greenland and Canada Find Common Ground Amidst External Concerns
NUUK, Greenland – A recent surge in solidarity between Greenland and Canada is taking shape as both nations navigate anxieties surrounding potential external interference, particularly following former U.S. President Donald Trump’s past interest in acquiring Greenland and ongoing discussions about expanding U.S. influence in the Arctic. The growing connection is rooted in shared inuit heritage and a mutual desire for self-determination.
The strengthening ties are particularly notable online, with Canadians voicing strong support for Greenland on social media platforms. This outpouring of support comes as Greenlanders express concerns about external pressures, including the idea of Canada becoming a 51st U.S. state – a concept mirroring anxieties about potential annexation.”You see [on] Facebook, you can see that the people in Canada are very with us, thinking about Trump [wanting] to buy Greenland … [wanting] Canada as a 51st state,” said Frederik Fuuja Larsen, curator of the Greenland National Museum and Archives. “we’re in the same boat, actually, Greenland and canada.”
The relationship extends far beyond recent political anxieties. Archaeological evidence and genealogical connections reveal deep historical and familial links between the people of Greenland, canada, and Alaska. Larsen, an archaeologist himself, points to the shared ancestry of the Thule Inuit people, who are the direct ancestors of modern Inuit populations across the three regions. “Our direct ancestors … the Thule Inuit people, are the same people who also live in Canada and Alaska now,” he explained.”So we are very tied with these people – we are actually families,the Arctic people in Canada and Alaska and Greenland.”
This sense of kinship is amplified by the geographical proximity of the two nations. Larsen notes that archaeological dig sites along Greenland’s coast are often within visual range of Canada. The current wave of support from Canada, a large and geographically close country, is thus particularly reassuring. “These waves of supporting each other – somehow it feels very safe, actually,” Larsen said.
The growing bond between Greenland and Canada underscores the importance of Arctic cooperation and self-determination as the region faces increasing global attention and potential geopolitical challenges.
