Nordbosagnene. Om grønlændernes første sammentræf med de gamle nordboer: Nordboerne i Ameralik indebrændes 1858 - 1860

Aron from Kangeq made this woodcut print to depict a Greenlandic saga about the first encounter between Greenlanders and Norsemen. The image offers a window into the cultural and historical tensions of 19th-century Greenland under Danish colonial rule. It shows a dramatic scene: Greenlanders attacking and burning Norse settlers in Ameralik. This reflects a complex interplay of oral history, colonial influence, and indigenous self-representation. Aron, an Inuk artist, was commissioned by Hinrich Rink, the director of the Royal Greenland Trading Department, to document Greenlandic folklore. The image creates meaning through the visual codes of indigenous storytelling. The narrative emphasizes Greenlandic agency and resistance against foreign intrusion. Understanding this artwork requires research into Greenlandic oral traditions, the history of Danish colonialism, and the role of institutions like the Royal Greenland Trading Department in shaping cultural production. The meaning of this piece lies in its social and institutional context.