Siorapaluk, Greenland

Siorapaluk, Greenland, photograph # 1– in the West Greenlandic language, Siorapaluk translates to “little sands” and is Greenland’s northernmost settlement, located on the Hayes Peninsula on the northern side of Robertson Fjord

Siorapaluk is Greenland’s northernmost settlement, located on the Hayes Peninsula on the northern side of Robertson Fjord, where we had spent the prior day and the morning (hiking) before our community visit to the settlement.  In the West Greenlandic language, Siorapaluk translates to “little sands,” while in the Inughuit language, it is known as Hiurapaluk.  It is one of the world’s northernmost inhabited settlements (the most northerly being Grise Fiord, Nunavut, Canada, which we visited the prior week – see our blog post “https://richedwardsimagery.wordpress.com/2023/08/31/grise-fiord-ellesmere-island-nunavut-canada/”).  Siorapaluk is also the northernmost Greenland settlement settled by natives.  Located only 1,362 kilometers (846 miles) from the North Pole, the community has the summer midnight sun for 120 days and is in complete darkness for 108 days.

Siorapaluk, Greenland, photograph # 2 – home to descendants of Canadian Nunavut Inuit immigrants who travelled across Smith Sound in 1880 and settled here, Siorapaluk has a population of about 40 with a small grocery store (with predominantly frozen foods) and church (which also serves as a school and public library)

Siorapaluk has a population of about 40 and is home to descendants of Canadian Nunavut Inuit immigrants who travelled across Smith Sound in 1880 and settled here.  Thus, the inhabitants of the settlement speak the Inuktun language of the Polar Inuit as well as the Kalaallisut dialect of Greenlandic.  The town has a small grocery store (with predominantly frozen foods) and a church (which also serves as a school and public library).  The local residents are skilled hunters and hunt for polar bears, caribou (reindeer), Arctic foxes, Arctic hares and other animals for food and income.  At sea, they use harpoons to hunt for seals and walrus, and rifles to hunt beluga whales.

Siorapaluk, Greenland, photograph # 3 — local residents are skilled hunters and hunt for polar bears, caribou (reindeer), Arctic foxes, Arctic hares and other animals for food and income; at sea, they use harpoons to hunt for seals and walrus, and rifles to hunt beluga and narwhal whales

Siorapaluk, Greenland, photograph # 4

Siorapaluk, Greenland, photograph # 5 – a local family met some of us on the beach and graciously posed for this portrait after some conversation

Siorapaluk, Greenland, photograph # 6 – the older brother spoke English and we had a game of “high fives” before he and his brother posed for a portrait

Siorapaluk, Greenland, photograph # 7

Siorapaluk, Greenland, photograph # 8 – this scene was photographed from about 10 feet (3 meters) out in the water in order to capture the shore-based icebergs; two hours later, the ice was floating in the water, as the tide had come in and risen considerably

Siorapaluk, Greenland, photograph # 9

Siorapaluk, Greenland, photograph # 10 – this skilled hunter proudly showed us his equipment for camouflaged hunting for polar bears and, here, the technique for throwing his handmade harpoon at seals and walruses from his small boat

Siorapaluk, Greenland, photograph # 11 – this home served as the community’s “open house” home with its owner graciously welcoming us in and serving homemade tea and several cakes, including one with fresh local blueberries in the icing and a pavlova

Siorapaluk, Greenland, photograph # 12 – the owner of the home that was opened to us as the community’s “open house”, standing by her front door

Siorapaluk, Greenland, photograph # 13 – the 23-year-old son in the above home proudly shared with us one of four polar bear skulls that the family had collected (from their successful hunting) and had on display in their home; on the floor was a beautiful polar bear skin rug that they had made

Siorapaluk, Greenland, photograph # 14

Siorapaluk, Greenland, photograph # 15 – our Greenlandic expedition guide successfully relayed my request to this homeowner to allow me to make a portrait of her on her deck, with a caribou (reindeer) antler on the deck’s vertical post

Siorapaluk, Greenland, photograph # 16 – a few homes were on the hillside with stunning views of Robertson Bay and Meehan Glacier (in the distance)

Siorapaluk, Greenland, photograph # 17 – a musk ox (oxen) skull from a successful hunt, on a home’s exterior “drying rack”

Siorapaluk, Greenland, photograph # 18

Siorapaluk, Greenland, photograph # 19 – a very successful hunter in front of his home with sealskin boots and polar bear pants, with a stunning, very large polar bear forepaw claw on his necklace (from one of his hunts)

Siorapaluk, Greenland, photograph # 20 – winter sleds and dogs on the beach on a stunning fall day

Following our “all aboard” late in the afternoon, our ship sailed south a short distance of 125 kilometers (78 miles), from Siorapaluk to our next port of call (and a community visit), Qaanaaq (adjacent to the United States Air Force Base at Thule, Greenland).  Our brief journey took us past many large and very large icebergs during the last hour sailing into the fjord where Qaanaaq is on the north shore.

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