Greenland: Tasilaq – Ammassalik Museum

The Ammassalik Museum is a small but very interesting cultural institution in Tasiilaq, located in the town’s original church building. Ii opened as a museum in 1990. It features a fascinating collection of artifacts showcasing Inuit history and culture in East Greenland, from pre-European contact life to the impacts of colonization around 1880. Highlights include traditional tools, clothing (like polar bear skin trousers), sledges, and a full-scale umiaq (traditional skin boat). But by far the most interesting are tupilaks – whale and walrus bone carvings. Tupilak are small, intricately carved figures traditionally made by Inuit shamans to ward off evil spirits or harm enemies. Tupilak were once sacred objects, but now they are mostly viewed as art. Also not far from museum is a little workshop where clothing I teams are made from seal skin – mittens, shoes, hats, and so on – an amazing little factory.