Souvenirs from Greenland
Despite being named Greenland, this autonomous region is mostly covered by an ice sheet. The Inuit tribes located on this frosty island have adapted over 4000 years to the climate, turning natural resources into works of art. Souvenirs from Greenland are indicative of this lifestyle, such as intricately carved Tupilaks, created from walrus tusk or reindeer antler. Originally believed to bring misfortune to your enemies, these grotesquely shaped animals are popular with Greenlandic visitors. Native artisan workshops also sell leather woven belts called avittat, carved bead necklaces and pendants, and soapstone carvings. Motifs to look for are whale flukes, believed to hold magical powers, and ulus. An ulu is a women's knife, and is often represented in miniature form. Greenland's natural resources also include a vast array of gemstones, like moonstone, garnets, rubies, lapis lazuli and the poetically named Reindeer's Blood. This bubble gum pink stone is also known as tugtupite, and is found only in Greenland.
Greenland: Vikings, Adventures, Memories
Greenland received its somewhat deceiving moniker from the Viking, Eric the Red. Banished from Iceland for murder, he, his family and his servants left to find a rumored paradise that existed to the northwest. They named their new lands "Greenland" to entice people to settle in this somewhat remote and harsh climate. Today, visitors are enticed by the wilderness to snowshoe, ski, dogsled, hunt, and fish in the cold temperatures. Ketil Mountain is a popular destination for mountain climbing, with a peak that climbs over 2000 meters over the fjords. On the coastlines, you can explore the undersides of glaciers through scuba diving. For night owls, an excursion to see the Northern Lights undulate across the sky is an amazing journey to remind you of the wonders of creation. The memories of your once in a lifetime adventures are, perhaps, one of the best Greenlandic souvenirs you can take home.
