Settlements

Nuuk municipality has two remaining settlements apart from the main town of Nuuk. Both settlements are thriving small communities, each with their own church, school and grocery store. The inhabitants of the two settlements of Nuuk live mainly by fishing and hunting.

KAPISILLIT

Kapisillit - population. 113 (1999)
 
The settlement Kapisillit is one of the very few fishing and hunting communities which is situated inland. Kapisillit is beautifully placed app. 75 kilometres from Nuuk, deep inside the mighty fjord system of Nuuk.
 
Kapisillit literally means 'the salmon'. As almost all Greenlandic place names, the name describes a special feature of the place. For 'Kapisillit', the name refers to the fact that the only spawning-ground for salmon in Greenland is a river near the settlement. The Kapisillit area is perfect for angling, as well as shorter and longer hikes. The most popular routes are undoubtedly the short hike from Kapisillit to the edge of the astonishing icefjord, Kangersuneq, the route along the Kapisillit fjord to the former reindeer farm at Itinnera and the 2-3 days hike from Kapisillit through a valley to the Ameralla Fjord.
 
In Kapisillit it is possible to stay in a small hostel-like cabin in the vicinity of the settlement or a house in the centre of Kapisillit. Both can be booked through Nuuk Tourism.

QEQERTARSUATSIAAT

- population. 266 (1999)
 
The settlement Qeqertarsuatsiaat/Fiskenaesset lies right at the coastline toward the great Davis Strait, app. 150 kilometres south of Nuuk. The Greenlandic name means 'the quite large island'.
Qeqertarsuatsiaat was founded by the Danish merchant Anders Olsen in 1754 as a trading post. From here the Royal Danish Trading Company (KGH) could trade skins and blubber off the Greenlandic hunters in the area.
 
It is told that in the old days, the people of Qeqertarsuatsiaat wondered, as each year, a strange glitter appeared in the fjord during late summer. It was later discovered that this glittering in fact was thousands of salmon making their way to the spawning-grounds.
In the years following this discovery salmon contributed substantially to local economy. Today however salmon is mostly caught for private consumption or for sale at the local markets - smoked or fresh.
 
Qeqertarsuatsiaat is much famed for the local women's beautiful handmade skin-purses made with complicated skin-embroideries.
In the area it is possible to find the small but very nice Fiskenaes-rubies.
 
It is possible to stay in Qeqertarsuatsiaat, contact Nuuk Tourism for information or booking.

Last changed 21-07-2004