Marjo Lindroth brings her research greetings from Nuuk, Greenland, where she had a great opportunity to visit the Parliament of Greenland and the Arctic Circle Greenland Forum to reflect on the current issues concerning the development of the rights of indigenous people.
I had the pleasure to spend this May a visiting researcher at Ilisimatusarfik/University of Greenland in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland. The visit was part of my postdoctoral research and the research project “Indigeneity in Waiting: Elusive Rights and the Power of Hope” that examines the development of the rights of indigenous peoples in three countries: Greenland/Denmark, Finland and Australia. Greenland is an interesting case especially because its stated political aim for the future is reaching full independence from Denmark. The main purpose of my visit was to conduct interviews with the local politicians and government representatives on their hopes, aspirations and visions for the future development of Greenland. It was also great to get to know the University of Greenland and strengthen cooperation with researchers there.
In addition to time spent at Inatsisartut/the Parliament of Greenland, different governmental departments and the university library, I attended the Arctic Circle Greenland Forum that conveniently took place while I was in Nuuk. The Forum was a good opportunity to gain an understanding of what is going on in the Arctic, especially in Greenland, in terms of different political aspirations, developments in resources extraction, foreign investment and the involvement of local people in these developments.
Nuuk offered ample opportunities for hiking and spending time outdoors: the clarity of the air and the spectacular views made for an unforgettable experience. I’m lucky enough to go back to Nuuk next spring to conduct some more interviews and to enjoy the beautiful nature of Greenland.
Text and photo by Marjo Lindroth