그린란드
국제워크캠프 7-8월
그린란드에서 열리는 국제워크캠프입니다.
북극의 대자연과 그린란드 내부의 지역 문화와 정신을 알고 싶으신 참가자분들의 많은 참여바랍니다. 현지 참가비는 덴마크, 코펜하겐에서부터 그린란드까지의 왕복 항공료가 포함되어 있습니다. 자세한 내용은 아래를 확인하세요.
마감일:4월30일까지
사무국
----------------------------------------------------
MS/44 Qaqortoq, South Greenland 03.07.2004 – 02.08.2004
MS/43 Nuuk – at the Island Uummannaq inside the Fjord of Godthaab 03.07.04 – 02.08.04
MS/42 Ivittuut - former mine settlement in Arsuk Fjord.03.07.2004 – 02.08.2004
MS/41 Aasiaat - abandoned settlement of Manermiu 03.07.04 – 02.08.04
-------------------------------------------------------
MS/44 Qaqortoq, South Greenland
Location: In the town of Qaqortoq situated in the green and fertile South
Greenland.
Dates: 03.07.2004 – 02.08.2004
Arrival Copenhagen – in the evening for registration: July 2nd 2004.
Volunteers: 8-10
Participation fee: Euro 1242
Project: Qaqortoq Museum is in the process of building up a TELE-Museum as a specialised permanent exhibition. It is going to open in the spring of 2004. The TELE-Museum is established in the old telegraph station of Qaqortoq. This was the main telegraph station for the whole of Greenland when radiotelegraphy was introduced in the 1920ies. The area around the new Museum, as well as the access ways, need a shine up, and this will be the main project of the workcamp. The buildings are beautifully placed on the hills on the southwestern outskirts of town and working on the TELE-Museum will definitely offer the most excellent views of the town and area.
If time allows, another component in the workcamp project in Qaqortoq will be working on a path around a 12-km long trek along the shores of the lake ‘Taserssuaq’. This is a big lake, which extend itself all the way into Qaqortoq town.
Area: The green and fertile South and Southwest Greenland was the area in Greenland where the Norsemen settled and established their colonies when they came to Greenland in the late 10th century. As a consequence, the area around Qaqortoq bears many witnesses of the Norsemen history in Greenland. This is unlike the situation in the rest of Greenland, where the remnants of human history are mainly the remains of successive Inuit cultures, and, later on, of European whalers and traders.
The immediate surrounding of Qaqortoq offers beautiful recreational possibilities with, amongst other things, the possibility to go fishing in ‘Taserssuaq’. A speciality of Qaqortoq is the “Stone and Man” art project. You will meet it when you stroll around the town and surroundings in the shape of stone carvings and other art projects carried out by, among other, the famous Greenland artist, Aka Høegh.
The town of Qaqortoq: The inhabitants of Qaqortoq municipality numbers around 3.400 including three settlements, which belongs to the municipality. The city has all modern facilities, such as tourist information, library, internet-café, shops, bakery, disco, restaurant and hospital. It is the biggest town in South Greenland, and as such, regarded as the South-Greenland “capital”. Among other productions, the town houses the biggest tannery in Greenland where seal furs are produced.
Qaqortoq town is situated in the south of Greenland around 5 hours by boat from Narsarsuaq, which is the gateway and entrance to South Greenland from the rest of the world. The trip from Narsarsuaq to Qaqortoq the workcampgroup will make by coastal ferry. A ferry trip in Greenland is a great way to get an immediate impression of the grand nature of Greenland, and as such, it is the perfect way to arrive to a workcamp.
Work: On the TELE-Museum the workcamp will be doing a number of different tasks. They will establish an access path, renovate already existing stone steps of a stairway, and construct a platform in wood outside the museum (for tables and chairs for the visitors of the Museum). They will also collect old building materials and other things left behind in the surroundings of the Museum.
The track around ‘Taserssuaq’ is used very much by the local population for walking, jogging, mountain biking etc. It takes about 3-4 hours to walk around the lake. Since the track needs a bit of maintenance, the work on this project will be to fill in gravel and stone in the path to make it more easy to walk.
