Kangerlussuaq: Evolution and Maturation of a Cultural Landscape in Greenland

Bulletin of Geography. Socio–economic Series No. 24 (2014): 57–69 BULLETIN OF GEOGRAPHY. SOCIO–ECONOMIC SERIES journal homepages: http://www.bulletinofgeography.umk.pl http://www.degruyter.com/view/j/bog ISSN 1732–4254 quarterly Kangerlussuaq: evolution and maturation of a cultural landscape in Greenland Anthony J. DzikCDFPMR Shawnee State University, Department of Social Sciences, 940 2nd St. Portsmouth, Ohio 45662, USA; e-mail: [email protected] How to cite: Dzik, A.J., 2014: Kangerlussuaq: evolution and maturation of a cultural landscape in Greenland. In: Szymańska, D. and Biegańska, J. editors, Bulletin of Geography. Socio-economic Series, No. 24, Toruń: Nicolaus Copernicus University Press, pp. 57–69. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/bog-2014-0014 A bstract. The cultural landscape reflects the composite influences of the regional A rticle details: physical, cultural, and technological environments. It is a dynamic entity which Received: 25 October 2013 evolves over time and the perceptions of its human inhabitants is influential in Revised: 20 January 2014 the process. This paper is a descriptive analysis of Kangerlussuaq, a young but ma- Accepted: 30 January 2014 turing settlement located in west Greenland near the inland ice. The site’s natural resource base did not attract permanent settlement by the Inuit or Scandinavian colonists, but in the early days of the World War II, the American military took advantage of the exceptional flying conditions here and established an air base. In time, civilian functions developed as Kangerlussuaq became the hub for air Key words: travel in Greenland. A transitory utilitarian settlement was eventually transformed cultural landscape, into a more permanent settlement. In recent years there seems to be a growing cultural integration, sense of community and place attachment as the cultural landscape begins to ex- Greenland, hibit more of the components of a real ‘town’. Kangerlussuaq. © 2014 Nicolaus Copernicus University Press. All rights reserved. C ontents: 1. Introduction . 58 2. Materials and methods. ................................................................. 59 3. The physical setting. .................................................................... 59 4. The beginning of a cultural landscape .................................................... 60 5. The cultural landscape in 2013. .......................................................... 63 6. Conclusion ............................................................................ 68 Acknowledgements. ....................................................................... 68 References ............................................................................... 68 © 2014 Nicolaus Copernicus University Press. All rights reserved. 58 Anthony J. Dzik / Bulletin of Geography. Socio-economic Series 24 (2014): 57–69 1. Introduction of the Arctic settlement of Kangerlussuaq (former- ly Søndre Strømfjord) provides a fascinating illus- tration of the interactions involved in the creation, A cultural landscape is a living breathing organism evolution, and maturation of a cultural landscape. that has developed over time and reflects the com- Kangerlussuaq lies about 75 kilometers north of posite influences of the regional physical, cultural, the Arctic Circle in west Greenland. It is the only in- and technological environments (Koreleski, 2007; land settlement in Greenland and consequently does UNESCO, 2013). It is comprised of a physical area not possess the cultural features typical of coastal with natural features and elements modified by hu- places. The settlement at the head of the 190 kilo- man activity that reflect ‘human relationships with meter-long Kangerlussuaq Fjord (Fig. 1) has a rela- and attachment to that landscape’ (Lennon, Mat- tively short history which essentially begins during thews, 1996: 4). Anthropologists have suggested the Second World War when the United States es- that a landscape exists ‘by virtue of its being per- tablished an air base at the location. Over a period ceived, experienced, and contextualised by people’ of 70 years, the location has undergone an evolu- (Knapp, Ashmore, 1999: 1) making human beings tion from military installation to international civil- ‘…just as much part of the landscape they live in as ian airport. As the transition occurred, a ‘real’ town are the so-called “natural” features’ (Johnston, 1998: began to emerge. Over time, a maturing cultur- 61–64). al landscape developed under people and agencies Geographer Carl O. Sauer (1925) adroitly sum- with different intents. This paper presents a descrip- marised the process of the development of a cul- tive analysis of the present-day cultural landscape of tural landscape with these words ‘Culture is the Kangerlussuaq and explains how interplays between agent, the natural area is the medium, the cultur- the physical landscape and human needs and initia- al landscape is the result’. More recently, Wu (2010) tives have created a town unlike other settlements in tells us ‘Landscapes are endowed with, and contin- Greenland. The purpose of this study is to demon- ue to foster the development of cultures, legacies, strate through the story of Kangerlussuaq what Nas- and stories’. Even in the Arctic there remain very sauer (1995: 230) implied when she stated ‘humans few expanses of land which have not been affected not only construct and manage landscapes, they by human cultures and ‘their inputs of energy/mat- also look at them, and they make decisions based ter and/or information’ (Naveh, 1995: 47). The story upon what they see (and know, and feel)’. Fig. 1. Location of Kangerlussuaq. Source: Map designed by author using ArcMap 10 and Microsoft Paint programs Anthony J. Dzik / Bulletin of Geography. Socio-economic Series 24 (2014): 57–69 59 th 2. Materials and methods scriptive analysis in the spirit of the 19 Century geographer Carl Ritter who told us that ‘The earth and its inhabitants stand in the closest mutual relations, An extensive literature review of books and papers and one element cannot be seen in all its phases on the settlement history of Greenland was con- without the others’(Dickinson, Howarth, 1933: 151). ducted to ascertain how the inland settlement of Kangerlussuaq evolved in a different manner than the major coastal settlements on the island. Once 3. The physical setting this was established, a theoretical framework was developed by examining some of what had been written regarding the components and develop- The Greenland ice sheet (continental glacier) occu- ment of cultural landscapes in general. In order to pies the heart of the world’s largest island and cov- integrate theory and the reality of Kangerlussuaq ers about 7/8 of the landmass. Only select parts the author undertook field work in the settlement of the coastal fringe, particularly in the south and during July 2013. Field work incorporated several west, are marginally suitable for human habitation. guided excursions with World of Greenland-Arctic The site of Kangerlussuaq is approximately 25 kil- Circle and independent explorations of the settle- ometers from the edge of the inland ice (Fig. 2). ment and surrounding territory. A series of casu- The settlement is situated upon the alluvial plain al interviews with local residents, airport personnel, of the Qinnguata Kuussua (Watson) River which is and tourists was conducted to gain insight into per- fed by meltwater from the Russell Glacier, a land- sonal perceptions of the settlement and record some terminating outlet of the West Greenland ice sheet. oral history. Upon returning home, the author con- To the north and south the plain is flanked by high- tinued correspondence with several current and lands (elevations up to about 600 m above sea level) former residents and initiated communication with underlain by pre-Cambrian igneous, metamorphic, former American airmen who had been stationed at and migmatic rock. Numerous freshwater and a few Sondrestrom. Then commenced the crafting of a -de saline glacial lakes dot the region. Fig. 2. The Russell Glacier approximately 25 km east of Kangerlussuaq Source: Photograph by the author 60 Anthony J. Dzik / Bulletin of Geography. Socio-economic Series 24 (2014): 57–69 The climate of the Kangerlussuaq region is clas- and to fish the lakes and rivers for arctic char, but sified at ET (polar tundra) in the Köppen system of no permanent settlements were established. Gretel climates. As the site is almost 200 kilometers from Ehrlich relates part of a conversation with an old the sea, the climate here is very continental with Inuit woman who told her ‘Every summer we went a July mean temperature of 11-12°C and a Janu- to Kangerlussuaq…It was good hunting…So many ary mean of minus 20°C. Winter is long and sum- reindeer…’ (Ehrlich, 2001: 13). It was estimated in mer is ephemeral. This is the land of the ‘midnight March of 2000 that over 50,000 reindeer resided sun’ with almost 4 months of continuous daylight within a 26,000 square-kilometer region which in- and over two months of total darkness (Willemse, cluded Kangerlussuaq and environs (Cuyler et al., 2002). Continuous permafrost is found throughout 2002) and an earlier survey reported that ¾ of all the area because of the latitude and the proximity observed reindeer were within 30 kilometers of the to the inland ice. Fog and heavily overcast skies are inland Ice Cap (Strandgaard et al., 1983). exceptional events with the airport experiencing fog From their cultural perspectives, the physi- only 10.7

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