Workshop descritption

Who is Sassuma Arnaa? What is a Qivittoq? How/why did the fearsome revenge-creature Tupilak go from monster to merchandise? And what does it take to hunt these mythical beings down? The book "Bestiarium Groenlandica - an illustrated guide to the mythical creatures, spirits and animals of Greenland" was published in 2018, which is an encyclopedia of 67 of the most famous figures from Greenlandic mythology. The book has been a great success, not least because of the colorful illustrations by Greenlandic, Danish and Icelandic artists. In this 2-hour talk, Maria will talk about her own background and where the interest in monsters began, about the book's creation, and how to actually catch monsters in Greenland - and why a good scare is an essential thrill during the long winter months in the Arctic. She will talk about the most famous of the Greenlandic mythical creatures, such as the Mother of the Sea, the Mountain-walker, the Sun and the Moon, and about how the Tupilak went from dreaded revenge monster to fabulous merchandise. The mythical creatures are an aperitif for Greenlandic culture, and the aim of the lecture is to create interest in Greenland, our culture and history, and hopefully sharpen the desire to know more! There will be time for questions at the end. The talk is in Danish or English.