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Native American Tribes and Languages of Greenland

This is an index to the Native American language and cultural information on our website pertaining to native cultures of Greenland. Some pages contain more information than others. If you belong to an indigenous tribe from Greenland and have information you would like to see added to this page, please contact us about how to contribute information to our site.

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Indigenous Languages of Greenland

Did you know the official language of Greenland is an indigenous language? The Greenlandic language, called Kalaallisut by its own speakers, is an Eskimo-Aleut language related to Inuktitut and other Inuit languages. Its name is pronounced similar to ka-lah-tlee-soot, and it is spoken by more than 50,000 Greenlanders today.

In fact, Greenland is the only country or territory in North America which has an indigenous language as its only national language. (Danish used to be an official language as well, since Greenland was colonized by Denmark and is still officially part of their kingdom-- but Native Greenlanders established self-rule in 2009 and they chose Greenlandic as their national language at that time.)

Greenland is also tied with Paraguay for the country or territory where the largest percentage of indigenous language speakers live. Around 90% of the island's population can speak Greenlandic fluently.

The original inhabitants of the area that is now Greenland include:

The Greenlandic Inuit

Recommended books about Greenland's Native Americans:
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*Local Knowledge: Interesting autobiography and oral history of Greenland by an Inuit elder.
*Living with the Eskimos in Greenland: Book for kids on the history and culture of the Greenland Inuit.
*The Crooning Wind: Collection of poetry by Greenlandic authors, in Kalaallisut with English translation.
*Give Me My Father's Body: An interesting biography of a Greenland Native boy displaced to New York.
*The Native Greenlander: Folktales of Greenland: Book of Greenland Inuit folklore.
The Polar Bear Son: Children's picture book based on a Greenland Inuit legend about a woman who adopted a bear.
Last Night in Nuuk: Contemporary novel about Inuit life in urban Greenland.

Other resources about Inuit history, culture and society in Greenland:

Inuit Circumpolar Council:
    Organization representing Inuit Natives of Greenland, Canada and Alaska.
Indigenous Names of Greenland:
    Map of Inuit villages and other locations in Greenland.
Animals of Greenland:
    Kalaallisut Inuit animal names and photos.
West Greenland Inuit (Kalaallit):
    Articles on the culture and society of the native people of Greenland.
Greenland Inuit in Winter:
    Photo gallery of Inuit life in Greenland.
A Polar Year * Trailer: A Polar Year:
    Movie about a Danish teacher learning to adapt to traditional life in a rural Greenlandic town.
Top Dogs:
    Article on the living tradition of dog sled hunting among the Polar Inuit of Greenland.
How Qajaq Paddling Became Greenland’s Cultural Renewal: * Culture of the Kayak:
    Articles about traditional Greenlandic Native kayaks and paddles.
Igloos * How to Build an Igloo * Sod Houses:
    Information about traditional Inuit types of homes.
*Indians 101: The Arctic Culture Area:
    Article on the original people of the Arctic region, their culture and art.
Seal Soup For Dinner: Greenland's Inuit Cuisine:
    Essay about suaasat and other indigenous food traditions of Greenland.
The Greenland Flag:
    Pictures and symbolism of the national flag of the Greenlandic people.



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