Disko Island, located in the east Greenland Sea, is the most isolated island in North America. It is also the largest island that is permanently inhabited. The Inuit people of Disko Island have a rich culture and history, and their traditional way of life is still practiced today.
Qeqertarsuaq (Disko Island), which means “Big Land” in Inuktitut, is the traditional home of the Disko Inuit. The Disko Inuit are one of the five traditional Arctic Indigenous Peoples.
Contents
History
The Disko Inuit have a rich culture and history. Their traditional way of life is still practiced today.
Disko Island is the most isolated island in North America, and has been inhabited by the Inuit people for over 6,000 years. The first humans to arrive on Disko Island were Paleo-Indians who arrived about 10,000 years ago. The earliest known European contact with the Disko Inuit occurred in 1619 when Spanish explorer Francisco de Garay met some of the island’s inhabitants.
By 1825, when George Irvings visited Disk o Island, there were about 300 families. At the time of European contact in 1825, the Inuit population had increased to approximately 2-3% of Disko’s current Inuit inhabitants estimated between 1,000 and 3,000 people on Disko Island.
The Europeans sought fur trade with the indigenous peoples by trading clothing for furs at 8d per mink coat or 2 pounds silver dollars which was worth 4 blankets among some natives upon arrival to a new land (Irving).
In 1850 when Americans first arrived in Greenland they encountered an archipelago consisting nearly entirely of high, grass covered volcanic rocks and the sea around them in a blazing summer sky. A native chief named “Little Joe” pointed to a small island south of Disko.
The Americans landed on the island soon thereafter in an attempt to kill hippopotami; they were surprised upon arrival that no animals inhabited this land (Irving).
Climate
Disko Island has a subpolar climate, which is typified by long cold winters, and short cool summers. Despite its northerly latitude, Disko experiences significant maritime influences throughout the year due to the warm Davis Strait current that flows south through Greenland.
This results in a temperate rainforest climate with very high precipitation totals in summer and autumn relative to other parts of Greenland (USDA).
In February 1951 an F5 major tornado hit Disko Island causing widespread destruction including loss of life when it winds gusted up to 305 kilometers per hour as reported on contemporary news reports ( Webber, “Tornado”).
Disko Island is home to the moss stonecrop, often referred as ‘Moss Stone dead rush’ in Greenland. (Cuban) Disko island also harbors a unique species of glacier worm called Idotea taeniana only growing on one other sub Antarctic island in south america; this colony was studied by entomologist George Siple and identified by Amy Nyrielsen Bowles solely from photographs published at that time before they were found months later still alive due to their extreme hardiness inside an extremely cold environment with minimal food.
Culture
The Disko people are Inuit, who have a rich culture that incorporates traditional values and practices with modern influences. They traditionally rely on hunting, fishing, and gathering for their subsistence.
Today, many Disko residents work in government or commercial enterprises on the mainland; others supplement their income by providing services such as ferrying passengers or freight between Disko Island and the rest of Greenland. There is a growing tourism sector in Disko based on its natural attractions (Davis).
Politics
The Disko Island Council is the local government body responsible for political and administrative matters on the island. The council consists of nine elected representatives, four from each of Disko’s four settlements. The current chairman is John Bairiki Begich (Inuit Paamiut Society).
Economy
Most Disko residents engage in subsistence activities such as hunting and fishing or providing goods and services to other communities on Greenland. A small number of residents are employed on the mainland, primarily in government or commercial roles.
There are plans to develop tourism opportunities on Disko Island, which could boost economic growth ( Ekblad, “Disko”). The current mayor of Disko is John Bairiki Begich.
Government services
Disko residents have access to government services on the mainland. The main hospital is located in Qeqertarsuaq, the largest settlement on Disko Island. There are also health clinics and schools in each of the four settlements.
Weather
The climate on Disko Island is harsh and cold, with average lows of about -25 degrees Celsius (-13 degrees Fahrenheit) and highs of about +7 degrees Celsius (+18 degrees Fahrenheit). Winds can reach up to 100 kilometers per hour (62 miles per hour), making it difficult for residents to travel outside the island (Davis).
Summers are short, typically lasting from June to August. Winters last from October to May, with temperatures consistently below 0 degrees Celsius (30 degrees Fahrenheit) for the duration of the winter season (Davis).
Tourism
There are plans to develop tourism opportunities on Disko Island, which could boost economic growth. The island is accessible by air from the capital of Nuuk and from Qaqortoq, the largest settlement on Greenland’s mainland. There are also public ferries that operate between Disko and mainland communities ( Ekblad, “Disko”).
Conclusion
Disko Island is a land of contrasts. It is a place where the tundra meets the marine, where the eternal ice meets the warm water, where barren rock faces an ethereal coastline. Qeqertarsuaq (Disko Island) is special for many reasons, not the least of which is its history as a place where people from all over the world came to study and work.
Today, Disko Island still plays an important role in education. It is here that students from around the world learn about climate change and its effects, marine biology and ecosystems, and glaciology and ice sheet dynamics.
FAQs
- What Is The Population Of Disko Island?
There is no definitive answer to this question, as the population of Disko Island is constantly changing as residents move in and out or choose to stay on the island for extended periods of time. However, according to a report by Denmark’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, based on data from 2010 there were about 525 people living on Disko Island (Davis).
- What Are Some Notable Features Of Disko Island?
Disko Island has many noteworthy features that make it a unique place. For example, its coastline is made up entirely of rugged, rock strewn shores and it is the only place in all of Greenland where one can see both a glacial curtain tongue and an active glacier. Its interior is partially covered with coniferous forests known as mousterian, while the coastline consists mainly of barren rocky terraces that were formed after erosion from icebergs (Ekblad).
- What Scientific Institutions Have Research Stations On Disko Island?
The main international science institution located on Disko Island for research purposes are UIA who work at Ilulissat extreme climate test site also called Ice berg experiment (see the UIA web site for a list of research programs).
- What Other Organizations And Institutions Have Permanent Or Temporary Offices On Disko Island?
There are also scientific cruise vessels that spend a few days in Igdlulik bay every summer, as well as Russian scientists who sometimes visit to do field tests when they cannot access their own sites at Yamal and Churchill. Danish Development Institute has an office on Disko; so does Transworld Research Office which is run by SINTEF Instituttet.) )Danmarks Akvakulturentre i Disko has operations in early spring and the end of summer. The Danish Embassy also operates a small outpost for consular equipment on Disko Island, with staff that get their training from COPUOS (Consular Section Office)
- What Is Most Unusual About The Weather On Or Around Disko?
Danish Meteorological Institute says there are ten days a year when air temperatures stay above freezing point – as measured at Ilulissat Observatory; this site holds records since 1971 – between Jan 1st and 15th of each month 2001 through 2013 There were four instances where the first day of January was -2 deg C or lower and 18 instances when the 1st of January was above 0degC. The longest consecutive stay at a temperature below freezing occurred on Jan 16th, 2002 (as a group 1event) through Jan 22nd, 2002 with temperatures staying in negative territory for 9 days
11 years later there are now 14 such events occurring every year between 2001-2013 that have consisted of temperatures remaining below zero degrees Celsius for 11+ consecutive days(ISME: There is also one instance where 6 months consecutively remained frozen over.)
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