Hundreds of Kayaks Celebrate Greenland in Copenhagen Harbour on the UN’s International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples
Hundreds of kayaks, Greenlandic flags, music and cultural performances will fill Copenhagen Harbour on 9 August as Support Greenland and ActionAid Denmark mark the UN’s International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. The event celebrates Greenlandic culture and aims to strengthen the bonds between Greenland and Denmark.
Danes and Inuit/Greenlanders will paddle together through the city in a large kayak parade, creating new encounters and celebrating the cultural ties between the two countries.
“Kayaks are a powerful symbol of Greenlandic culture and identity. For thousands of years, they have been closely connected to life in Greenland. At the same time, kayaking is a popular recreational activity in Denmark, and interest in Greenland and Greenlandic culture is growing. The kayak therefore provides a natural meeting point for bringing people together, creating dialogue and strengthening the sense of community between Greenland and Denmark,” says Julie Rademacher, Director of Support Greenland.
Performances and Greenlandic drum dancing on the water
Leading the parade will be the performance duo Inuanima together with Greenlandic-Danish musician and masked dancer Aviaja Lumholdt aboard a floating raft. Along the route, the raft will stop at Nordatlantens Brygge, Ofelia Square and Sandkaj in Nordhavn, where Inuanima will present concerts and performances for both participants and spectators along the waterfront.
Drawing on Greenlandic myths, drum dancing and contemporary musical expressions, the performances will create an immersive and atmospheric experience that ties the day’s celebration together.
Kayakers from the Greenlandic kayak club Qajak Copenhagen will participate in traditional, self-built Greenlandic kayaks. At Nordatlantens Brygge, visitors can also gain unique insights into Greenlandic kayaking traditions as kayak builder Svend Ulstrup demonstrates how an original Greenlandic kayak is constructed.
The parade starts at Nordatlantens Brygge, passes Ofelia Square and continues to Sandkaj in Nordhavn.
The event is open to everyone. Participants can join the parade in their own or a rented kayak, while spectators can experience the festivities from the waterfront at Nordatlantens Brygge, Ofelia Square and Sandkaj.
A celebration of respect and solidarity
The Kayak Parade for Greenland is organised in close partnership with canal tour operator Stromma, which will fly Greenlandic flags on all of its canal tour boats on the day.
The event is organised in collaboration with, among others, The Greenlandic House in Copenhagen, Qajak Copenhagen, the Government of Greenland, Kayak Bar, the Danish Canoe and Kayak Federation, Kulturdistriktet, By & Havn, Kajakhotellet and Stromma.
“The pressure on Greenland has strengthened the bonds within the Kingdom of Denmark. Earlier this year, nearly 50,000 people took to the streets in Danish and Greenlandic towns and cities in solidarity with Greenland. We are seeing a strong desire for a closer and more equal relationship between Danes and Greenlanders. Through this kayak parade, we want to turn that support into concrete meeting places, cultural exchanges and shared experiences. The parade is a celebration of Greenland and a symbol of respect and solidarity”
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