Mythical Monsters of Greenland: The creepy and colourful creatures of the fjords.

As Greenland and the Arctic have gained a greater place on the world map, interest in the Arctic part of the Danish Kingdom is growing, and the presentation of Greenlandic mythical creatures is a taste of some of the things that can be experienced on the world’s largest island. Many of the Greenlandic mythical figures have had to undergo great change over time, to adapt to a modern Greenland that is just now re-discovering itself.

Maria will start with a short history of Greenland, and then talk about her own background and where the interest in monsters began and about the making of the book “Bestiarium Groenlandica – an illustrated handbook and Greenlandic mythical creatures, spirits and animals” as well has her new book “Mythical Monsters of Greenland – a mini-guide to the arctic explorer”, and how monsters are actually caught in modern Greenland – and why a good scare is essential during the long winter months in the Arctic! How have Greenlandic mythical figures survived to the present day, and why are superstitions part of most Greenlanders’ daily lives in a modern world? She will talk about the most famous of Greenlandic mythical creatures such as the Mother of the Sea, the Mountain Walker, the Sun and the Moon and many others, and how the tupilak went from feared vengeance monster to fabulous merchandise.

Bio:

Maria Kreutzmann was born and raised in Greenland, where she spent her childhood chasing monsters in the capital of Nuuk. She has since lived, studied and worked in the United States, England and Denmark, and completed her BAC in Computer Graphic Arts at The Animation Workshop in Viborg, Denmark in 2012.

She moved back to Greenland in 2017, where she completed her first book “Bestiarium Groenlandica – an illustrated guide to the mythical creatures, spirits and animals of Greenland” which was published by Milik Publishing in 2018. “Mythical Monsters of Greenland – a mini-guide to the arctic explorer” was released through her own company in 2022.

She now works full-time disseminating Greenlandic mythology and culture to curious souls everywhere, through the medium of books, workshops, talks and illustrations produced through her company Glaciem House.

don’t worry if you miss it – we will send you a recording valid for two weeks the next day