NUMMER 7 – 2017
PIA ARKE ARON FRA KANGEQ NAJA BJØRNSSON PIA BUSK TROELS CARLSEN CLAUS EJNER DOROTHEE ELMIGER STINE ENGEN KONRAD NUKA GODTFREDSEN HANS KARUP JAN KROGSGAARD PETER LAUGESEN CECILIE LIND INGA LYNGBYE THEOPHANIS MELAS TOVE MEYER KAT MUKAI SELMA ROSENFELDT-OLSEN HALFDAN PISKET ALEKSANDAR ŠAJIN JENS AUGUST SCHADE NESTOR SEIP CHARLOTTE STRANDGAARD FREJ KLEM THOMSEN HANADI ZARKA
EPISODE 2 Godthåb 1754
For four years now, Anders Olsen had been a trading assistant in Nuuk. But the coming spring, he was going to move to Kangaamiut and be an assistant there. He had made many acquaintances through trading in Nuuk and had become good friends with Qajuuttaq. They met when Qajuuttaq was in Nuuk to buy items in the store or sell blubber to the trading post. This spring, when Qajuuttaq and his new wife visited the colony at Nuuk to shop, he wanted to visit his friend Anders Olsen and his wife Tuperna before their departure. Then Qajuuttaq could at the same time present his new wife. And upon arrival, they were invited in to dine by Anders.
When you head north with the umiaqs, Qajuuttaq, we can travel together. It’s so lovely on Taseralik in the summer. And on the way up, we can catch some harbour seals.
Hello my friend. Nice to see you again! We’ve heard the rumours, you know!
Yes, those up north are crazy about harbour seal skins. They’d love to have them. Ha ha he he. Hello! Yes, I’ve come to introduce her to you!
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Arnamaaq, come here! Say hello to Anders.
My dear friends, welcome! It’s lovely that you can visit us before we leave. Come over this afternoon and have a bite to eat. Tuperna is making caribou suaasat. Yes please. We’ve got plenty of time so we’ll be happy to come over and have something to eat.
After a week, they sailed to Illorpaat
Later, in the afternoon, they had a good time together and talked about this, that and the other. Arnamaaq and Tuperna also spoke about their family histories. Tuperna wasn’t just any woman. She had been baptised by Hans Egede and it was clear that she had a special status. And that didn’t lessen after she married the Norwegian trading assistant Anders Olsen.
Goodbye, dear friends. When you head north for the summer, stop by at Kangaamiut. I expect to see you again there.
In the summer of 1728, we were on our way north and laid in at Pisuffik. I was baptised by Egede the same year and I remember that there were crowds of people. Yes, I was only three years old.
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After spending a week in Nuuk, they went back to their settlement at Illorpaat. Before moving on northwards, they wanted to take the roof off their winter house so it could be cleaned by the wind and weather during the summer. Qajuuttaq had heard that people in Qasigiannguit were very good at catching whales from umiaqs, and in order to experience it themselves, they had decided to spend the summer in the north.
We must have everything with us. These will be good to make kayak gear from. We’ll trade our way to the rest along the way. So after arriving at Illorpaat, they began getting ready for the journey. The things they were going to take with them were laid out separately. When the provisions for the journey and other useful stuff were ready, they removed the roof of their house and included the poles with the things they were going to take with them.
When will we get to see our beautiful view again? Now there are probably others who will enjoy the eider ducks out there.
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Qajuuttaq still lived according to his ancestral customs so the drum dance was regularly performed at his house. He was well-known for his playing and dancing among his fellow countrymen. It was wonderful to listen to when he beat his drum and his wife Arnamaaq accompanied him by singing her songs. And they were popular among the audiences. So they usually performed together with drum dance and song.
Arnamaaq, can’t we sing a little song for our house? It will be hard to be away from it for so long.
Qajuuttaq and Arnamaaq performed a beautiful and memorable drum dance for their house. The other people were carried away by the atmosphere; they got to their feet and also began dancing and singing. In this way the air over the small bay reverberated with joyful song.
The food’s ready! Let’s eat!
On the busy spring day, the women served up freshly cooked food during a break. Arnamaaq cut pieces off a ringed seal that Qajuuttaq had caught earlier in the day and put a pot of fresh meat over the fire.
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Now they sat together on the best spot by the shore and enjoyed the cooked meat. It was low tide, so they gathered seaweed which they ate together with the meat.
There’s more meat here!
They set off for the north with full stomachs. They followed the coast and took good advantage of the rising tide. They journeyed late into the evening and at night they slept under the raised umiaqs.
Well, who will come ashore first!? Can we try to get a bit more of a move on, he he he.
After having sailed north in the umiaq for two weeks, they reached Kangaamiut. His friend Anders received them joyfully and showed them where they could best moor the umiaq.
Two weeks later in Kangaamiut
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Come alongside here! Welcome!
Qajuuttaq and his companions were welcomed by the inhabitants of the settlement and they decided to stay there for a while and get some rest. My friend, take this saw – you’ll probably need it!
It had been a profitable summer, even though they had sometimes been plagued by rain and wind. It was autumn when they reached Qeqertannguaq. They had heard rumours that many whales were being caught nearby. And they hoped to be able to stay here during the winter.
Two months later, on the little island of Qeqertannguaq in Northern Greenland
Itullak, an umiaq and four kayaks are putting in down there. They’ve probably come from the south.
We have been well received here and as a thank you shall have this lamp. Thank you very much! There is some baleen over there! Just take what you need.
Between Qeqertannguaq and the mainland, there was a narrow strait. It was just possible to see the mouth faintly to the north. The inhabitants of this spot told the newcomers about the conditions around the island; a little further north you could just make out another winter settlement at Qasigiannguit. There lived the legendary whale hunter Pullaq and his family.
A lamp of soapstone? Soapstone?!
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