A Description of Greenland

In Short

A Description of Greenland is a comprehensive, mid-18th-century survey of the geography, natural history, and culture of the Greenlandic people. Written by a missionary who lived among them for twenty-five years, it serves as both a scientific observation of an Arctic environment and a colonial-era effort to understand the Inuit way of life. It has lasted as a primary record for historians and anthropologists, offering a rare, detailed window into a remote society before it was fundamentally reshaped by external influence and trade.

The Story

The narrative begins with a scholarly inquiry into the mysterious "Old Greenland"—the vanished Norwegian colonies that once thrived in the country’s eastern regions. The author sifts through contradictory medieval chronicles, debating whether these settlers truly disappeared due to plague or if they still exist in some inaccessible, ice-locked valley. This historical uncertainty sets the tone for the entire work: Greenland is presented as a land of "invincible sterility and perpetual frost," where truth is often obscured by legend and the physical impossibility of travel.

As the book shifts from history to personal observation, the focus turns to the physical reality of the landscape. The author provides a meticulous examination of the flora, fauna, and climate, detailing everything from scurvy grass—hailed as a miracle cure—to the complex migration patterns of whales and seals. The text frames the struggle for existence in this environment as an absolute, uncompromising reality. There is no sentimentality here; the landscape is depicted as a place where the primary human occupation is a relentless, seasonal hunt for sustenance.

The second half of the book moves from the environment to the people. The author describes the traditional Greenlandic lifestyle with a mix of curiosity and cultural distance. He catalogs their social customs, dress, diet, and even the nuances of their language, providing an exhaustive account of how they navigate their world. He observes their unique hospitality—noting how they share resources in common—and contrasts this favorably against the selfishness he perceives in European society.

However, the narrative is not merely ethnographic. A significant portion is dedicated to the author’s spiritual mission. He analyzes the religion, superstition, and astronomical beliefs of the people, seeking to understand their capacity for the Christian faith. He details the influence of the angekkuts—the traditional spiritual leaders—and the role of folklore in explaining natural phenomena like thunder and the aurora.

The story concludes with an argument for the potential of the country. Despite the harsh climate and the failures of past expeditions to establish enduring trade or colonial outposts, the author maintains a hopeful perspective. He argues that with the right approach, the country can be integrated into the wider world, not only for economic gain but for the moral and spiritual elevation of its inhabitants. It is a work that captures the intersection of exploration, science, and the missionary impulse, documenting a world as it was understood at the very moment the modern era began to encroach upon it.

How It Unfolds

The historical mystery The text opens by parsing ancient Scandinavian chronicles to determine the fate of early Norwegian settlements. It juxtaposes legends of fertile valleys against the harsh reality of the ice, establishing the central tension of the book.

The natural survey The author provides an exhaustive catalog of the Arctic environment, describing the behavior of sea mammals and the utility of native plants. He treats the landscape as a logistical puzzle, noting which bays offer shelter and which currents facilitate survival.

The life of the people The middle chapters shift to the inhabitants, documenting their housing, diet, and social structures. The author pays particular attention to the tools used for hunting, highlighting the ingenuity required to sustain life in a treeless, frozen expanse.

The spiritual landscape The final section examines the belief systems of the Greenlanders, from their complex mythology to their practices of mourning. The author concludes by analyzing how these beliefs might eventually align with European religious frameworks.

The People

The primary voice is that of the author, a missionary whose perspective is defined by his twenty-five-year immersion in the region. He is a man of his time, holding firm to his own religious convictions, yet he displays an observant, often generous eye toward the people he encounters. He is the bridge between two worlds, attempting to translate the logic of an Arctic culture for a European audience.

The Greenlanders, or "Innuits," are the subjects of his study, depicted as incredibly resourceful survivors. They are shown as masters of their environment, possessing a deep knowledge of the sea and the ice that the author openly admires. They are not one monolithic group; the text distinguishes between the ordinary people, who prioritize the communal sharing of food and warmth, and the angekkuts, the spiritual figures who command respect through their purported ability to influence the weather and the success of the hunt.

The author also notes the presence of the illiseersut, or "witches," who represent the darker, feared side of local superstition, and whose existence highlights the community's internal struggle with those suspected of causing harm. Throughout the work, these figures are presented not as primitive tropes, but as active participants in a complex, functioning society. The author’s own goal—to bring his version of enlightenment to these people—stands in contrast to the Greenlanders' desire to maintain their traditional methods of survival and belief.

In Its Own Voice

"It is pleasant to contemplate that sentiment, which attaches us to our native land, operating alike in all regions and climes, and attaching the human being to a country of almost invincible sterility and perpetual frost, as well as to one where there are the richest products and the most genial seasons."

The author reflects on the profound human connection to home after describing how native Greenlanders perished in a desperate attempt to swim back to their shore.

"They have most things in common; and if there be any among them (as it will happen) who cannot work or get his livelihood, they do not let him starve, but admit him freely to their table, in which they confound us Christians, who suffer so many poor and distressed mortals to perish for want of victuals."

The author expresses humility and surprise when comparing the communal generosity of the Greenlanders to the social indifference he observed in European cities.

What It's Really About

The book functions as an inquiry into the nature of civilization and the adaptability of the human spirit. It asks how, and why, people survive in the most inhospitable corners of the globe. At its core, the text is a study of cultural collision; it examines the tension between a rigid, foreign religious framework and a sophisticated, indigenous philosophy that is perfectly attuned to the local climate. It questions the arrogance of the observer, constantly measuring the "civilized" world against the practical, often superior, communal ethics of the Greenlanders. Ultimately, it is a meditation on the limits of human knowledge, as the author continually struggles to reconcile the maps and legends of the past with the cold, shifting truth of the Arctic.

Why Read It Today

Readers who appreciate the history of exploration and the development of ethnographic writing will find this book essential. It is a work of immense patience and detail, written by someone who did not merely pass through but lived for decades in the environment he describes. The experience of reading it is like looking at a meticulously rendered map of a vanished world; the prose is calm and authoritative, even when the author describes things that seem impossible, such as the rituals of the angekkuts or the mythical origins of the weather.

However, modern readers must be prepared for the author’s period-specific attitudes. His primary motivation is conversion, and his perspective is undeniably shaped by 18th-century European sensibilities, which can manifest as condescension toward local beliefs. Furthermore, the book includes anecdotes about "monsters" and folklore that reflect the author's own cultural biases and the limitations of his era’s science. Despite these hurdles, the book remains a rewarding read for its sheer commitment to observation. It captures a specific moment in the history of the Arctic, preserving the language, customs, and daily life of a people before they were irrevocably changed by the reach of the outside world. It is a testament to the enduring power of human adaptation.