Great Greenland Tannery

Take a behind-the-scenes look at a tannery that transforms sealskins into furs, an industry with strong traditional ties to the indigenous Inuit people. Seals are abundant in this sub-Arctic region, where the Inuit have hunted them for thousands of years, primarily for food. Hunters send their surplus skins to the Great Greenland Tannery, and during your tour of the factory you’ll learn more about the deep cultural and financial connections between seal hunting and traditional Inuit life. It’s an industry and inter-relationship not often well-understood by those who don’t live in this environment – and your tour will surely be eye-opening. You’ll see sealskins, and perhaps even those of polar bear and polar fox, being processed and dyed. Many are for export to fabricators in Denmark, but other skins remain at the tannery to be sewn into a variety of finished pieces including jackets, pants and, Mittens and warm slippers. Even smaller items like handbags and belts are produced at the Great Greenland Tannery, ensuring that almost the entire sealskin is used. Two Greenlanders are in charge of designing the tannery’s exquisite merchandise, sold in the on-site fashion studio. After the tour, explore Qaqortoq further or stroll back to the ship.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Stroll to Greenland’s sole tannery, where some 30,000 sealskins are processed each year, most coming from individual Inuit hunters.
• Learn about the Inuit culture’s longstanding reliance on the seal population for food and sustenance.
• Watch as seal skins are prepared and dyed, destined to be turned into exquisite finished products.
• Browse handsomely designed sealskin items available for purchase in the tannery’s fashion studio.
• Finish up with some free time to explore Qaqortoq further, returning to the pier at your leisure.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Wear weather-appropriate clothing; include a light jacket or windbreaker.
• Flat, comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
• Bring a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and insect repellant as needed.