Kangerlussuaq: evolution and maturation of a cultural landscape in Greenland

The cultural landscape reflects the composite influences of the regional physical, cultural, and technological environments. It is a dynamic entity which evolves over time and the perceptions of its human inhabitants is influential in the process. This paper is a descriptive analysis of Kangerlussua...

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Main Author: Dzik Anthony J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń 2014-06-01
Series:Bulletin of Geography. Socio-Economic Series
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.2478/bog-2014-0014
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author Dzik Anthony J.
author_facet Dzik Anthony J.
author_sort Dzik Anthony J.
collection DOAJ
description The cultural landscape reflects the composite influences of the regional physical, cultural, and technological environments. It is a dynamic entity which evolves over time and the perceptions of its human inhabitants is influential in the process. This paper is a descriptive analysis of Kangerlussuaq, a young but maturing settlement located in west Greenland near the inland ice. The site’s natural resource base did not attract permanent settlement by the Inuit or Scandinavian colonists, but in the early days of the World War II, the American military took advantage of the exceptional flying conditions here and established an air base. In time, civilian functions developed as Kangerlussuaq became the hub for air travel in Greenland. A transitory utilitarian settlement was eventually transformed into a more permanent settlement. In recent years there seems to be a growing sense of community and place attachment as the cultural landscape begins to exhibit more of the components of a real ‘town’.
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spelling doaj-art-90bb1af1015d41449b1e82650c5e9f772025-08-20T02:52:13ZengNicolaus Copernicus University in ToruńBulletin of Geography. Socio-Economic Series1732-42542014-06-012424576910.2478/bog-2014-0014Kangerlussuaq: evolution and maturation of a cultural landscape in GreenlandDzik Anthony J.0Shawnee State University, Department of Social Sciences, 940 2nd St. Portsmouth, Ohio 45662, USA;The cultural landscape reflects the composite influences of the regional physical, cultural, and technological environments. It is a dynamic entity which evolves over time and the perceptions of its human inhabitants is influential in the process. This paper is a descriptive analysis of Kangerlussuaq, a young but maturing settlement located in west Greenland near the inland ice. The site’s natural resource base did not attract permanent settlement by the Inuit or Scandinavian colonists, but in the early days of the World War II, the American military took advantage of the exceptional flying conditions here and established an air base. In time, civilian functions developed as Kangerlussuaq became the hub for air travel in Greenland. A transitory utilitarian settlement was eventually transformed into a more permanent settlement. In recent years there seems to be a growing sense of community and place attachment as the cultural landscape begins to exhibit more of the components of a real ‘town’.https://doi.org/10.2478/bog-2014-0014cultural landscapecultural integrationgreenlandkangerlussuaq
spellingShingle Dzik Anthony J.
Kangerlussuaq: evolution and maturation of a cultural landscape in Greenland
Bulletin of Geography. Socio-Economic Series
cultural landscape
cultural integration
greenland
kangerlussuaq
title Kangerlussuaq: evolution and maturation of a cultural landscape in Greenland
title_full Kangerlussuaq: evolution and maturation of a cultural landscape in Greenland
title_fullStr Kangerlussuaq: evolution and maturation of a cultural landscape in Greenland
title_full_unstemmed Kangerlussuaq: evolution and maturation of a cultural landscape in Greenland
title_short Kangerlussuaq: evolution and maturation of a cultural landscape in Greenland
title_sort kangerlussuaq evolution and maturation of a cultural landscape in greenland
topic cultural landscape
cultural integration
greenland
kangerlussuaq
url https://doi.org/10.2478/bog-2014-0014
work_keys_str_mv AT dzikanthonyj kangerlussuaqevolutionandmaturationofaculturallandscapeingreenland