In Svalbard, the sun does not set between mid-April and the end of August. Why? During this period the North Pole faces the sun and the further north you are from the Arctic Circle, the longer the midnight sun shines. The Earth's axis is tilted at an angle of approximately 23°, which means that the sun does not disappear below the horizon if you are at high latitudes. In Svalbard, this means exposure to the sun around the clock. When the Earth's axis tilts the other way during the winter months, everything north of the Arctic Circle is instead hidden from the sun's rays. You then talk about polar night or midwinter darkness.

The perfect light
Many who have experienced the midnight sun describe the phenomenon as a golden shimmer. This combined with the Arctic silence is something truly special to experience. The light from the midnight sun can also be compared to the "golden hour", the time just before or just after sunset, something that many photographers consider providing the perfect conditions. This also offers the perfect opportunities for capturing unforgettable photos!

Day and night flow together
It can be difficult to keep track of time when day and night flow together. The bright nights trigger to stay up and enjoy everything that the dreamlike Arctic landscape has to offer. Many locals get an extra boost of energy during these months when the sun is constantly above the horizon and like to stay awake into the wee hours. As a visitor, it is important to use blackouts or eye masks to get the necessary sleep even though the magical light calls for attention!

Photo: Johan Reuthammar - PolarQuest

Out in sub-zero temperatures to white mountain peaks and pastel-colored skies, Greenland welcomes us in the most charming way possible. The airport in Kangerlussuaq was built during World War II as an American airbase, but has been civilian for many years. However, the stop in Kangerlussuaq will not be a long one, as we will soon exchange our slightly larger plane with TV screens for a small propeller plane with room for only 30 passengers. Now we have a 45-minute flight to our final destination on the west coast of Greenland.

Once inside the small plane, we are welcomed on board with a warm smile from our flight attendant before we take our seats and watch the propeller on the wing start spinning. With a small jolt we are once again up in the air and this time it is impossible to take our eyes off the windowpane. Outside, white expanses, dark blue seas and winding fjord systems rise and as we approach the runway in Ilulissat, the sun has just made its way over the horizon.

We make a sharp right turn in the air and aim for the runway that runs parallel to the coastline and the small plane shakes as the landing gear folds out. When we get off the plane, we are once again struck by the fantastic light and fresh air that Greenland offers and we direct our steps towards the small arrivals hall or as the sign reads "Tikkitarfik". Now four exciting days of icebergs, culture, and fjords await – but first we just need to pick up our bags at the airport's only baggage belt.

Text & photo: Maria Malmborg, PolarQuest

From a form of entertainment to a means of expression, dancing has played (and continues to play) a key role in Inuit culture. Greenlandic mask dancing is one of the oldest forms of story-telling, in which the performer incorporates three key emotions into a routine: humor, fear and sexuality.

From wooden masks to face paints
Once upon a time, driftwood masks were modeled on human faces, often with distorted features designed to shock and intrigue. Traditions developed over time, moving towards the eye-catching black, white and red face paints that are still seen today and the distinctive wooden block that many dancers hold in their mouths throughout a routine.

While masks once represented characters and spirits from mythological tales, today’s symbolism is often more nuanced, invoking emotions and ancestors as well as the spirit world. Typically, the dancer will be accompanied by a drummer, who will play the handheld drum that is unique to Greenland known as the qilaat. Usually, the frame is made from animal bones, with stretched hide or skin used to create the covering.

Supposed to be scary
Mask dance is often performed in towns and villages during celebrations of the shortest day of the year and the return of the sun in December and January. The dance was, and still is, done primarily for entertainment, but it also has an educational factor to it. It is supposed to be scary, so children can learn how to react to the challenges they encounter in life without panicking.

Photo: Mads Pihl - Visit Greenland

1) Eating the seal´s lung while it´s still warm

When a hunter comes back to shore with a fresh kill, he will open the seal up and take out its intestines. But first, he will cut out the lungs bit by bit to share it with those around him and eat it while it’s still warm.

2) Creeping each other out with myths and legends of Inuit culture
Greenlanders love stories, especially the creepy and scary ones. Many people still believe that everything around us has a spirit. The sagas can seem illogical, with astonishing, often highly grotesque turns. Not employing the familiar, European phrase of ”Once upon a time . . . ”, the storyteller in Greenland catches listeners’ attention by saying ”This story is so old that no-one knows from whose throat it first came.”

3) Opening their houses for old and new acquaintances

The kaffemik is an amazing Greenlandic social gathering of friends for coffee, cake and other finger foods. It’s a sort of open house with a relaxed end homely atmosphere lasting several hours. The more – the merrier.

4) Washing their hair with urine

Inuit women often use urine as shampoo. It gives hair extra life and a beautiful shine. The benefits of urine on hair are backed by science. Since urine is an antiseptic, it may help eliminate many scalp problems, including infections, itchy scalp, and dandruff.

5) Seeing dogs as working dogs – not as pets
For centuries, Greenlandic dogs have only been seen as working animals, which remains today. With that, dogs stay outside the houses all year round and adult dogs are not free to roam the area as they may have unpredictable wolf genes.

Photo: Mads Pihl - Visit Greenland

When you visit Greenland, you will most likely come to know the word tupilak. From the beginning, a traditional tupilak was made up of parts from animals and people and was used to take revenge. It could look very different depending on the parts from which it was made of and could have many different abilities.

Parts of animals and people
To make a tupilak you gathered different parts of animals and people (bone, skin, hair etc.). The parts were then placed by a river and covered with moss after which spells were said over them. As soon as the tupilak started to come alive, it had to suckle its maker’s (a practitioner of witchcraft or shamanism) genitals or the breasts of a female so it could grow and become dangerous. Once it was big enough its maker would return it to the river and tell it who it to attack. Unfortunately for the maker, the tupilak could also be turned against him if his intended victim’s magical abilities trumped his.

The first Greenlandic merchandise
When explorers first started coming to Greenland, they heard about the terrifying spirit-avangers and were intrigued to find out more about them. So, the locals made a visual representation by carving out the creatures of bone and wood. The explorers were eager to purchase the carvings which led to an actual production of the first Greenlandic merchandise.

Today, when the word ‘tupilak’ is mentioned, the majority of people think of the well-known small figures carved in tooth, bone or stone. They are not considered dangerous. On the contrary, they can be seen as protectors of a house and are sold in all tourist offices and souvenir shops.

Photo: Peter Lindstrom - Visit Greenland