Inuit calls for Greenland independence strengthen after U.S. threats

Public statements by U.S. officials about acquiring Greenland have reignited calls from Inuit leaders for an independent Kalaallit Nunaat, and activists point to Greenland’s history of Danish colonization and recent moves toward self-governance.

Aka Hansen, an Inuit activist and filmmaker, says recent public statements by U.S. officials about acquiring Greenland have renewed calls for an independent Kalaallit Nunaat. Greenland today has a system of self-governance but remains under the Danish constitution. Inuit people make up more than 90 per cent of Greenland’s population and many seek full sovereignty, citing a history of colonization and cultural disruption. Hansen describes cultural and media work, including a drafted constitution, as part of efforts to assert Inuit control over the island’s future. Key facts: - The article reports former U.S. president Donald Trump first proposed buying Greenland in 2019 and has raised the issue publicly on multiple occasions since then. - The article reports that in January he spent weeks publicly pressing the idea that the U.S. should acquire the island, including references to economic and military options. - Greenland has a form of self-governance today, and many Inuit leaders and communities are pursuing greater sovereignty and have discussed a locally drafted constitution. - Activists such as Aka Hansen are organizing through community-based cultural work and media; specific legal or procedural next steps toward full independence are undetermined at this time. Summary: Reported U.S. statements about acquiring Greenland have strengthened public calls among Inuit leaders for independence and brought renewed attention to Greenland’s colonial history and current self-rule arrangements. Undetermined at this time.