The Bridge Between: Arnakkuluk Jo Kleist

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NUUK, Greenland — Greenlandic culture differs heavily from American culture, focusing heavily on being a part of and respecting the space and land around them. Arnakkuluk Kleist attested to this sentiment.

Kleist grew up in Greenland, influencing her passion for educating these businesses about the way of life there. She is the co-owner of Pikiala in Nuuk, Greenland, a consultancy company that helps to advise government entities, municipalities and companies about Greenlandic society and culture. She and Maliina Abelsen, her business partner, counsel companies before and during any work that they may do in Greenland, to make sure that they are aware of the area and people that they will be influencing.

She remarked about the unique culture that she has experienced during her time there.

“Greenland has a culture where it is very focused on the environment and community,” Kleist said. “We like to celebrate a lot of small and big things in life; they are being celebrated. We’re good at that and that means a lot.”

With Greenland becoming commonplace in the headlines of news articles, it has become a popular tourist destination over the last few months. While some natives have commented on this affecting their daily routines negatively, Kleist spoke about the positive aspect of having people travel to experience their society.

“Right now, there’s a lot of focus on Greenland internationally,” Kleist said. “But it’s not just this geopolitical place in the world. It’s a whole culture and people. We have a lot to offer as a culture. When it comes to arts and culture especially, there’s something that comes from the heart.”

Part of the culture that Kleist said Greenland could share with the world is their tradition of hunting, fishing and gathering. She spoke about the importance of respecting the land and the creatures that they capture and use.

“We make materials out of those things,” Kleist said. “If you catch a seal, it’s not just the meat that you would go for, but it’s also the seal skin, and you will make products with it as well as a lot of other things. It is also with reindeer and sheep and other animals. Using different parts of the animal and materials for both food and arts and crafts, using the bones for something else, the wool of the sheep. That is something that I love and I think is important.”

Another large part of the Inuit culture in Greenland revolves around song and dance. The drum, known as the qiluat in Greenlandic, are typically made from the animal parts salvaged during hunting and gathering. These drum-dances and songs can include stories about their culture, way of life, and even personal messages.

“It’s something that is worth protecting and keeping in the world,” Kleist said. “We have a lot of people in this society who are artistic and inspired by the nature that we are surrounded by., and that shows in many different art forms.”

This culture has been impacted by Denmark and the influence of Danish culture for centuries. While parts of Greenland were being colonized and stripped of their culture, drum-dancing stayed strong in the northern and eastern parts of the country, allowing the tradition to survive and grow back again.

“The traditional Greenlandic Inuit culture and European culture have two very different ways of looking at the world,” Kleist said. “Greenlandic people have to be adaptive of the nature surrounding us and the weather. A more Western focus on the world is that the world is for human beings to control, and have the power to. We are living amongst nature and in the arctic environment, where we are influenced by our surroundings a lot, which we love, but it’s also challenging.”

These clashing world views are what caused the colonization of Denmark on Greenland to be so devastating to their culture. Many of the Inuit beliefs come from Shamanism, a stark contrast to the beliefs colonizers were pushing on the Greenlandic people.

“Our beliefs were made into a devilish kind of worshipping,” Kleist said, “because they needed people to choose Christianity. Traditions like drum-dancing were banned. Now we are living a life that blends traditional values and western culture.”

Influence and control by another nation has led to Greenlanders wishing for more control, independence, and say over how they are governed. Kleist raises the question of how much can a nation truly receive independence, and is any nation truly autonomous?

“Independence is a wish for most people in Greenland,” Kleist said. “but in what kind of self-determination and self-control is a different scenario. Right now, because of the situation internationally and with the United States, this issue has been somewhat put aside and put on pause. There are a lot of different versions. Some say that no country is independent, having partnerships with corporations or other nations.”

Despite all of this, the struggle for independence isn’t the most pressing issue in Greenland. The struggle to access healthcare and the effects socially of colonization are what weighs heaviest on Kleist’s mind in terms of what Greenland needs.

“We have a free healthcare system,” Kleist said, “everyone can go to the doctor, and it doesn’t cost anything. But, our population isn’t that big, so we don’t have a lot of specialists. We are having to travel to other countries for help if it’s something very specific. People who have cancer or something they need help with, they often have to travel to Denmark. Social issues are also occurring because the consequences of colonization. You have some social issues that comes with that because of some of the trauma caused.”

However, Kleist still believes in her nation and what they offer to the world at large. With Greenland having a different perspective and way of life than many other nations, the experience could be eye-opening for many.

“I think that we have potential and something interesting and unique to show to the world,” Kleist said. “We have a culture and a way of living that could inspire others. Respecting nature and your surroundings are things that I think a lot of other countries could learn from.”

This story is part of a semester-long investigative reporting project into Greenland’s people, history, and culture. It was created by an advanced reporting class in the Journalism, Advertising, and Media Studies program at UW-Milwaukee. Other stories from the project are available on Edge of the Arctic: Greenland, the Land of the People.

This work was made possible through the support of MPC Endowment Ltd., the philanthropic affiliate of the Milwaukee Press Club, and a private donor.