Warm and Welcoming Traditions
Itilleq, Greenland
September 19, 2026
We are now north of the Arctic Circle! The tiny town of Itilleq (pronounced E-teeth-La) is on an island at the mouth of the Itilleq Fjord. It has approximately 100 people and is about 1.2 miles north of the Arctic Circle. The city does not have a natural source of fresh water, so they use a facility to convert seawater into drinking water. The Fjord is known for the dramatic mountain landscapes and local wildlife.
Fun Facts
Most of the dogs here are working sled dogs and visitors are not allowed to pet them. Working dogs are typically tied up near the owner's home.
The language here is partially non-verbal. For example - they don't say "yes", they raise their eyebrows, and to say "No" they crinkle their nose.
One of the cultural traditions in Itilleq is called a Kaffemik. Families and friends gather in a home for coffee or tea and pastries. Our shore excursion today included a Kaffemik at a local resident's home. The house was small and we sat in their living area while enjoying some tea and homemade pastries. We were told not to feel the need to talk the whole time because culturally the locals tend to just sit quietly and relax. The walls of the house were covered in family pictures and their grand-daughter (around 3 years old) joined us. At one point during our visit, the grandfather used his phone to translate into English some information about the pictures we saw on the wall and scrolling on the television screen. No pictures of the family or inside the house were taken out of respect for their cultural norms. Below is the outside of the house. The grandfather is a hunter and fisherman, which explains the many deer antlers outside the house. Sustenance hunting and fishing is a vital part of the culture, and necessary for survival, especially when there are no roads into the town to bring supplies. Additionally, parts of the bay may freeze during the winter blocking anotherss means of supply delivery.
More pictures of the town:
We traveled from our ship into town on a Zodiac boat. Once docked, we were free to roam the town as long as we stayed on the trails.
Pictures of the surrounding area:
Dogs of the Day - Greenland sled dogs
Birds of the Day:
Karen and Nancy in our warm clothes!
Tomorrow we will be in Illulissat, a town at the edge of Greenland's UNESCO-listed Icefjord. We hope to learn more about how Innuit traditions have adapted to the frozen environment over thousands of years. Burrrrr! We are so glad to have appropriate gear to help keep us warm.
What a beautiful place! And you found Holly’s cousins!
Question about the facial expressions to communicate. What happens if you get Bells Palsy?!
Loved the first picture of the homes, mountian with no snow and the other mountain full of snow beautiful picture. The sled dogs are beautiful I bet it took bunches of will power not to pet them, and the little bird with red on its forehead amazing. Stay warm.