Danish Colonialism in Greenland

A brief settlement history of Denmark on the island of Greenland, and its impact on the formation of a Greenlandic national identity

A Geopolitical Timeline

1721: Hans Egede, a Norwegian missionary, arrives in modern-day Nuuk

Hans Egede arrived in Greenland in 1721 with ambition to “regain Greenland for God and for Norway as a part of the twin kingdom of Denmark and Norway” (Kjærgaard et. al, 2015, p.117). He founded a church and colony near present-day Nuuk, becoming the basis for the Greenlandic capital. Egede displayed profound prejudice against Inuit Greenlanders, believing them to be inferior, stupid and primitive (Rud, 2018, p.14). He employed colonial techniques of retaining power over Inuit residents in the name of ‘civilizing’ them, combining literacy teachings with means of spreading Christianity (Kjærgaard et. al, 2015, p.117). Egede’s efforts pushed aside shamanistic beliefs of Inuit residents, and established a Protestant Christian national identity, which persists to this day.

Hans Egede House, Nuuk. Image from David Stanley via Flickr, https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidstanleytravel/26017191815

1751: The Kingdom of Denmark officially claims Greenland as a colony.

During the colonial period, Denmark retained many colonies around the globe, although treated Greenland differently than plantation territories. Danes in the Caribbean oversaw harsh and brutal regimes over native residents, justified by ideas of social darwinism. This contrasts with Danish occupation of Greenland, where they took a “strange paternalism… placing the interests of the indigenous inhabitants above those of economic exploitation” (Wren, 2001, p.145). Because of this, some have been argued that Greenland-Denmark relationships were not quite colonial, because of the fair amount of self-determination and independence that has been afforded to Inuit governance.

1953: Greenland graduates to the status of a province of Denmark.

Ironically, once Greenland gained this level of autonomy, thus began the so-called “Danization” period of Greenland’s history, occurring after Greenland was officially decolonized in 1953. During this period, the Danish funded a Danish-style school system and a restructuring of Greenland’s national government, as well as promoting rapid modernization centered around the expansion of the cod industry, all policies made to maximize resource extraction (Petersen, 1995, p.120). 

Greenlandic Fishermen. Fishing remains an integral part of Greenland's economy. Image from Royal Greenland, accessed via https://polarjournal.ch/en/2021/01/16/new-fisheries-agreement-between-eu-and-greenland/

1979: Greenland Home Rule Referendum is passed. Greenlanders gain greater autonomy, and Greenland's parliament is established.

Inatsisartut (Parliament of Greenland) in session, 2017. Image accessed via https://www.highnorthnews.com/nb/greenland-wants-independence-just-not-right-now

2009: Greenland adopts an Act on Self Government, which grants further rights for Greenlanders, and establishes a future procedure for full independence.

Hans Egede statue vandalized with the words "decolonize", 2020. Image from BBC, accessed via https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53429950

2021: Today Greenland is considered an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. Independence movements call for 2021 as the year to gain total sovereignty, as this year marks 300 years since the arrival of Hans Egede. Independence is a hotly contested issue, and it remains to be seen when/if Greenland will become independent.

Greenland is still a part of the Kingdom of Denmark, although the nation has since graduated to the status of autonomous territory, with a degree of self governance. Independence is a contentious political issue in Greenland, with many residents calling for separation from Denmark, but still others hesitant to cut ties. Should Greenland become independent, some fear that Danish influence would be swiftly replaced by another exploitative foreign power. Greenlanders’ relationship with the European world has been marked by a history of exploitation, which has shaped Inuit lives since Egede’s arrival. The Danization period brought about rapid modernization, “accompanied by increased suicide, drinking problems, and violence”, all stemming from the restructuring of life from subsistence hunting to wage labor (Hardt, 2018, p.54). Today, Greenland still suffers from disproportionately high rates of alcoholism and one of the highest suicide rates in the world (Bjerregaard et. al, 2020, p.8). 

Bjerregaard, P., Larsen, C. V., Sørensen, I. K., & Tolstrup, J. S. (2020). Alcohol in Greenland 1950-2018: consumption, drinking patterns, and consequences. International Journal of Circumpolar Health, 79(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/22423982.2020.1814550 

Works Cited

Bjerregaard, P., Larsen, C. V., Sørensen, I. K., & Tolstrup, J. S. (2020). Alcohol in Greenland 1950-2018: consumption, drinking patterns, and consequences. International Journal of Circumpolar Health, 79(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/22423982.2020.1814550 

Hardt, S. (2018). ”By Gifts One Makes Slaves": Long-term Effects of Denmark's Colonization of Greenland, https://digitalcommons.bard.edu/senproj_s2018/203

Kjærgaard, K. (2015). Religious Education, Identity and Nation Building – the Case of Greenland. Nordactica, 2. https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:825987/FULLTEXT01.pdf. 

Petersen, R. (1995). Colonialism as Seen from a Former Colonized Area. Arctic Anthropology, 32(2), 118-126. Retrieved May 18, 2021, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/40316390

Rud, S. (2018). Colonialism in Greenland: tradition, governance and legacy. Palgrave Macmillan. 

Wren, K. (2001). Cultural racism: Something rotten in the state of Denmark?, Social & Cultural Geography, 2(2), 141-162, https://doi.org/10.1080/14649360120047788

Hans Egede House, Nuuk. Image from David Stanley via Flickr, https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidstanleytravel/26017191815

Greenlandic Fishermen. Fishing remains an integral part of Greenland's economy. Image from Royal Greenland, accessed via https://polarjournal.ch/en/2021/01/16/new-fisheries-agreement-between-eu-and-greenland/

Inatsisartut (Parliament of Greenland) in session, 2017. Image accessed via https://www.highnorthnews.com/nb/greenland-wants-independence-just-not-right-now

Hans Egede statue vandalized with the words "decolonize", 2020. Image from BBC, accessed via https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53429950

Bjerregaard, P., Larsen, C. V., Sørensen, I. K., & Tolstrup, J. S. (2020). Alcohol in Greenland 1950-2018: consumption, drinking patterns, and consequences. International Journal of Circumpolar Health, 79(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/22423982.2020.1814550