Today, 21st June the Greenlanders are celebrating Self-Government Day with a weekend of ceremony and circumstance for themselves and invited international guests.Last year the population voted to increase their powers of self-government, following on 30 years after gaining a measure of home rule from Denmark. Certain crucial powers are reserved to the Danish administration but Greenlanders may move to complete independence at some future point.
There are numerous parallels with the Scottish independence project, not least, that Greenland has taken these steps over a period of time rather than instantly becoming independent. Scotland too has followed a gradualist progression towards more autonomy over many decades until the present situation where full fiscal autonomy may almost be within sight, Calman notwithstanding.
The Independent newspaper reported the vote for self-government with a patronising, almost colonial, attitude that will resonate with those used to reading articles about Scottish independence couched in a similar tone.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/the-big-question-is-greenland-ready-for-independence-and-what-would-it-mean-for-its-people-1036735.html
However, the article does provide useful background information.
This link goes to the official site for the government celebrations and for much more information of the country and its resources.
http://uk.nanoq.gl/
The site below contains an interesting discussion that contextualises today’s historic event within a global perspective of indigenous and citizen movements.
http://mikeely.wordpress.com/2008/12/06/self-government-and-imperialism-for-greenlands-inuit/
I’ve always fancied visiting Greenland and seeing the vast, rapidly melting glaciers for myself. Perhaps I’ll realise that ambition someday and get to see for myself how life is conducted in such a small community sharing such a huge landmass. For now, I wish them well in their new self-governing status.
2 comments:
thank you for this.
I knew nothing about Greenland attaining self-government and was glad to find out the history of the country. All the best to them.
Not much reported in British media; I suppose a bit frightening to Unionists.
PS though I suppose the political analysis is true, there is something a little Pythonesque about the last website on your blog referring to "Danish Imperialists". Not thought of that tiny country that way before. But then I didn't know they were indeed imperialists over Scandanavia in the past (I thought it was the Swedes; they must have been later).
Thanks for the comment Jerzz.
I suppose the description of the Danes as imperialistic is in line with that term fitting any colonising power, no matter the size it is. Consider the relative population sizes of the UK and that of some of the vast countries it 'ruled' during the time it called itself the Brit Empire.
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