic Christmas market
- Bags made with seal fur
- SOUNDBITE Nuqanva Mathisen, Artist:
“Merry Christmas – Juullimi Pilluarit” - Handdrawn picture of Greenlandic women
- Boat in Greenland
- Small house in Greenland
- Snow covered village in Greenland
- People looking at the sunset in Greenland
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