Accommodation: At the student’s dorm in Qaqortoq, which has all modern facilities; central heating, kitchen, shower facilities, living room, washing machine etc.
Suggested spare time activities: Excursions to Hvalsey ruins from the late 10th century, the most extensive and best-preserved Norse ruins in Greenland. Excursions to Upernaviarsuk, an agricultural research stations where different crops are tried out for eventual production. Other possible excursions are: visits to waterfall, inactive glacier, bird cliff etc. The area around Qaqortoq in general is perfect for one or several day hikes in the neighbourhood placed as it is on the mainland with wide areas to explore.
Please notice:
In case of less than 8 volunteers on your camp it might be cancelled. In this case you are offered a seat on another camp in Greenland or the refund of your payment.
MS/43 Nuuk – at the Island Uummannaq inside the Fjord of Godthaab
Location: Island of Uummannaq, inside the Fjord of Godthaab, 3 hours by boat from Nuuk
Dates: 03.07.04 – 02.08.04
Arrival Copenhagen - in the evening for registration: July 2nd 2004 –
Volunteers: 8-10
Participation fee: Euro 1586
Project: Nuuk municipality is involved in renovating a former Morovian (hernnhut) mission station on the island of Uummannaq. The Morovian mission station consists in two buildings, a church and another small building. The island is situated deep inside the beautiful fjord of Nuuk three hours by boat from Nuuk, the capital of Greenland. Previous years many different volunteers have spend a marvellous summer on this island working on the church. It is the 6th time there will be a workcamp on Uummannaq Island.
A group of Greenlanders who are working for the municipality in a project will begin the project early in the summer and take part in the work along with the volunteers of the workcamp. The meeting between the Greenlanders and the workcampers, living and working together on the Island of Uummannaq is an important part of the workcamp.
Area: The island Uummannaq that mean “the heart shaped” is situated in the 120-km-long Nuuk fjord around 60 km. from Nuuk in direct line. On the middle of the island, there are a 390m high dome-shaped cliff sloping gradually downwards with pretty steep shores except one place where a former settlement and now the old Morovian mission station is situated.
The town of Nuuk: Nuuk is the capital of Greenland and is situated at one of Greenland’s most beautiful fjords, the Fjord of Godthaab. Nuuk’s original Danish name Godthåb or "Good Hope" was bestowed by its founder, Hans Egede. The town was founded as a mission and trading company in 1728. Between 1950 and today the town gained most of its present 14.000 inhabitants because of the very fast growth of an industrialised, and later on knowledge society in Greenland.
Nuuk has everything you can expect from a metropolis: Cafe’s, supermarkets, nightlife, and a cultural centre with theatre and cinema. Since December 2003 it even has a public swimming bath. The workcamp will start and end in Nuuk – while the project itself will take place in Uummannaq. The volunteers will therefore spend a few days both in the beginning and in the end of the workcamp experiencing Nuuk.
There is a long tradition of workcamps in Nuuk. The municipality has hosted workcamp on changing projects 12 times, the first time being in 1976.
Work: Past years workcamps have been involved in the process of dismantling the church and a small building on Uummannaq. The last two years the rebuilding of the church has started. Both houses are going to be rebuilt and restored as far as possible by this year's participants. Among other things, the church needs a new roof. There is a carpenter on the project who will instruct both the participants.
Accommodation: Will be in a house and in tents in the old mission station on the island of Uummannaq. Here there are a kitchen and all facilities need to cook (gas burners and oven) in a large military tent. There are “bag-toilets” and mattresses to sleep on, whether you sleep in the houses or in tents. There are no showers, but you can always heat up water for a wash, or wash yourself in the small water ponds around the island.
Suggested spare time activities: The island is quite isolated but boat trips will be organised to the nearby settlement Kapisillit (‘salmon’), a small settlement with around 110 inhabitants. Past years the volunteers have arranged a hiking trip to reach the inland ice cap. This trip lasts around four days. Other obvious activities are small hikes on the island, fishing, sailing in the fjord etc.
Please notice:
In case of less than 8 volunteers on your camp it might be cancelled. In this case you are offered a seat on another camp in Greenland or the refund of your payment.
