Greenland, a trip to the island "that's not for sale"

Greenland"I think we'll get Greenland because it's really about freedom of the world... And you know what? People don't like the way they've been treated by Denmark. They don't like the way they've been treated by Denmark, and they like us." This is part of the speech the US president delivered in January from Air Force One, which astonished the inhabitants of this vast, remote island near the Arctic.

In Greenland, Trump's words have caused astonishment. The government is currently sourcing metals and rare earths—which the West currently sources from China.

A historically desired land

But this isn't a new story: since the end of the 19th century, the United States has looked toward the Arctic with a quiet but persistent ambition, plotting in its strategic imagination the possibility of extending its dominion over Greenland and even Iceland, as if those frozen lands were natural pieces on the board of its width. The purchase of Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million in 1867 not only marked the beginning of its projection in the far north, but also fueled a latent desire to consolidate its presence in the Atlantic and the Arctic, seeing in those cold islands not just a shield, not just a shield.

White and vast, Greenland stretches out beneath a seemingly eternal sky of ice, where the arid tundra and glacier-sculpted fjords whisper ancient stories of resilience. Part of Denmark, but with a soul of its own, it is the land of the Inuit, guardians of a world where the cold is not an enemy, but a part of life. In its coastal villages, surrounded by snow-capped mountains and frozen seas, fishing and hunting still sustain the economy, with boats sailing through waters teeming with cod and hunters who, with ancestral skill, pursue seals and narwhals. New generations are leading a resurgence of Inuit pride, recovering traditions that predate the island's Christianization in the 18th century, in a new form of identity assertion. We visit the most important sites on this island, which is currently at the center of the international media storm.

With over 2,000 inhabitants, Tasiilaq is the largest and most populous town on the east coast of Greenland. It is located on the island of Angmagssalik, sheltered in a bay at the foot of a cliff. gigantic mountains. An idyllic postcard of one of the most beautiful landscapes in the country, which remains isolated by ice throughout the winter. Its green meadows, dotted with colorful houses, come alive in summer. The snow-capped mountain peaks stretch toward seemingly endless skies, at the foot of the Mittivakkat Glacier. Locals spend their time dog-sledding, exploring ice caves, and hiking to the glacier. We disembark our zodiacs and prepare for a trekking Through Flower Valley, leaving from the city center and skirting a picturesque cemetery filled with white crosses and artificial flowers. We follow the marked path, which gently rises, until we reach an impressive waterfall and lake, which we turn around before returning on the opposite side. An excellent introduction to the excursions that await us.

Fjords and polar bears

Following the sea route south, we reach Prince Christian Sound, one of the highlights of the trip. It's a 500-meter-wide fjord, flanked by towering cliffs, connecting the Labrador Sea with some inland towns on the continent. One of these towns is Aapilattoq, with only 130 inhabitants, protected under the shelter of a prominent rock. Here we discover the daily life of the Inuit population, who continue to dedicate themselves primarily to hunting and fishing. Their choral singing in the church resonates loudly and is a prelude to a subsequent hike that will take us to discover the most spectacular views of the surrounding area from above, where the colorful houses scattered throughout the valley almost resemble a model.

Nanortalik It means "the place of polar bears," and while it's true that some travelers who accompanied us were able to see them, the rest of us were left wanting more. A strange law imposed by the local government and upheld by the Danish government requires tourists to leave any place where a polar bear is located, although, contradictorily, it also grants the local population the power to hunt and eat them, a peculiar way of protecting this species. The city center is surrounded by the crystal-clear waters of the Tasermiuti Fjord, full of colorful houses. Traditionally, these houses were painted according to their purpose: shops were red, hospitals yellow, police stations black, and fishermen's houses blue. Now all this is history, and everyone paints them however they want.

In the afternoon we visited the hot springs of Uunartoq, fed by hot water sources from underground that allow bathing at any time of the year, with pleasant temperatures ranging between 34 and 38 ºC. A unique experience in a completely natural and wild environment covered in vegetation that invites you to relax while enjoying contemplating the icebergs adrift and, if you're lucky, even the passage of a whale.

Qaqortoq is the largest town in South Greenland and has one of the most important fishing ports in the area. Here, travelers can visit the surrounding bay and the museum, located in the oldest building in town, a colonial house built in 1804. Its museum focuses on the history of the Norse settlers, featuring an important collection of harpoons from the period. After returning to the boat and replenishing our strength, we visited the ruins of Hvalsey Church, built in the early 12th century and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Some travelers took the opportunity to enjoy kayaking in the fjord, a privileged spot overlooking the surrounding meadows.

Majestic and resilient, Greenland remains a priceless frozen treasure, a land of untamed beauty where glaciers sparkle beneath the Northern Lights and Inuit culture keeps its heritage alive in a changing world. Its riches are measured not only by natural resources, but also by the strength of its people, the purity of its landscapes, and the history woven between the ice and the sea. Although foreign eyes may gaze upon it with lust, Greenland is not for sale—as its inhabitants make clear—because it represents a symbol of identity and a territory that only its own people have the right to forge and decide its future.