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Welcome to Greenland—the 7th “Country of Christmas”!
What are you having for Christmas dinner this year? Maybe turkey, ham, seafood, Christmas pudding . . . ?
Our food items certainly vary depending on where we live in the world!
In Greenland, there will no turkey or Christmas pudding on the dining room table.
Rather, there will be a traditional dish called Kiviak, prepared months before Christmas. It consists of the raw flesh of auk wrapped in seal skin. (marieleslie.com)
I don’t know about you, but I had never heard of an “auk.” In case you haven’t either, here’s what I found:
“Auk—any of several black-and-white short-necked diving seabirds of the alcid family that breed in colder parts of the northern hemisphere.”
Meriem Webster
This delicacy in Greenland is placed under a rock for months until decomposition has clearly set in. Interesting, huh?
“Winning the award for longest preparation time, Greenland’s traditional Christmas dish, Kiviak, takes a full seven months to prepare. It begins with hollowing out a seal skin and stuffing it with 500 auks—a sea bird (feathers and all) to ferment. When the holiday rolls around, it’s served straight from the seal.”
Green Global Travel
In addition to Kiviak, Christmas celebrations also include Mattak which consists of whale skin with a strip of blubber inside. (marieleslie.com)
How does that sound for your Christmas feast this year?
As I always remind our children (and myself!) during our travels and living abroad . . . “It’s not better. It’s not worse. It’s not good. It’s not bad. It’s just different!”
If we ever spend Christmas in Greenland one day, our Christmas dinner will certainly be new and different than anything we have tasted before!
What about you? Would you be willing to taste these specialties, Kiviak and Mattak from Greenland and “Weave Cultures” around the Christmas table?
MERRY CHRISTMAS, Greenland!
—THE CULTURAL STORY-WEAVER
CHECK OUT MY FREE COURSE, “THE 5-DAY JOURNEY TO CULTURAL AWARENESS”!
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What about you? What are some interesting Christmas traditions in your family or culture, or in other countries you have visited?
We invite you to tell us your own cultural stories and global adventures . . . as you engage with the world, breaking down barriers, building bridges, and “weaving cultures”! Write about them in the comment box below.