MS/41 Aasiaat - abandoned settlement of Manermiut
Location: Abandoned settlement of Manermiut, 25 kilometres south-west of the town of Aasiaat in the Disko Bay on the West Coast of Greenland.
Dates: 03.07.04 – 02.08.04
Arrival Copenhagen – in the evening for registration: July 2nd 2004
Volunteers: 8-10
Participation fee: Euro 1462
Project: The camp takes place in the abandoned settlement Manermiut. The settlement was abandoned and all the inhabitants moved to neighbouring towns in 1961. Four houses were left in Manermiut the rest were moved along with the inhabitants. The project consists in renovation of some of the abandoned houses.
Manermiut had around 70 inhabitants. For those people who were born in Manermiut who are still alive, the settlement bears great value, and it is a place many people return to visit with great pleasure. Aasiaat Municipality who wishes to keep the place as a resort for the inhabitants of Aasiaat and surroundings takes care of the maintenance of Manermiut. The houses are used by the different schools in Aasiaat for summer camps and excursions and by Aasiaat Tourist Service for kayak tourists during summertime, dogsled tourists during wintertime. By renovating the houses, the camp supports local tourism in Aasiaat and creates a beautiful resort for schoolchildren and for the local people in general, people whom often drop by Manermiut for a picnic during summertime.
Area: Aasiaat is known as “Town of the Whales”. This is due to the many whales you can experience when sailing in the sheltered waters of the archipelago around Aasiaat. The most frequent visitors are fin whales, the lesser rorqual and humpbacks, and sometimes it is possible to spot killer whales. It is also often possible to spot seals in the waters around Manermiut, and cod fishing from open boat is an activity well rewarded at the same time as it is suited to supplement the daily diet in the camp. On the big island, Saqqaliup Nunaa, where Manermiut is placed you find snow hare, foxes and musk oxen.
Because of the sheltered waters of the archipelago, Aasiaat is a region of Greenland where kayaking in recent years has become a big thing. Placed at the mouth of the Disco Bay, according to the prevailing currents, you have big icebergs from the Ilulissat glacier passing Aasiaat and Manermiut – a truly beautiful sight.
The town of Aasiaat: Has around 3100 inhabitants, settlements of the municipality not included. This makes Aasiaat the second largest town in the Disco Bay. It is a modern town with all modern facilities and - as for all cities in Greenland - fishing plays a big part in the economy. Aasiaat has a shrimp and crab factory and also a shipbuilding yard plus a number of service institutions. The town is the education centre of Northern Greenland with institutions such as an upper secondary school and a school for the handicapped. The summer of 2004 will be the fifth time in a row, that the municipality of Aasiaat hosts an MS-workcamp.
Work: Painting of the buildings of Manermiut inside as well as outside and a bit of primitive carpentry work. Although welcomed, the volunteers are not expected to be skilled craftsmen (or women). As long as you have the wish to do practical work, also when this means painting and cleaning of buildings, and a willingness to learn, you are qualified.
Accommodation: The volunteers will live in an already renovated building in Manermiut. It will be quite basic, as there will only be primitive "bag toilets" and no electricity. But, at the same time, there will be a stove to keep the house warm at night, bunk beds with mattresses and a basic kitchen with both gas burners and a gas oven. You won’t miss electric light, as artificial light is only needed for a few hours each night because of the midnight sun…
Suggested spare time activities: Hiking and fishing on the Island of Manermiut, Saqqaliup Nunaa which is around 35 by 10 km. It will probably also be possible to arrange kayak rental or kayak trips in Aasiaat. The previous years, the Manermiut camps have also visited Ilulissat on a several day trip. Ilulissat is situated in the middle of a big glacier where the icebergs break from the inland ice cap and sail out to sea. Experiencing the big ice glacier of Ilulissat is like taking part in scenery so beautiful that it is almost impossible to describe. The trip from Manermiut/Aasiaat to Ilulissat is also a very beautiful 10-hour journey where you cross the big Disko Bay by boat or coastal ferry.
Please notice:
In case of less than 8 volunteers on your camp it might be cancelled. In this case you are offered a seat on another camp in Greenland or the refund of your payment.
MS/42 Ivittuut - former mine settlement in Arsuk Fjord.
Location: Ivittuut, a little town in the fjord of Arsuk Southwest Greenland.
