Trump's interest in Greenland sparked feelings in the Arctic

Trump's interest in Greenland sparked feelings in the Arctic

nuuk, Greenland - lately the new international airport in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, has experienced a rusty hustle and bustle. Journalists, like me, have set off to get to the bottom of the question, why Greenland is increasingly focusing on.

The reason for the interest in Greenland

The great interest in Greenland is partly due to the ambitions of former US President Donald Trump to get control of the huge island. Geographically, Greenland belongs to North America, but legally it is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, which is a member of NATO, the European Union and an ally of the United States.

a conversation with Tom Dans

I had the opportunity to speak to Tom Dans, an investor in the area of ​​private equity, who is involved in the USA interest in the United States and who supported Trump. I hadn't expected a meeting at the airport. Dans is a great Texan with a broad smile that shows many wealthy Americans. He also wore a baseball cap with the American flag motif.

After I met him, I went outside into the cold, which was milder with minus 10 degrees Celsius than what I would experience later a week. Together with my CNN colleague Neil Bennett we trudged through the snow to a long line for taxis.

The residents of Greenland and their opinion

Lisbeth Højdal, a Danish consultant who heads a course for professional consultants here. She stated: "You are here for Trump." I could not quite interpret whether this was a statement or an indictment and confirmed politely. She explained that more tourists should come to Greenland, but it lacks taxis. Although the taxis are indeed rare, they stay on a short route between the airport and the city center of Nuuk, which is about 6 kilometers away, which is not far when you consider that Greenland has only about 90 kilometers of paved roads.

The colonial history of Greenland

The views of the Danes are diverse within Greenland. Qupanuk Olsen, known as the "Greenland's largest influencer", talks about the historical relationship with Denmark. She tells that many Greenlanders have the feeling that the Danes are looked down and that the Danish government is often seen as the great savior of Greenland. Olsen uses social media to present the culture of the Inuit, which make up almost 90% of the Greenlandic population, worldwide.

the desire for independence

When visiting the statue of the "mother of the sea", a striking sculpture in Nuuk, Olsen expresses her wish to remove the statue of Hans Eggede, a Danish missionary of the 18th century. She asks, "Why should he stand up here? Why not a Greenlander?" This discussion underlines the ongoing colonial memory in Greenlandic society.

The balance between Denmark and the USA

Do the Greenlanders really want to get under control of the USA? While some, like Olsen, advocate independence, emphasizes AQQALU C. Jerimiasassen, the chairman of the Atassut party anchored in Denmark, that most Greenlanders do not want to give up the social advantages that Denmark offers. "We could be ready at some point, but not today, not tomorrow," he says, and thus addresses the complex relationship of Greenland to Denmark.

The future of Greenland

Greenland will be faced with elections, which may provide information about the opinions of the population on the future relationship with the world. Lisbeth Højdal, which I met at the airport, says: "The future of Greenland should be determined by the Greenlanders, not by someone else." She hopes that Greenland will not become a circus while it is dealing with the turbulent political developments in the United States.

This article was supplemented by CNN’s Neil Bennett with further information.