The World’s largest island has a tiny population. The 55,000 residents of Greenland are distributed throughout 120 localities around the coast - 65 of these settlements have less than 100 residents each. Nuuk has a population of 13,000 making it the largest town and the capital. It is easy to see that Greenland is not a crowded place. It is part of the Kingdom of Denmark although 1979 saw the introduction of the Home Rule Government and since then Greenland has moved towards relative independence.

80% of the population are indigenous Inuit and the remainder are primarily Danish. The Inuit share a common language and culture with those in Canada and Alaska, and the ancestors of present day Greenlanders have inhabited the country for 4000-5000 years. Whilst the West Coast of Greenland is relatively populated, the East Coast, Tunu, is far less so and the community here represents one of the oldest and most isolated in Europe, separated from their fellow countrymen by the World’s second largest icecap. Until the advent of commercial flight, East Greenland was all but cut off from the rest of the World by the wide belt of ice that grips the coast for most of the year. This is where one can glimpse the original Greenland, and meet people that are truly in touch with their remarkable environment. To us, Greenland may seem hopelessly inhabitable but to the Inuit it is home and thousands of years of adaptation and innovation have made it so.

All of this means that the East Greenlanders have their own Inuit dialect and very individual traditions and handicrafts. The primary occupations are hunting and fishing, sometimes using the traditional kayak. This is usually done on a subsistence basis - the East Coast has none of the large-scale commercial fisheries found elsewhere. Ancient practices of dividing up the catch amongst the community are still observed.

It is said that the Inuit keep one foot in the past. This is not derogatory, but reflects their awareness of their unique culture and heritage. Their ancient Drum Dance lives on and their music and storytelling is based on myths and sagas passed down by word of mouth through the generations. You will experience a warm and yet quiet hospitality in Tunu, will be touched by the Inuit family values, and moved by the sense of peace and timelessness in these communities at the edge of the World.