An area with some of the oldest mountain ranges in the world.
Dates: 03.07.2004 – 02.08.2004
Arrival Copenhagen – in the evening for registration: July 2nd 2004
Volunteers: 8-10
Participation fee: Euro 1546
Project: The workcamp hosted by Ivittuut Municipality takes place in a former mine settlement, Ivigtut in the Arsuk Fiord in Southwest Greenland. Several of the old buildings in the settlement have been carefully restored to be used by tourists. This is a work that has been carried out by Ivittuut Municipality. However, there are other little huts around the Arsuk Fiord used for hiking tourist etc. The volunteers of the international workcamp will be working on the restoring of these this summer. Besides this, trophy hunting of musk oxen has become a special treat for attracting tourist to Ivittuut and volunteers can be involved in this as well.
Area: The whole area around Ivittuut, the Arsuk Fiord, is known to be one of the most beautiful places in Greenland. Geologically speaking, it is extremely interesting with some of the oldest mountain ranges in the world. The Arsuk Fiord is about 40 km long and where deepest, more than 600 meter deep. And with over 100 different minerals in the area, half of them only to be found in the Arsuk Fiord, it all makes Ivittuut an El Dorado for people with an interest in geology.
The area is green and fertile because of relatively high temperatures (for Greenland). The name Ivittuut means something like: “The grassy place”, which makes good sense. Animal life is especially characterised by birds; thousands of them breed by the bird cliffs in the bottom of the fiord, where even the white-tailed eagle breed. The most common mammals are snow hare, musk oxen and polar fox. In the sea and the fiord there are different species of seals and whales, the lesser rorqual being the most common whale.
The town of Ivittuut: Ivittuut is a very little municipality with only around 200 inhabitants, including the persons employed in the navy base of Greenland, Kangilinnguit. The first settlement in the area, Ivigtut, was founded around the Ivigtut mine where the mineral ‘cryolite’ was wined for 130 years. During the 2nd World War, when Greenland was cut of from Denmark and administrated from America and Greenland by the Danish diplomatic representatives, the breaking of cryolite was practically bearing the economy of Greenland. Cryolite was a very important mineral for the construction of aluminium, and therefore of high value during the war. The mine was closed in 1987. Now the present town of Ivittuut is placed 5 km from the old mining settlement Ivigtut. The last inhabitants moved from Ivigtut in 2001.
During the 2nd World War the Americans build up a Naval base in Ivittuut, the Base still exists today, however now as a Greenland/Danish Base (The Greenland Military Commando), it is called Kangilinnguit (Grønnedal). The Greenland Commando takes care of the whole Greenland military. The tasks of the Commando are, among other things, the surveillance of the Greenland waters, fisheries inspection, life-saving service etc. Today Ivittuut and Kangilinnguit is one town. The only road in Greenland connecting two towns connects the old mining settlement, Ivigtut and Kangilinnguit/Ivittuut; it has a length of 5 kilometres.
Work: Primitive carpentry work on the huts in the Arsuk Fiord. The volunteers will be sailed to the huts each day and taken back in the evening. Painting of a boathouse in Kangilinnguit (if the weather is too bad to go to the huts inside the fiord). Although welcomed, the volunteers are not expected to be skilled craftsmen (or women). As long as you have the wish to do practical work, also when this means painting and cleaning of buildings, and a general willingness to learn, you are qualified.
Those volunteers who wish so will take part in trophy hunting of musk oxen by carrying meat and trophy back to the boat after the hunting.
Accommodation: The volunteers will live in one or more already renovated hut(s) in the old mining settlement, Ivigtut. It will be quite comfortable, as there will be water closet, electric cooker and oven, dishwasher, washing machine and rotary drier. The house is heated and there are good beds. The mining settlement is 5 km from Kangilinnguit/ Ivittuut, and a person employed at the municipality will fetch the volunteers each day for work.
Suggested spare time activities: Excursions into the Ikka Fiord to se submarine columns of ikaite tufa, a nature phenomenon unique to this location. Visit to the settlement Arsuk, a community at the mouth of the Arsuk Fiord. Excursion to the glacier in the bottom of the fiord, to bird cliffs, to waterfalls etc. Hiking and fishing in the area around Ivittuut.
