Greenland

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Greenlanders embrace pre-Christian Inuit traditions as a way to proudly reclaim ancestral roots

NUUK, Greenland (AP) — Sitting on the pelt of a polar bear hunted by her family, Aviaja Rakel Sanimuinaq says she’s proud to be part of a movement of Greenlanders reclaiming their Inuit traditions and spirituality.

https://apnews.com/article/greenland-inuit-traditions-tattoos-shaman-christianity-trump-e3402e2bf207cd3486be00d2925ff5d6?

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Greenland

Greenland's Prime Minister Múte B. Egede slammed a planned trip to the island by a delegation of US officials, including second lady Usha Vance and national security adviser Mike Waltz. Egede took particular issue with Waltz’s visit, calling it “highly aggressive” in light of President Donald Trump’s recent comments about annexing the autonomous Danish territory. “What is the national security adviser doing in Greenland? The only purpose is to demonstrate power over us,” Egede said in an interview with Greenlandic newspaper Sermitsiaq on Sunday. “His mere presence in Greenland will no doubt fuel American belief in Trump’s mission — and the pressure will increase.” Jens-Frederik Nielsen, who is likely to be Greenland’s next leader, also said the timing of the visit showed “a lack of respect.”

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Change in itinerary for US Vice President JD Vance brings cautious relief for Greenland and Denmark

The change reduces the likelihood that U.S. Vice President JD Vance and his wife will cross paths with Greenland residents angered by the Trump administration’s attempts to annex the vast Arctic island, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. Read More.

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Putin says US push for Greenland is rooted in history, vows to uphold Russian interest in the Arctic Russia’s President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that President Donald Trump’s push for control over Greenland wasn’t surprising given longtime U.S. interest in the mineral-rich territory. Speaking at a policy forum in the Arctic port of Murmansk, Putin noted that the United States first considered plans to win control over Greenland in the 19th century, and then offered to buy it from Denmark after World War II. Read more.

Why this matters: Putin noted that Russia is worried about NATO’s activities in the Arctic and will respond by strengthening its military capability in the polar region.   Russia has sought to assert its influence over wide areas of the Arctic in competition with the United States, Canada, Denmark and Norway as shrinking polar ice from the warming planet offers new opportunities for resources and shipping routes. China has also shown an increasing interest in the region, believed to hold up to one-fourth of the Earth’s undiscovered oil and gas.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Vance and wife to tour US military post in Greenland after diplomatic spat over uninvited visit   Greenland lawmakers form a new government on the eve of Vance visit   Putin suggests putting Ukraine under U.N.-sponsored external governance, boasts battlefield gains

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Tensions over Greenland

Denmark’s foreign minister summoned the top US diplomat in Copenhagen for a meeting yesterday. The move comes after reports that at least three Americans tied to President Donald Trump were conducting covert influence operations in Greenland.   According to Danish government sources, the unnamed Americans have gathered information and pursued contacts to undermine Greenlanders’ perceptions of Denmark. The Danish foreign minister previously summoned the acting American ambassador over reports that US spy agencies were engaging in similar efforts. It's unclear if the individuals are acting independently or under Trump’s direction. Trump has proposed annexing the semiautonomous Danish territory, strategically located in the Arctic Circle and rich in rare earth elements critical to emergent technologies.   A January opinion poll showed 85% of Greenlanders oppose joining the US, although 56% support independence from Denmark, which has exercised some control over Greenland since the early 18th century.

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Greenlandic women recall forced contraception as a nation seeks forgiveness At a ceremony in Greenland’s capital of Nuuk on Wednesday, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and her Greenlandic counterpart Jens-Frederik Nielsen will offer their official apologies for their governments’ roles in the mistreatment of Greenlandic Indigenous girls and women who were given invasive contraception by the Danish health authorities against their will, with cases dating back to the 1960s. Read more.

Why this matters: The apologies come at a difficult time with U.S. President Donald Trump exploiting divisions between Denmark and Greenland as it seeks U.S. influence, even jurisdiction over the territory.   Denmark has sought to placate the independence movement in Greenland but historical abuses committed by the former colonial power have tainted their efforts at a rapprochement.   The forced contraception of Indigenous women and girls was part of centuries of Danish policies that dehumanized Greenlanders and their families. The policies included the removal of young Inuit children from their parents to be given to Danish foster families for reeducation and controversial parental competency tests that resulted in the forced separation of Greenlandic families.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Women’s rights activists rally in Belgium fearing US plans for birth control supplies   Trump’s ‘tough it out’ advice to expectant moms is the latest example of men opining on women’s pain   Why more women are switching to reusable menstrual products