On Friday, the Greenlandic flag will be raised on Danish flagpoles to mark Greenland’s National Day and Self-Government Day. As tradition dictates, the first three seals caught in the Qeqqata Municipality in West Greenland will be flayed and distributed to the citizens early in the morning. This event marks the beginning of a day filled with public celebrations in Greenland’s towns and settlements, where each locality celebrates with their own special traditions. This may range from seal hunting competitions to exhibitions of kayaking skills.
For the ninth year in a row, the Greenlandic flag, known as Erfalasorput, will be hoisted in Denmark on the national day, which also coincides with a Danish flag day. The initiative to introduce official flag days in Denmark for both Greenland and the Faroe Islands was taken by the former government under the leadership of Lars Løkke Rasmussen in 2016. The former Prime Minister stated at the time that the different flags and countries in the realm are something we should respect and appreciate. He emphasized the importance of marking and celebrating the shared history and strong ties within the realm.
Erfalasorput, meaning “our flag,” was officially raised for the first time in Greenland in 1985. The flag’s design process was marked by democratic decisions, unlike the Danish flag Dannebrog, which according to legend fell from the sky during a battle in Estonia in 1219. After many years of discussions, the Greenlandic flag was finally shaped by the artist Thue Christiansen, who drew the two semicircles symbolizing the midnight sun and the ice. The semicircles are offset and placed in a way that reflects the cross on the Danish flag, emphasizing the connection to Denmark and the rest of the Nordic countries.