북극의 대자연과 그린란드 내부의 지역 문화와 정신을 알고 싶으신 참가자분들의 많은 참여바랍니다. 현지 참가비는 덴마크, 코펜하겐에서부터 그린란드까지의 왕복 항공료가 포함되어 있습니다. 자세한 내용은 아래를 확인하세요.
마감일:4월30일까지
사무국
----------------------------------------------------
MS/44 Qaqortoq, South Greenland 03.07.2004 – 02.08.2004
MS/43 Nuuk – at the Island Uummannaq inside the Fjord of Godthaab 03.07.04 – 02.08.04
MS/42 Ivittuut - former mine settlement in Arsuk Fjord.03.07.2004 – 02.08.2004
MS/41 Aasiaat - abandoned settlement of Manermiu 03.07.04 – 02.08.04
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MS/44 Qaqortoq, South Greenland
Location: In the town of Qaqortoq situated in the green and fertile South
Greenland.
Dates: 03.07.2004 – 02.08.2004
Arrival Copenhagen – in the evening for registration: July 2nd 2004.
Volunteers: 8-10
Participation fee: Euro 1242
Project: Qaqortoq Museum is in the process of building up a TELE-Museum as a specialised permanent exhibition. It is going to open in the spring of 2004. The TELE-Museum is established in the old telegraph station of Qaqortoq. This was the main telegraph station for the whole of Greenland when radiotelegraphy was introduced in the 1920ies. The area around the new Museum, as well as the access ways, need a shine up, and this will be the main project of the workcamp. The buildings are beautifully placed on the hills on the southwestern outskirts of town and working on the TELE-Museum will definitely offer the most excellent views of the town and area.
If time allows, another component in the workcamp project in Qaqortoq will be working on a path around a 12-km long trek along the shores of the lake ‘Taserssuaq’. This is a big lake, which extend itself all the way into Qaqortoq town.
Area: The green and fertile South and Southwest Greenland was the area in Greenland where the Norsemen settled and established their colonies when they came to Greenland in the late 10th century. As a consequence, the area around Qaqortoq bears many witnesses of the Norsemen history in Greenland. This is unlike the situation in the rest of Greenland, where the remnants of human history are mainly the remains of successive Inuit cultures, and, later on, of European whalers and traders.
The immediate surrounding of Qaqortoq offers beautiful recreational possibilities with, amongst other things, the possibility to go fishing in ‘Taserssuaq’. A speciality of Qaqortoq is the “Stone and Man” art project. You will meet it when you stroll around the town and surroundings in the shape of stone carvings and other art projects carried out by, among other, the famous Greenland artist, Aka Høegh.
The town of Qaqortoq: The inhabitants of Qaqortoq municipality numbers around 3.400 including three settlements, which belongs to the municipality. The city has all modern facilities, such as tourist information, library, internet-café, shops, bakery, disco, restaurant and hospital. It is the biggest town in South Greenland, and as such, regarded as the South-Greenland “capital”. Among other productions, the town houses the biggest tannery in Greenland where seal furs are produced.
Qaqortoq town is situated in the south of Greenland around 5 hours by boat from Narsarsuaq, which is the gateway and entrance to South Greenland from the rest of the world. The trip from Narsarsuaq to Qaqortoq the workcampgroup will make by coastal ferry. A ferry trip in Greenland is a great way to get an immediate impression of the grand nature of Greenland, and as such, it is the perfect way to arrive to a workcamp.
Work: On the TELE-Museum the workcamp will be doing a number of different tasks. They will establish an access path, renovate already existing stone steps of a stairway, and construct a platform in wood outside the museum (for tables and chairs for the visitors of the Museum). They will also collect old building materials and other things left behind in the surroundings of the Museum.
The track around ‘Taserssuaq’ is used very much by the local population for walking, jogging, mountain biking etc. It takes about 3-4 hours to walk around the lake. Since the track needs a bit of maintenance, the work on this project will be to fill in gravel and stone in the path to make it more easy to walk.
Accommodation: At the student’s dorm in Qaqortoq, which has all modern facilities; central heating, kitchen, shower facilities, living room, washing machine etc.
