It was a real winter back then, with deep snow and bitterly cold temperatures, when we prepared for a long range dog sledge trip with local Inuits. On our way, we first arrived in the small Inuit community „Ittoqqortoormiit“. Its name means “The place with big houses”, which is located in northeast Greenland – stunning 800 km away from the next village.
Photo: from my book “Frozen Latitudes” – a photographic tribute to the beauty of the High Arctic.
VIDEO: MY HIGH ARCTIC EXPERIENCES
After that I continued my exploration of the village. I was stunned that this remote village provided a full infrastructure to their inhabitants. After every snowfall, some of the snow-buried paths between important spots reappeared. Like the heliport up on a hill above the village. The hospital (which is only opened when there is illness). The police station. Small kiosks and the supermarket with an attached post office where people can buy a wide range of things: guns and ammunition, household goods and tools as well as imported food. The church. A nursery. A school for all pupils up to the age of 14 years and a sports and community hall.
Only the main paths of the village around the church and the „market place“ in front of the supermarket are dug out by a Caterpillar, creating snow walls many meters high.
Photo: from my book “Frozen Latitudes” – a photographic tribute to the beauty of the High Arctic.
The sacristan of the villiage opened the church for us and lit the candles on the altar. We sat down and soaked up the atmosphere until the priest arrived. He was wearing a winter anorak and started to play the organ. There I was: sitting in a church, listening to organ music in the remotest village of the world. The High Arctic all around me, while remembering the cemetery experience in the remotest village of the world. At the same time, I felt warmly welcomed by the villagers.
Life can be such a deep experience, which I want to share with you in my book “Frozen Latitudes”.
My Photographic Tribute to the Beauty of the High Arctic
DISCOUNT AVAILABLE FOR READERS!
- 288 pages about 30 years of traveling to the High Arctic
- 320 stunning photos of people, landscapes and animals
- Deep and touching first-hand experiences
- Scientific expert chapter about the impact of climate change on the Arctic
