Qullissat: Historicising and Localising the Danish Scramble for the Arctic

In what might be described as the scramble for the contemporary scramble for the Arctic, it is easily forgotten that the region contains many examples of previous, more isolated scrambles from whose histories we might learn something pertinent to the current one. In our case study, we focus on the mining town of Qullissat and its closure in 1972, but we also examine its aftermath as a vibrant cultural, social, and political trope in Greenland. Founded in 1924, Qullissat in time grew to become one of Greenland’s largest towns with a modern, prosperous, dynamic and inventive society. As a symbol of the disastrous effects of the Danish modernisation of Greenland, Qullissat’s closure became a significant trigger in the movement towards Home Rule. For the local residents of Qullissat, the displacement from homes, families, and friends led to disruption and despair. This case study examines the legacy of Qullissat as a symbol of the colonial relationship and its continuing impact on Greenland today, offering a localised perspective on the intricate connections between colonial, postcolonial, and neocolonial forces’ influence on Greenlandic people and their environments.