Suggested spare time activities: Excursions to Hvalsey ruins from the late 10th century, the most extensive and best-preserved Norse ruins in Greenland. Excursions to Upernaviarsuk, an agricultural research stations where different crops are tried out for eventual production. Other possible excursions are: visits to waterfall, inactive glacier, bird cliff etc. The area around Qaqortoq in general is perfect for one or several day hikes in the neighbourhood placed as it is on the mainland with wide areas to explore.
Please notice:
In case of less than 8 volunteers on your camp it might be cancelled. In this case you are offered a seat on another camp in Greenland or the refund of your payment.
MS/43 Nuuk – at the Island Uummannaq inside the Fjord of Godthaab
Location: Island of Uummannaq, inside the Fjord of Godthaab, 3 hours by boat from Nuuk
Dates: 03.07.04 – 02.08.04
Arrival Copenhagen - in the evening for registration: July 2nd 2004 –
Volunteers: 8-10
Participation fee: Euro 1586
Project: Nuuk municipality is involved in renovating a former Morovian (hernnhut) mission station on the island of Uummannaq. The Morovian mission station consists in two buildings, a church and another small building. The island is situated deep inside the beautiful fjord of Nuuk three hours by boat from Nuuk, the capital of Greenland. Previous years many different volunteers have spend a marvellous summer on this island working on the church. It is the 6th time there will be a workcamp on Uummannaq Island.
A group of Greenlanders who are working for the municipality in a project will begin the project early in the summer and take part in the work along with the volunteers of the workcamp. The meeting between the Greenlanders and the workcampers, living and working together on the Island of Uummannaq is an important part of the workcamp.
Area: The island Uummannaq that mean “the heart shaped” is situated in the 120-km-long Nuuk fjord around 60 km. from Nuuk in direct line. On the middle of the island, there are a 390m high dome-shaped cliff sloping gradually downwards with pretty steep shores except one place where a former settlement and now the old Morovian mission station is situated.
The town of Nuuk: Nuuk is the capital of Greenland and is situated at one of Greenland’s most beautiful fjords, the Fjord of Godthaab. Nuuk’s original Danish name Godthåb or "Good Hope" was bestowed by its founder, Hans Egede. The town was founded as a mission and trading company in 1728. Between 1950 and today the town gained most of its present 14.000 inhabitants because of the very fast growth of an industrialised, and later on knowledge society in Greenland.
Nuuk has everything you can expect from a metropolis: Cafe’s, supermarkets, nightlife, and a cultural centre with theatre and cinema. Since December 2003 it even has a public swimming bath. The workcamp will start and end in Nuuk – while the project itself will take place in Uummannaq. The volunteers will therefore spend a few days both in the beginning and in the end of the workcamp experiencing Nuuk.
There is a long tradition of workcamps in Nuuk. The municipality has hosted workcamp on changing projects 12 times, the first time being in 1976.
Work: Past years workcamps have been involved in the process of dismantling the church and a small building on Uummannaq. The last two years the rebuilding of the church has started. Both houses are going to be rebuilt and restored as far as possible by this year's participants. Among other things, the church needs a new roof. There is a carpenter on the project who will instruct both the participants.
Accommodation: Will be in a house and in tents in the old mission station on the island of Uummannaq. Here there are a kitchen and all facilities need to cook (gas burners and oven) in a large military tent. There are “bag-toilets” and mattresses to sleep on, whether you sleep in the houses or in tents. There are no showers, but you can always heat up water for a wash, or wash yourself in the small water ponds around the island.
Suggested spare time activities: The island is quite isolated but boat trips will be organised to the nearby settlement Kapisillit (‘salmon’), a small settlement with around 110 inhabitants. Past years the volunteers have arranged a hiking trip to reach the inland ice cap. This trip lasts around four days. Other obvious activities are small hikes on the island, fishing, sailing in the fjord etc.
Please notice:
In case of less than 8 volunteers on your camp it might be cancelled. In this case you are offered a seat on another camp in Greenland or the refund of your payment.
MS/41 Aasiaat - abandoned settlement of Manermiut
Location: Abandoned settlement of Manermiut, 25 kilometres south-west of the town of Aasiaat in the Disko Bay on the West Coast of Greenland.
Dates: 03.07.04 – 02.08.04
Arrival Copenhagen – in the evening for registration: July 2nd 2004
Volunteers: 8-10
Participation fee: Euro 1462
Project: The camp takes place in the abandoned settlement Manermiut. The settlement was abandoned and all the inhabitants moved to neighbouring towns in 1961. Four houses were left in Manermiut the rest were moved along with the inhabitants. The project consists in renovation of some of the abandoned houses.
Manermiut had around 70 inhabitants. For those people who were born in Manermiut who are still alive, the settlement bears great value, and it is a place many people return to visit with great pleasure. Aasiaat Municipality who wishes to keep the place as a resort for the inhabitants of Aasiaat and surroundings takes care of the maintenance of Manermiut. The houses are used by the different schools in Aasiaat for summer camps and excursions and by Aasiaat Tourist Service for kayak tourists during summertime, dogsled tourists during wintertime. By renovating the houses, the camp supports local tourism in Aasiaat and creates a beautiful resort for schoolchildren and for the local people in general, people whom often drop by Manermiut for a picnic during summertime.
Area: Aasiaat is known as “Town of the Whales”. This is due to the many whales you can experience when sailing in the sheltered waters of the archipelago around Aasiaat. The most frequent visitors are fin whales, the lesser rorqual and humpbacks, and sometimes it is possible to spot killer whales. It is also often possible to spot seals in the waters around Manermiut, and cod fishing from open boat is an activity well rewarded at the same time as it is suited to supplement the daily diet in the camp. On the big island, Saqqaliup Nunaa, where Manermiut is placed you find snow hare, foxes and musk oxen.
Because of the sheltered waters of the archipelago, Aasiaat is a region of Greenland where kayaking in recent years has become a big thing. Placed at the mouth of the Disco Bay, according to the prevailing currents, you have big icebergs from the Ilulissat glacier passing Aasiaat and Manermiut – a truly beautiful sight.
The town of Aasiaat: Has around 3100 inhabitants, settlements of the municipality not included. This makes Aasiaat the second largest town in the Disco Bay. It is a modern town with all modern facilities and - as for all cities in Greenland - fishing plays a big part in the economy. Aasiaat has a shrimp and crab factory and also a shipbuilding yard plus a number of service institutions. The town is the education centre of Northern Greenland with institutions such as an upper secondary school and a school for the handicapped. The summer of 2004 will be the fifth time in a row, that the municipality of Aasiaat hosts an MS-workcamp.
Work: Painting of the buildings of Manermiut inside as well as outside and a bit of primitive carpentry work. Although welcomed, the volunteers are not expected to be skilled craftsmen (or women). As long as you have the wish to do practical work, also when this means painting and cleaning of buildings, and a willingness to learn, you are qualified.
Accommodation: The volunteers will live in an already renovated building in Manermiut. It will be quite basic, as there will only be primitive "bag toilets" and no electricity. But, at the same time, there will be a stove to keep the house warm at night, bunk beds with mattresses and a basic kitchen with both gas burners and a gas oven. You won’t miss electric light, as artificial light is only needed for a few hours each night because of the midnight sun…
Suggested spare time activities: Hiking and fishing on the Island of Manermiut, Saqqaliup Nunaa which is around 35 by 10 km. It will probably also be possible to arrange kayak rental or kayak trips in Aasiaat. The previous years, the Manermiut camps have also visited Ilulissat on a several day trip. Ilulissat is situated in the middle of a big glacier where the icebergs break from the inland ice cap and sail out to sea. Experiencing the big ice glacier of Ilulissat is like taking part in scenery so beautiful that it is almost impossible to describe. The trip from Manermiut/Aasiaat to Ilulissat is also a very beautiful 10-hour journey where you cross the big Disko Bay by boat or coastal ferry.
Please notice:
In case of less than 8 volunteers on your camp it might be cancelled. In this case you are offered a seat on another camp in Greenland or the refund of your payment.
MS/42 Ivittuut - former mine settlement in Arsuk Fjord.
Location: Ivittuut, a little town in the fjord of Arsuk Southwest Greenland.
An area with some of the oldest mountain ranges in the world.
Dates: 03.07.2004 – 02.08.2004
Arrival Copenhagen – in the evening for registration: July 2nd 2004
Volunteers: 8-10
Participation fee: Euro 1546
Project: The workcamp hosted by Ivittuut Municipality takes place in a former mine settlement, Ivigtut in the Arsuk Fiord in Southwest Greenland. Several of the old buildings in the settlement have been carefully restored to be used by tourists. This is a work that has been carried out by Ivittuut Municipality. However, there are other little huts around the Arsuk Fiord used for hiking tourist etc. The volunteers of the international workcamp will be working on the restoring of these this summer. Besides this, trophy hunting of musk oxen has become a special treat for attracting tourist to Ivittuut and volunteers can be involved in this as well.
Area: The whole area around Ivittuut, the Arsuk Fiord, is known to be one of the most beautiful places in Greenland. Geologically speaking, it is extremely interesting with some of the oldest mountain ranges in the world. The Arsuk Fiord is about 40 km long and where deepest, more than 600 meter deep. And with over 100 different minerals in the area, half of them only to be found in the Arsuk Fiord, it all makes Ivittuut an El Dorado for people with an interest in geology.
The area is green and fertile because of relatively high temperatures (for Greenland). The name Ivittuut means something like: “The grassy place”, which makes good sense. Animal life is especially characterised by birds; thousands of them breed by the bird cliffs in the bottom of the fiord, where even the white-tailed eagle breed. The most common mammals are snow hare, musk oxen and polar fox. In the sea and the fiord there are different species of seals and whales, the lesser rorqual being the most common whale.
The town of Ivittuut: Ivittuut is a very little municipality with only around 200 inhabitants, including the persons employed in the navy base of Greenland, Kangilinnguit. The first settlement in the area, Ivigtut, was founded around the Ivigtut mine where the mineral ‘cryolite’ was wined for 130 years. During the 2nd World War, when Greenland was cut of from Denmark and administrated from America and Greenland by the Danish diplomatic representatives, the breaking of cryolite was practically bearing the economy of Greenland. Cryolite was a very important mineral for the construction of aluminium, and therefore of high value during the war. The mine was closed in 1987. Now the present town of Ivittuut is placed 5 km from the old mining settlement Ivigtut. The last inhabitants moved from Ivigtut in 2001.
During the 2nd World War the Americans build up a Naval base in Ivittuut, the Base still exists today, however now as a Greenland/Danish Base (The Greenland Military Commando), it is called Kangilinnguit (Grønnedal). The Greenland Commando takes care of the whole Greenland military. The tasks of the Commando are, among other things, the surveillance of the Greenland waters, fisheries inspection, life-saving service etc. Today Ivittuut and Kangilinnguit is one town. The only road in Greenland connecting two towns connects the old mining settlement, Ivigtut and Kangilinnguit/Ivittuut; it has a length of 5 kilometres.
Work: Primitive carpentry work on the huts in the Arsuk Fiord. The volunteers will be sailed to the huts each day and taken back in the evening. Painting of a boathouse in Kangilinnguit (if the weather is too bad to go to the huts inside the fiord). Although welcomed, the volunteers are not expected to be skilled craftsmen (or women). As long as you have the wish to do practical work, also when this means painting and cleaning of buildings, and a general willingness to learn, you are qualified.
Those volunteers who wish so will take part in trophy hunting of musk oxen by carrying meat and trophy back to the boat after the hunting.
Accommodation: The volunteers will live in one or more already renovated hut(s) in the old mining settlement, Ivigtut. It will be quite comfortable, as there will be water closet, electric cooker and oven, dishwasher, washing machine and rotary drier. The house is heated and there are good beds. The mining settlement is 5 km from Kangilinnguit/ Ivittuut, and a person employed at the municipality will fetch the volunteers each day for work.
Suggested spare time activities: Excursions into the Ikka Fiord to se submarine columns of ikaite tufa, a nature phenomenon unique to this location. Visit to the settlement Arsuk, a community at the mouth of the Arsuk Fiord. Excursion to the glacier in the bottom of the fiord, to bird cliffs, to waterfalls etc. Hiking and fishing in the area around Ivittuut.